SCOTLAND


AS I WIND MY WAY THROUGH THE LUMINOUS LANDSCAPE


of Royal Deeside, with its sparkling river, peridot pastures and patches of vivid green woodland, I shiver with anticipation. In this storybook setting, I’m in search of a misunderstood spirit — a famous green fairy uncommon to these parts. Absinthe exerts a powerful grip on the imagination,


perhaps more so than any other drink, summoning up visions of belle époque Paris and artistic excess. And now, in rural Aberdeenshire, far from the City of Light, it’s the preoccupation of Pete Dignan, who’s set up a craft distillery to produce absinthe in the heart of Scotland’s whisky country. A herbal remedy originating in Switzerland in the


18th century, absinthe became popular in France after the Great French Wine Blight, which devastated vineyards in the 1860s. But with an alcohol content of as much as 74%, it’s a drink with a reputation — and as its popularity grew, it was demonised by both the temperance movement and the wine industry. Finally, in 1915, absinthe was banned in France, having already been outlawed in several other countries around the world. But never in Scotland. “We don’t like to ban alcohol


here,” says Pete, with a wry smile. Pete and his business partner, Richard Pierce, run


Lost Loch Spirits, one of several pioneering outfits taking Scottish spirits in an exciting new direction. This land of whisky-lovers is now home to a new generation of artisan distillers, producing everything from vodka and rum to vermouth and eau de vie. There’s even a Scottish gin trail, curated by Visit Scotland. Pete comes from a long line of enthusiasts. “My father


was always making tinctures and wines,” he says. “And my great-uncle was the head brewer at Tomintoul Distillery.” As for absinthe, he first got a taste for it in the 1990s, at a bar in Aberdeen. “They stamped your hand after each absinthe,” he explains. “Two and you were out.” Lost Loch Spirits’ eclectic product range includes


EeNoo gin, named after Inuit traveller Eenoolooapik, who visited Aberdeenshire in 1839; Haroosh, a liqueur made with brambleberries, local honey and whisky, using a century-old family recipe; and a rum blended with vanilla beans.


80 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/FOOD-TRAVEL


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