Cocktails & Perfect Serves

We are buzzing to share the news that we have bees at Darnley's! Behind our Gin Cottage in the East Neuk of Fife we have recently welcomed a hive of bees from our local beekeeper-supreme, and part time tour guide here at the distillery, Mandy! Mandy has owned and cared for bees for over 15 years and currently has four hives in her care, one of which we are lucky enough to have on site at our gin cottage in Fife. We are now proud owners of our very own polyhive. Polyhives, made from polystyrene, are becoming increasingly popular among...

We love gin. As a society we bought somewhere in the region of 50 million bottles of it in 2017, amounting to around £1.2 billion. But, for all the glamour of a Gin & Tonic, gin has a few dirty cobwebs lurking around its history... It all started with juniper, or as the Dutch called it: genever. Known since the middle ages as a remedy for fever and other ailments, a drink with the oil of the juniper berry has probably been around for quite some time. It was Franciscus Sylvius de la Boe however, a Dutch doctor, who created a schnapps...

Ingredients (Serves 1)  15ml ounce honey syrup (see step 1) 25ml lemon juice (about ½ medium lemon) 50ml Darnley’s Original Gin Lemon twist, for garnish Method 1. To make the honey syrup: Combine equal parts honey and water (say, 2 tablespoons each if you’re only making a few cocktails) in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan. Warm in the microwave or over the stovetop just until you can completely stir the honey into the water. Set aside. 2. Before juicing your lemons, use a vegetable peeler to peel off a strip(s) of zest for your twist. 3. To make the cocktail,...

Ingredients (Serves 1)  50ml Darnley’s Original Gin 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp sugar syrup Champagne Ice Lemon zest, for garnish Method 1. Pour the lemon juice, sugar syrup and gin into a cocktail shaker then fill up with ice. 2. Shake well then strain into a champagne flute. Top with a little champagne, leave to settle (as it will bubble up) then fill up with more champagne. Swirl gently with a cocktail stirrer then garnish with a strip of lemon zest.