William Wallace and Gin!
A tale of one couple, one monument and a bridge, have merged to bring you what we know as Stirling Gin.
June and Cameron McCann ran a successful art gallery for many years, alongside the very popular Stirling Whisky Festival. They spotted a business opportunity in gin and went on to create the brand Stirling Gin in 2015, after testing many recipes in their kitchen. The Wallace Monument and Stirling Bridge feature on their label, designed by an artist friend.
Their trusty Springer Spaniel can take a lot of credit for the gin creation, as it was on dog walks that their ideas really started to develop! Nettles were a prime pest, but are now loved by all, as they are the main botanical in their gin recipe. If we can love nettle soup, then why not nettle gin!
The Wallace Monument is a tower which commemorates the life of Sir William Wallace, a 13th-century Scottish hero. He was a Scottish knight who became one of the leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Wallace defeated an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. Surely nettles picked in this area are going to be steeped in history, making it hard to drink a more historical liquid!
The McCanns spend time visiting the major shows and food and drink fairs in Scotland. Celebrities along the way have included Nick Nairn and Paolo Nutini. We're sure that Cameron will recognise Paolo the next time!
Stirling Gin have mixed the gin and ice combination very nicely and are proud sponsors of Team Murdoch, a group of Stirling based curlers who are training for the Winter Olympics in 2018. We'll drink to that!
So the next time you hear of William Wallace think Stirling, think history and think Stirling Gin.
