“I didn’t plan on becoming a preachy craft gin geek. Yet here I am killing it.”

The husband and wife team behind Persie Distillery is Simon and Chrissie Fairclough.

It’s not often a whisky man turns gin distiller, but that’s our story. Simon cut his teeth in the spirits industry as a consultant for Johnnie Walker, Cardhu, Talisker and Jura Scotch whisky brands. In 2013 he qualified with The Institute of Brewing & Distilling – the same year Chrissie launched Gin Club Scotland, the world’s first touring gin club. She was on a mission to hear the voice of the customer and use these insights to help Simon make a gin that hit the spot. After one year on the road, they had harvested feedback from 3,000 gin tasters and recipe development kicked off!

Building a Distillery

In 2014, they bought the former Persie Hotel in Glenshee to convert into a distillery. (Ironically enough, it was a temperance hotel with no alcohol allowed on the premises!) Simon commissioned a new bore hole to ensure there was a natural water supply from the Glenshee hills and, with whisky a possibility for the future, he commissioned a bespoke 230 litre hybrid still with a pot and column, perfect for making any strong spirit without risk of flavour cross-contamination. Dubbed Phil the Still, he is a thing of beauty, and the first in Scotland from Müller in Germany’s Black Forest. A run takes around five hours and the yield tends to be 300 to 320 half-litre bottles per batch.

Building a Brand – with a Purpose

In 2016, the Distillery Originals range was launched – a starter, main course and pudding in gin – and Deputy First Minister John Swinney opened the distillery doors to the public. With over 75% of flavour down to your sense of smell, each gin was designed to stimulate the olfactory palate up front (that’s why the Persie P has a big nose in the logo!). Zesty Citrus Gin is sharply fruity, chock-full of the fresh zest of limes and oranges; Herby & Aromatic Gin is a martini-style with rosemary, basil and olives; and Sweet & Nutty Old Tom is whisky-meets-gin with freshly chopped root ginger and fresh vanilla pods.

But once they were up and running, Simon and Chrissie knew they wanted to do more than knock out gin. Something was missing! They wanted to be a force for good in the community, to balance profit and purpose, to look for ways to help causes close to their hearts. Fast-forward to 2018 and they did it. They let the dogs out! A family of three charity ‘dog gins’ was born, with each recipe carefully created to reflect a breed of dog and £1.00 per bottle going direct to the well-loved dog rescue charity PADS – Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society. Labrador Gin is like the breed: classic, mellow, soft in the mouth and warming, with juniper and eucalyptus. Spaniel Gin is like the breed: lively and spicy, featuring nutmeg and cinnamon. And Dachshund Gin Liqueur is like the breed: a sweet but sharp citrus liqueur. For the five-year anniversary of the dog gin portfolio Simon and Chrissie celebrated donations in the region of £25,000 from bottle sales, quarterly donations, collecting cans, raffle prizes and competitions. They are particularly proud to have helped subsidise a doggie food bank during the pandemic and a therapy garden for dogs struggling with socialisation after lockdown. In 2020, the silky smooth Pusscat Vodka followed – dubbed ‘the new Grey Goose’ at the World Vodka Awards – a fundraising spirit for Edinburgh Cat Home.

This approach made them thirsty – forgive the pun – to do more. So The Charity Collection was born! Special bottlings have included Whippet Gin for JR Whippet Rescue, Terrier Gin for Terrier SOS, and Unbridled Gin for World Horse Welfare, raising between £1,000 and £5,000 for each charity.

Building a Reputation

Persie Distillery has been awarded Best Marketing Campaign by the Scottish Gin Awards and given the honour of Best Craft Spirits Distillery in the UK by the Agriculture & Farming Awards. Not once but twice it has been voted Best Brand in recognition of its commitment to supporting animal rescue charities.

Simon and the production team are committed to product excellence across the entire range. Their ambition was for each spirit to win at least one national taste award in recognition of superior craftsmanship. And that’s exactly what they’ve done! Zesty Citrus has been voted Best Distilled Gin in Scotland by the Gin Cooperative and Scottish Field Magazine, and Best Citrus Gin by The Scottish Gin Awards. Herby & Aromatic has been voted An Outstanding Gin & Tonic by the International Wine & Spirits Competition, and Best Contemporary Flavoured Gin by The Scottish Gin Awards. Sweet & Nutty Old Tom has won the Best Old Tom in Scotlandaward by The Gin Cooperative, and Best Speciality Gin by the Scottish Gin Awards. Labrador Gin has been voted Best Gin in Scotland by Scottish Field Magazine. Spaniel Gin won Best Spice Flavoured Gin at the Scottish Gin Awards. Dachshund Gin Liqueur won Best Spirit to Pair with Food at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards. (Try it with pancakes and ice cream!)