Wrapped around a ceramic bottle which marks 10 years of the Dunnet Bay Distillers is a series of hand-painted illustrations, each telling another chapter of founders Martin and Claire Murray's Story. From the early days when Mr Murray left his job in oil and gas to focus full time on the fledgling gin business with his wife, to the current restoration of a historic Caithness building, it makes for quite the tale. Pictured: Dunnet Bay Distillers founders Martin and Claire Murray (Image: Supplied) “People often talk about big growth plans and the like,” he told the Herald as the first of these limited edition birthday bottles were shipped from the Highlands.
“Our goal when we started out was just to sell enough gin to pay two wages so that we could do that while bringing our kids up in Caithness. “I don’t know if it was crazy or just a little naïve, but we were very lucky to do so at what seemed to be exactly the right time to hit the ground running.” The original Rock Rose Gin, featuring locally foraged botanicals that are distilled by hand in bespoke copper pot stills, entered the online market just as Scotland was experiencing a surge of interest in small-batch distilleries and craft spirits.
And while operating the most northerly of all these mainland businesses has not been without its challenges, Murray says their location has acted as both a powerful personal motivator and the key to their commercial success. Pictured: The Dunnet Bay Distillers team (Image:.