The duo secured an audience with the well-respected, outspoken rum aficionado and fourth generation rum master at Foursquare Distillery, Richard Seale. Molloy described it as being akin to being in the headmaster’s office. However, according to Davies, Seale was “blown away by my blend”, while Molloy noted that Seale’s comment that Neptune had “made a bloody good rum out of my rum”. Seale agreed to work with them, with current production now standing at about 2,500 bottles every three months. The results are highly regarded as they are independently audited by a panel of experts and judged live in a rigorously assessed blind tasting event. The best gins in Scotland have been revealed, as the finalists in the 6th annual Scottish Gin Awards have been announced. Of course, Neptune’s biggest asset ultimately its taste. But what does it actually taste like? Here’s are our classic notes to help you get an idea. Neptune had a desire to associate itself with Foursquare not just because the distillery makes awesome rum (it was named Rum Producer of the Year at the prestigious International Spirits Challenge 2017), but because Davies wanted to work with a team he felt were “at the forefront of the revolution with regards to be totally honest and transparent”.

gins, created by 56 Scottish gin producers have progressing to the finals of the national competition which combines large scale taste and business assessments. The Scottish Gin Awards is the one of the largest gin competitions in the UK and revealed its winners following a rigorous judging process involving 46 leading experts, the assessment of 63 written entries and the blind tasting of over 200 gins, all distilled in Scotland. Over 300 guests from the Scottish drinks industry joined to celebrate achievements, which included the announcement of the winner of the top award of the night, Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year 2022. Adam Hardie, chairman of the Scottish Gin Awards and Head of Food and Drink at Johnston Carmicheal, said: “The Scottish Gin Awards 2022 is a great opportunity to celebrate the many accomplishments of our industry over the last 12 months. The Neptune Rum and Tonic (R&T): Swap out gin for rum to revamp your go-to tipple. All you need to do is add 50ml Neptune Rum to a highball glass filled with ice and top with tonic water (the brand recommends Fever-Tree Premium Tonic Water) and a dash of orange bitters. Garnish with an orange twist and you’ve got yourself a simple, rum-tastic treat.

Gin Box Variety Pack

The Scottish Gin Awards is one of the UK’s most comprehensive and highly regarded gin competitions as it assesses both taste and business performance. Aroma: Hints of kelp/saline add a seaside character to a brightly citrus nose. Herbal and floral facets, including a hint of chamomile, lend Neptunia Gin a round and complex nose, with a hint of green juniper to balance things out. Neptune Rum and Cola: You can never go wrong with a classic Rum and Coke. It tastes great and it’s super easy to make. Add 50ml of Neptune Rum to a highball glass filled with ice. Then top with cola; Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola really highlights the vanilla flavours. Then garnish with fresh lime slices. The results have revealed a league table of the best tasting gins and the winners will be announced at the annual Scottish gin industry event taking part in November. The nine new gins launched today showcase Eden Mill’s passion for innovation; combining locally sourced botanicals with inspiration and influences from across the world in a series of quality expressions, with a new gin for every palette.

Eden Mill distillers has announced a significant bottle redesign in a major step forwards in their journey to carbon neutrality – and launched nine new gins. We look forward to welcoming you all to the Scottish Gin Awards dinner in Glasgow in November - the best party ever in the awards calendar.” Neptune’s final production stage involves a specific cold-filtration process and the addition of soft spring water to dilute the rum from 68% ABV cask strength to its 40% bottling strength. It is bottled in England, without any additional colouring or sugar. Davies was keen to emphasise that he wanted Neptune “to be really honest and very transparent” as a brand. “A lot of producers in the rum industry are a little cloak-and-dagger, which is thankfully coming to an end,” he added. In the highly sought after taste competition, 12 Gold Medals were presented with Caorunn, Edinburgh Gin, Holyrood Distillery and Isle of Bute each collecting two golds each. Palate: A viscous and refined palate is filled with ripe peaches, as well as touches of shredded coconut and green banana. More vanilla is present underneath with a faint hint of returning peppercorn and toasted white fruit.Say chin chin with our fabulous collection of gin. If you love a classic G&T, get your hands on your favourite gin brand, and don't forget the tonic water. And of course, grab some limes too. If you don't have a favourite brand, try a variety before making your mind up. Our gin miniatures are great way to sample our range of brands and flavours. You’ll also find the right gin glass from our glassware collection.