Dundee Marmalade Gin Liqueur

They’ve been making marmalade in Dundee since the 18th century, but only now can you try a Dundee Marmalade Gin Liqueur!

Scotland’s fourth-largest city, Dundee, has been undergoing a cultural renaissance in the last few years. In 2014 it was chosen as a UNESCO City of Design, the first in the UK to get such an accolade. In 2015 GQ Magazine declared it to be the Coolest Little City in Britain, then in 2018 The Wall Street Journal made Dundee number five on its list of Worldwide Hot Destinations, ahead of such places as Grenada, Madagascar, Montenegro and Shanghai.

All of which is good news for the Dundee Gin Company, whose signature spirit, a Dundee Marmalade Gin Liqueur, came out in late 2016. If everybody who visits Dundee and takes home a souvenir of Dundee marmalade now also takes home a bottle of the gin liqueur, then company founder Peter Menzies will be a very happy man indeed.

On its launch locally in December 2016, the Dundee Marmalade Gin Liqueur sold over 200 bottles in the first 2.5 hours.

Tasting Dundee Marmalade Gin Liqueur

It was a Scottish friend who told me about the drink, as his daughter had bought him a bottle for his birthday. I absolutely had to get some, he insisted, as it was the best thing he had drunk in a long time – quite a compliment.

As we were going to stay with another Scottish friend to celebrate her birthday, I took a bottle with me to find out what everyone made of it. It reminds me of orange jelly-babies, my friend said, which definitely was not on the official tasting notes.

Summer Fruits Gin Liqueur from the Dundee Gin Company — Summer Fruits Gin Liqueur

The liqueur definitely divided opinion. Those who liked it, really liked it, while others were indifferent. A little too sweet, most said. I was definitely in the ‘like it’ camp, and was pleased it wasn’t to everyone’s taste as that meant there was all the more for me – just to make sure I did like it, of course.

The first thing that hits you on the nose is that orangey marmalade sweetness, but it isn’t overpowering and there are other subtle aromas in there too. How could it be otherwise, given that the original gin has ten botanicals from around the world? I found a minty freshness in there, and as the spirit is only 26.5% ABV it isn’t overly alcoholic.

On the palate it is very soft and smooth, easy to drink, again with that marmalade sweetness but balanced by a zesty citrus freshness. It’s also a beautiful colour, like… well, like liquid marmalade. Mind you, I didn’t do what another Scottish friend suggested when I told him about the drink: What do you do, spread it on your toast? Well, actually, now you mention it…

Dundee Marmalade

Dundee’s connection with marmalade is said to go back to the late 18th century when, or so the story goes, a Spanish ship carrying Seville oranges sheltered from a storm in Dundee harbour. A local merchant, James Keiller, bought the cargo cheaply. His wife turned the oranges into a preserve, and marmalade has been made in Dundee ever since.

The Dundee Gin Company

Peter Menzies has been involved in the drinks scene in Dundee for some time, and one of his bars stocked 140 different gins. He took a real shine to one of these, a rhubarb and ginger gin, and saw that not only was it good, it sold like the proverbial hot cakes. An idea was born, and instead of making rhubarb and ginger gin, Peter and his team came up with the brainwave of doing a marmalade gin, which they turned into a liqueur.

Other Dundee Gin Company Products

Dundee Marmalade Gin Liqueur may be their most noteworthy spirit but the Dundee Gin Company has several others to its name. They distil a Classic Dry Gin at 46% ABV which they describe as having notes of citrus and liquorice with a spicy kick at the end.

They also have an Old Tom Honey and Spice Gin, bottled at 43% ABV and a recommended serve with ice and ginger beer. Finally (for the moment anyway), they produce a Summer Fruits Gin Liqueur.