PRIMARY FLAVOURS

• Cherry
• Orange Marmalade
• Honey
• Smoky

Story

Sweetdram was founded in 2014 by Andrew MacLeod Smith and Daniel Fisher, who met in 2011 while studying for their Master’s degrees in brewing and distilling. They started Sweetdram from a tiny workspace in Dalston, London, initially to become the industry's first ‘gypsy’ distillers, collaborating with distilling partners around the world to make one-off expressions that push categorical boundaries in terms of flavour and style.

The first three collaborations were all a roaring success, but each partner distillery had in-house brands that were growing in their own right, which made the continuation of a ‘gypsy’ distilling program unattainable for all the distillers involved. A decision was made to break north to Scotland, Andrew’s childhood home and Daniel’s home away from home, where he had lived many years prior. It was time to build their own production facility...and grown they have! Now a highly regarded producer and bottler in their own right, they are making (flavour) waves across the globe!

The concept for this progressive spirit began in 2015, with a challenge for the Sweetdram team to use botanicals to mimic aged whisky flavour without oak.

Eventually, this process led to what is a brilliant take on an amaro (with a drop-dead sexy magenta colour). You start off with a whisky base, and then infuse this with nine key botanicals (like lovage, lingonberry, and quassia), with natural sweetness from local Scottish honey (which helps to avoid added sugar and colours). The final product is a complex, modern Scottish delight offering an intense flavour journey, with a true sweet, sour, herbal, bitter, and umami experience.

Specs

PAIRING GUIDE

With its perfectly balanced bitterness, this amaro is a must-have as the perfect cocktail base. Use it in classics like the Manhattan or Old Fashioned, or substitute it for Campari in a Negroni or Boulevardier. Of course, we aren't stopping with cocktails as a pairing choice, and this works so well with meat dishes as the whisky richness and bite really cut through the fatty meat. Cured meat is also excellent with a bittersweet option like this while we're on the meaty train, and roasted root vegetables works a treat too (especially if they're caramelised).

RECIPE MATCHES

• Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Traybake
• Steak with Coffee Rub
• Bean and Salami Casserole