Neeps and tatties are staples on a Burns supper plate but for the first time the flavours will be available in tipple form to toast Scotland’s Bard.
While whisky may be typically known as the traditional Burns night drink, a tonic water creator has teamed up with an Angus distiller to create a neeps and tatties cocktail.
Claire Rennie, founder of small-batch tonic water firm Walter Gregor’s has used swede from her neighbour’s Aberdeenshire farm to create the world’s first neep flavoured tonic water.
In time for toasting Robert Burns on January 25, Claire got in touch with Ogilvy Vodka, based in Angus, which produces potato vodka, to create the perfect flavour combination.
Claire said: “I love haggis but couldn’t find a suggested drink to pair with it that wasn’t whisky.
“As neeps and tatties are the natural accompaniment for haggis, we started experimenting with Ogilvy Vodka.
“With some neeps from our neighbour’s farm, we discovered that the infused tonic had a delicious clear, crisp citrus flavour with an aroma of neep.
“Using Ogilvy’s tattie vodka we created the ‘neeps and tatties cocktail’.”
Claire founded Walter Gregor’s in 2015 on the Aberdeenshire land her husband’s family has farmed for four generations and was keen to work with Ogilvy who made history by creating the first potato vodka in Scotland in 2014.
Husband and wife team Graeme and Caroline Jarron distil their spirits using ‘wonky’ potatoes, which would otherwise have gone to waste, at the couple’s farm near Glamis since 2014.
They use ‘wonky’ potatoes for their vodka, which, due to being misshapen, would otherwise have gone to waste.
They currently sell around 10,000 bottles a year of the spirit and last year opened a £150,000 visitor centre.
Tours start on a vintage tractor and trailer which gives a behind the scenes look at potato farming.
Visitors then take an immersive, step-by-step walk-through of the distilling process and a tasting in the centre which is located in an old grain store.
The limited edition tonic water is only available in January and those keen to pair it with Ogilvy Vodka can order both at www.waltergregors.com
