The Sustainable Cocktails of Eilean Shona: Episode 2

Let’s pick up where we left off! As our guests finished their afternoon adventures, they were surprised by a pied piper leading them through the island’s winding paths, Highland Bru cocktails in hand, toward the village hall. The wooden-clad building, adorned with a Sapling sign, had been transformed into a warm and inviting space, glowing with firelight hues. It was the perfect setting for an evening of food, drink, and connection.

Inside, tables were laid with natural linens and decorated with Sapling bottles repurposed as candleholders. Blankets were draped over chairs, and a roaring fire filled the room. The atmosphere was one of cosy elegance, relaxed yet thoughtful, much like Sapling itself.

The evening began with the Heather Flower Iced Tea, a light, refreshing, and naturally sweet cocktail, crowned with a delicate apple foam that made for an impressive first serve. Each course that followed was paired with a carefully crafted cocktail designed by Tidge, each one created to complement the food, not overpower it.

One of Tidge’s standouts of the evening was Honey, It’s Thyme, a simple but refined serve made with Sapling Regenerative Vodka and Three Cents Fig Leaf Soda. The vodka’s savoury and umami depth paired beautifully with the floral sweetness of honey and the gentle herbaceousness of thyme, creating a quietly complex cocktail.

The showstopper of the night, however, was the Wild Foraged Sour. Served in a rocks glass and topped with oyster shells filled with wild berry compote foraged from the island itself, it embodied the spirit of Eilean Shona, creative, local, and deeply connected to nature. When brought out, the cocktail was met with a flurry of photographs and audible “wows”. 

After dinner, guests were invited to join a traditional ceilidh, a lively Scottish dance, that brought everyone together in a whirlwind of laughter, spinning, and joy. We all thought Strip the Willow was a clear favourite. 

As the night drew to a close, the team served Sage Negroni's, a refined twist on the classic, elevated by the herbal, aromatic notes of fresh sage. It was the ideal nightcap: grounding, sophisticated, and distinctly Sapling.

We’ve included all the different cocktail recipes below!

Heather flower Iced Tea

40ml Sapling Vodka

10ml Homemade Meadowsweet and Crab apple syrup

10ml Supasawa

Topped with Heather Flower Tea

Garnished with a Apple Foam

Method: Shake all ingredients together with ice, strain into a highball glass and top with Heather Flower tea. Spoon over apple foam and garnish with dried heather flowers.

Honey, It’s Thyme

40ml Sapling Regenerative Vodka

7.5ml Honey Syrup

10ml Thyme Syrup

Topped with Fig Leaf Soda

Method: Build all ingredients in glass with ice and gently lift with a bar spoon in a wine glass to mix. Garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Wild Foraged Sour

40ml Sapling Gin

25ml Cranberry Juice

15ml Foraged berry and sparkling wine syrup

10ml Supasawa

¾ Pipette Foamer

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and pour over crushed ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an Oyster Shell filled with leftover wild berry compote. 

Sapling Sage Negroni

30ml Sapling Gin

30ml Vault Sweet Vermouth

30ml Vault Bitter Aperitivo

10ml Sage Syrup

Method: Make this pre-batched and keep in the freezer for best results! Pour 110ml over cubed ice and enjoy in a rocks glass, garnished with a sage leaf.