‘Reel’ community spirit as distillery company launches latest gin

To raise spirits during a very difficult time, The Shetland Distillery Company is launching a limited-edition gin.

“Hubbelskyu” – a Shetland dialect word for uproar – has been created in collaboration with the Shetland Folk Festival committee. The distillery company had created it to mark the 2020 festival, which would have been the 40th event.

With the festival now rescheduled to 2021, the distillery has made the decision to continue with the launch, allowing those planning to attend as well as acts and the committee members, to enjoy a taste of the festival from the comfort of their own home.

Each of the 500 bottles available have been hand-numbered and labelled by the team at the Saxa Vord distillery in Unst.

It had always been the plan to donate £1 from every bottle sold, and this will go to the voluntary committee to help towards the cancellation costs of this year’s festival and the future funding costs of the 2021 event.

Committee member Louise Johnson said: “The Shetland Folk Festival is delighted to be working with Shetland Reel this year and to have a special edition gin.

“As a bunch of avid gin fans, the festival committee can confirm that the new gin is absolutely scrumptious. We love it!”

The main botanicals used to create the gin were juniper, coriander, orange and lemon peel and bladder wrack seaweed – which is used in their award-winning Ocean Sent Gin. The gin was settled in a sherry cask and has been bottled at 40 per cent alcohol by volume to celebrate the 40 years.

It is a gin said to be inspired by the sea as it crashes into Shetland, and by a sweetness to celebrate the friends that are reunited and new ones by the wonderful music.

The new release is now available to buy on the Shetland Reel website.

The Shetland Distillery Company is encouraging everyone who is enjoying Hubbelskyu at home to share their musical talents across social media channels, using the hashtag #areelgoodtune.