First Impressions
Wild Island's High Croft expression is named for the fertile island farmland where autumn botanicals are gathered on Colonsay — the tiny Hebridean island that is also home to their Botanic Gin. Where the Botanic expression captures spring and summer, High Croft captures autumn: crab apple, bramble, rowan berry, elderberry, and redcurrant join the island's wild bog myrtle, heather, sea buckthorn, meadowsweet, and water mint. Twenty-two botanicals in total.
Tasting
The nose is warm earthy roots — orris and angelica with sweet nutmeg and cinnamon spice. On the palate at 43.4%, soft and smooth with warm sweet spice and classic gin botanicals. Then the autumn fruits arrive: bramble, elderberry, redcurrant, crab apple, and rowan berry adding tartness alongside the island's wild herbs. The finish leaves you with ripe, sweet, juicy fruits — the autumn harvest lingering with warm spice underneath.
The Bottom Line
Wild Island High Croft earns a 7 — the autumn counterpart to their IWSC Gold-winning Botanic expression. The twenty-two botanicals create genuine seasonal character: this tastes like walking through Colonsay's farmland in October, filling your pockets with berries and apples. Best with tonic, a slice of red apple, and a few brambles. At £38, an autumn Hebridean gin with real sense of place and season.
