Bliss In Badachro
From a magical hamlet in the north-west of Scotland, comes a gin steeped in local botanicals – and a story of romance!
THE coastal hamlet of Badachro is simply magical. Nestled in the last true wilderness that is the north-west of Scotland, the place is teeming with fairies, demons and kelpies. Even the non-believers find themselves bewitched as the aurora borealis often dances across crystal clear skies, dazzling them with the spectre of the Milky Way.
Perhaps it’s always been written in the stars that gin would be produced in this landscape where purity and botanicals abound. The fact that the spirit is all the by-product of a love story adds a twist to the mix. But it took a wee while for said celestial bodies to align…
“It really is a tale of fate that brought my wife, Vanessa, and I together,” explained Gordon Quinn, 55, of Badachro Gin.
“Around 30 years ago I was developing a real passion for hillwalking and had always wanted to explore Torridon. Early one spring, I set off with my pal looking forward to embracing this wilderness – but upon arriving we found a wet, grey, blustery scene with poor visibility.
“We found shelter in the Badachro Inn, enjoying the hospitality of the staff and company of the locals. The weather actually worsened and we ended up staying the entire night, making some great new pals.
“I really fell for Badachro and kept visiting every few weeks from then on.”
Vanessa, 47, takes up the tale… “Five years on from Gordon’s first visit, I was on my sixth year school trip to the highlands of Scotland from my home city of Munich.
“I too fell in love with Badachro and would keep returning, but it was another five years before my path crossed with Gordon’s. During the overlapping period Gordon and I had made friends with the same crowd and would hear each other’s name mentioned – although we still hadn’t met!
“One fateful weekend we both visited Badachro. We were introduced – and we married 12 weeks later!”
Work drew Gordon, an advertising executive, and Vanessa, a horticulturist, to the Middle East where they lived for five years followed by a stint in London.
After deciding to start a family, the pair returned to Gordon’s home town of Edinburgh in 2002… but a certain hamlet inevitably beckoned.
“In 2007 we both packed in our careers, sold our house in Edinburgh and moved to Badachro. The place had an irresistible pull on us and we’ve been at peace ever since we moved here.”
Following a stay in a caravan, the couple – with children Sean, now 18, and Ashley, 13 – moved into their newly-built home and set up their business: Aird Hill B&B and Little Aird Hill holiday cottage.
The venture naturally exposed a gap in the market, as