Flying Scotsman Celebrates its 100th Birthday With Bespoke London Dry Gin

Flying Scotsman Gin is available for purchase in-store at the National Railway Museum. (Photo: York Gin/Facebook)

In celebration of the 100th birthday of one of the world’s most famous steam locomotives — the Flying Scotsman — York’s National Railway Museum and York Gin have collaborated to produce a bespoke London dry gin. York also happens to be the city where the famous locomotive used to stop for lunch.

The Flying Scotsman’s birthday is on Feb. 24, the date that marks its entry into service.

According to the museum’s press release, the gin’s flavor profile is inspired by the Flying Scotsman’s famous daily 10 a.m. route from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh Waverley via York. The botanical composition includes Scottish heather, Yorkshire lavender and black pepper.

Group Retail Operations Manager at the Science Museum Group, Tom Mackie, and York Gin co-founder, Emma Godivala. (Photo: York Gin)

“We’re really excited to launch Flying Scotsman’s very own gin and it’s great to work with such a wonderful local company like York Gin to produce it,” Mackie said, per the report. “Flying Scotsman is preparing to celebrate a big birthday in 2023, and what better way to help kickstart the festivities than by raising a glass to such a railway icon.”

The gin is bottled at 39.3% ABV, paying homage to the locomotive’s 393-mile journey from London to Edinburgh.

“This Flying Scotsman gin takes you on a journey through the countryside of Lowland Scotland, the Vale of York, and finally arriving in London, the end point of the spice route,” Godivala said, according to the press release. “The heather, lavender and black pepper are all in the flavour profile making this a really unique, fascinating and frankly delicious gin. This gin fits our ‘History in the Tasting’ motto perfectly, and we loved making it!”

From April 1-16, 2023, the Flying Scotsman will be on display alongside a revamped ‘Flying Scotsman Story’ exhibition.

York’s National Railway Museum hosts the largest collection of railway objects in the world and, prior to the pandemic, attracted more than 750,000 visitors per year, per the report. The museum is a part of the Science Museum Group, joined with the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, the Science Museum in London, the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford and Locomotion in Shildon.

Entry into the National Railway Museum is free, but individuals are encouraged to book tickets in advance here.

York Gin is a sustainable distillery powered by 100% renewable electricity. Its impressive range of gins is bottled, labeled and packaged without plastic.

Recently, the distillery teamed up with York Minster — one of Northern Europe’s largest cathedrals — to make a gin using herbs from the cathedral’s own gardens.

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