The Founders

The Jaw is a 300 year old miller's cottage on the shores of Bardowie loch where Mark and Alison Hazell moved in 1998. They had settled in with their 3 young sons having returned to their roots as Alison’s family originated in Glasgow while Mark’s were from the Western Isles. Mark was already a keen forager and knew the flavours available around the area from gathering food for the table during dog walking forays. From an initial thirteen local botanicals, various tasting experiments pointed towards an optimum combination that would complement the standard gin ingredients to provide the gin experience of Bardowie.

Since the successful launch of Bardowie Gin, it has been highly praised and is a clear favourite for many customers in a crowded market. Awards have also been won including a Bronze in the Scottish Field Gin Awards, where the gin came fourth out of a field of over 60 in a blind tasting. The gin also won a Silver in the International Wine and Spirits Competition 2018.

Alison and Mark make the gin in small batches in a small lean-to shed adjoining the house and are in the process of constructing a new distillery building in the garden. They have just launched 3 new varieties of gin, a pink, an orange and a navy strength.