Gin Bothy heads to Oscars

Scottish producer Gin Bothy is Hollywood-bound after its gin was selected for the nominee gift bags at the upcoming 96th Academy Awards.

The ‘Everyone Wins’ gift bags – created by Los Angeles-based marketing company Distinctive Assets – are said to be worth US$125,000 with previous goodies ranging from lavish stays in Scottish castles to beauty treatments.

A small batch of Gin Bothy’s gin, made with Scottish heather and Scots’ pine and rosemary, distilled in Angus, Scotland, will feature alongside roughly 60 other items for 25 nominees at the Oscars, which take place in Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre on 10 March 2024.

“This is incredible news for us,” said Kim Cameron, Gin Bothy’s founder. “It’s giving us a chance to showcase Scottish spirits with our award-winning gin. We are taking a little piece of Scotland to Los Angeles with an exclusive small batch distillation of our gin for the Oscar nominees.

“It will be a high-end gin made with Scottish heather, Scots pine and rosemary, essentially a real taste of Scotland in a bottle.”

Gin Bothy’s appearance at the Oscars is said to have stemmed from a conversation Cameron had with Yvonne Corbett, owner of Turin Castle, near Forfar in Angus – who had previously offered a stay at the castle in the gift bag. Corbett was asked to recommend a Scottish gin and Gin Bothy was selected after a taste test.

Inspiring the Scottish food and drink industry to think big

Cameron added: “I’m proud of the fact that Gin Bothy has been selected ahead of other brands that weren’t deemed to have the same credibility or provenance as Gin Bothy.

“I’m also really passionate about the Scottish food and drink industry and will do anything I can to promote our fantastic products and taking our product to the Oscars is really special.

“The Oscars and Hollywood is another world. I’m from a generation that grew up watching them and it meant a lot to my dad. Silver screen stars were the icons of the film industry so it’s a real honour for a small Scottish independent brand to be part of that evening.

“But the beauty of the Oscars is that people can emerge from anywhere to become stars. Unknowns can become legends of the screen and, similarly, if I can get my product to the Oscars then I hope it inspires others in the Scottish food and drink industry to think big.”

Beyond being in the hands of the world’s biggest film stars, inclusion in the gift box presents an opportunity for small businesses to gain ‘global exposure’.

Gin Bothy’s portfolio also includes the Bothy rum range and the Hipflask spirits collection, alongside spirits-infused jams.

The brand will showcase its products at trade show ProWein in March.