Official drink of The British Open revealed
Ben Lomond Gin has chosen the signature cocktail for golf fans at the upcoming The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portbrush.
The Scottish brand is the official gin of The Open, which will take place on 17-20 July at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland.
The gin brand has called on bartenders from across the UK to make a bespoke cocktail for the tournament, which is one of golf’s four majors.
Scott Dunlop, who is assistant bar manager at The Albyn Bar & Restaurant in Aberdeen, heeded the call and triumphed with his creation, Brambles in the Rough.
The serve was inspired by his grandmother Helen, who now lives with Alzheimer’s. She shared her passion for foraging with Dunlop during his childhood, when the pair would pick brambles along the hedgerows at Old Prestwick Golf Course, the original home of The Open.
The judging panel comprised Northern Irish chef Paula McIntyre, sports broadcaster Di Stewart and head of sponsorships at Ben Lomond Gin, Joanne Carlin. They choose Dunlop as the victor for ‘the care and thought that had gone into the development of the serve’, his ‘bold use of flavour’ and his ‘ability to capture the landscape and the character of Portrush’.
Dunlop said: “My grandmother was such an influential figure in my life when I was growing up. We used to pick brambles to make jam. My fingers would be stained purple, and I would have scrapes from the nettles. She called it character building – I’m not so sure – but they are memories that I will cherish forever, and it is what inspired me to fall in love with bold, seasonal flavours.
“It is true that sometimes in the rough you find something unexpectedly brilliant.
“Growing up in Prestwick, golf was always in the background. The town’s historic ties to The Open and the sense of tradition it carries really inspired me. Like Portrush, there is this incredible historical connection with golf.
“Brambles in the Rough combines those cherished memories with the wild beauty of Portrush. It is a love letter to the salty sea air and dramatic scenery of the Northern Irish coast, using foraged brambles and finished with a saline mist to evoke the North Atlantic breeze and a meringue garnish to echo the white cliffs.”
Want to replicate Dunlop’s Bramble in the Rough? You’ll need 40ml Ben Lomond Scottish Gin, 25ml homemade bramble and woodruff syrup, 20ml fresh lime juice, 100ml soda, two sprays of 20% saline solution and meringue for garnish. Build all the ingredients over cubed ice in a Highball glass and garnish with two sprays of saline solution and the meringue.
For those heading to the Open, Brambles in the Rough will be available at the Ben Lomond Gin garden and the Loch Lomond Whiskies stand.
Dunlop continued: “I have been fortunate to work alongside so many talented mixologists and I have enjoyed learning the art of flavour creation.
“To have my cocktail served at The Open, an event I’ve admired since I was a child, is surreal. It’s a pinch-me moment, and I know my grandmother would be proud.”
A global stage
To mark its partnership with the tournament, Ben Lomond has also released The 153rd Open Special Edition Gin.
The gin retails for £45 ($60) from the brand’s website and is made with hand-selected botanicals from around the course, which include wild carrot seed, hawthorn leaf, and sea buckthorn.
John Grieveson, chief marketing officer at Loch Lomond Group, owner of Ben Lomond Gin, added: “The Open is one of the biggest milestones in our calendar, providing us with a global stage to showcase the adventurous spirit of Ben Lomond Gin.
“To us, a great serve is not just about the ingredients, it’s about the story it tells and the feelings it evokes.
“With its rugged terrain, rolling dunes, and dramatic coastline, Royal Portrush offers boundless inspiration. Scott’s creation captured that perfectly, and we are looking forward to sharing Brambles in the Rough with fans at this year’s Open.”
Signature serves at sports tournaments have become a way for brands to further their connections with fans. Grey Goose’s Honey Deuce at the US Open tennis and Dewar’s Lemon Wedge at the US Open golf are other examples of how spirits brands are tying themselves to the world of sport.
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