Reflecting the boldness of our Norse ancestors, the clarity of our seas and the purity of our air, Kirkjuvagr is a hand-crafted Orkney gin for the modern, discerning gin enthusiast.

Kirkjuvagr means “Church Bay” in Old Norse. Back when Orkney was emerging as a seat of power in the Viking Empire, the Norsemen would sail their longships into Kirkjuvagr, which over the centuries grew into our islands’ capital, Kirkwall. In name, Kirkjuvagr Orkney Gin reflects the rich history of our islands and the boldness of those ancient seafarers. In character though, it’s utterly contemporary and has been crafted with the modern, discerning gin enthusiast in mind. It is, quite simply, unmistakably Orcadian.

When creating Kirkjuvagr, on the shores of Kirkwall Bay, we thought it fitting to seek out a connection to our Viking ancestors that ran deeper than just our name. We then discovered a local legend that spoke of a variety of Angelica brought to the islands by Norsemen centuries ago, which can still be found growing wild today. Naturally, this very Angelica is now one of our defining ingredients, complementing a distinctive blend of local botanicals, including Ramanas Rose, Burnet Rose and Borage. Uniquely, we’ve also used traditional Orkney bere barley in our recipe.

Our quest is to earn Kirkjuvagr mythical status with gin drinkers around the world. We handcraft our gin in small batches using traditional copper stills in a process defined by passion, commitment and attention to detail. After all, the Vikings didn’t mess around. Nor do we.

And the symbol on our bottle top? That’s a Vegvisir, or Viking compass. Its power helped the Norsemen find their way. Now we hope it’ll lead you north on your own epic voyage to discover the home of Kirkjuvagr.

Orkney Distillery Tours

Situated on Kirkwall’s harbour front, the Orkney Distillery is the ideal attraction for gin enthusiasts looking for a quality visitor experience in the heart of Orkney’s main town. We are open 7 days a week and you can check live availability and book online through our website. And it’s not just for adults. Children can enjoy the tours too (without alcohol of course!)

• Learn about the distilling process including our key botanicals
• See production area to winess where the magic happens
• Sample our gins whilst overlooking Kirkwall’s harbour
• Relax with a coffee or gin and purchase bottles and unique merchandise to take away

Pets are welcome at both our Oot The Back bar and the front bar at the Orkney Distillery & Visitor Centre.

Find out about access arrangements at the Orkney Distillery.