Angus distillery’s chilli vodka with locally grown peppers is hot stuff

Arbikie Highland Estate in Angus has produced the fiery tipple to celebrate the family-run firm’s first birthday.

It is distilled from chipotle chillies grown by mum and daughter team Patricia and Stacey Galfskiy.

“It makes the perfect smoky bloody Mary,” said Iain Stirling, who owns the distillery with his brothers John and David.

The chillies are grown in unheated poly tunnels and are then processed at Arbikie.

The 2,000-acre farm’s 30 staff use copper pot stills to distil vodka, gin and single malt whisky.

Iain said: “We’ve been growing everything that we distil, so it made sense to go for the chillies from local producers.”

Chillilicious grows 4,000 chillies a year, including the Carolina Reaper, the worlds hottest.

They are 400 times hotter than the dried chipotle chillies used in Arbikie’s vodka.

“Not only is the chipotle mild enough not to scare off the common food-lover but they have a lovely flavour that deepens when smoked,” said Stacey, 29, adding: “The vodka is delicious straight from the freezer, over ice, with a squeeze of fresh lime.”