For more than eight years, Tayport Distillery has transformed Fife’s sun-ripened raspberries into an award-winning raspberry liqueur that has earned Great Taste’s ★★★ seal and the coveted Golden Fork for Scotland. In this behind-the-scenes look, we reveal how our family-run distillery turns real Scottish berries into the vivid, ruby-red spirit loved by bartenders and home mixologists—without ever relying on concentrates or flavourings.
Key Takeaways from Our Craft
- Raspberry quality is everything: Only ripe, aromatic, deeply pigmented berries deliver the full depth of flavour and colour.
- The base spirit matters: We use a high-grade grain neutral spirit—smooth, warming, and soft on the palate—to support, not overpower, the fruit.
- Clean preparation is critical: Raspberries must be free of mould, leaves, and dirt to preserve integrity.
- Time-controlled infusion is key: Gradual extraction builds layers of colour, sugars, acids, and aroma.
- Advanced filtration protects flavour: Solids are removed without dulling taste or colour.
- Sweetness must be balanced: Enough to lift the fruit, without muting its brightness.
Choosing the Perfect Raspberries
Fife’s unique climate produces berries high in both acidity and sugar, giving our liqueur its vivid aroma and lively flavour. Every punnet is inspected by hand—only plump, evenly ripened raspberries with rich colour and high natural esters make the cut.
Every 70 cl bottle of Tayport Raspberry Liqueur requires roughly 1.5 kg of freshly picked Scottish raspberries. They are sourced within 15 miles of the distillery, these berries arrive bursting with natural sugars and bright acidity.
By pressing whole berries instead of purée, we preserve delicate aromatics, delivering the unmistakable mouth-of-ripe-berries character that defines our Raspberry Liqueur.
Why it matters: Real fruit delivers richer flavour, vivid colour and natural oils that no essence can replicate.
Selecting the Right Base Spirit
Our chosen high-purity grain neutral spirit has a smooth character, soft mouthfeel, and no harsh ethanol burn. It provides structure and warmth without masking the raspberry’s freshness.
It also plays a crucial role in osmosis—the natural process where alcohol draws flavour, aroma compounds, sugars, and colour pigments from inside the raspberry cells into the surrounding liquid.
Refining & Balancing the Liqueur
The raspberries are transferred to our 500 L sterilised stainless-steel infusion tanks in batches of approximately 300 kg. These vessels ensure an oxygen-free, temperature-stable environment that protects the fruit’s colour, acidity, and aroma during maceration. We start the infusion with a higher proof spirit to maximise the initial phase of flavour extraction.
This is not a process of compromise—we operate with nearly a 1:1 fruit-to-spirit ratio, packing each batch with exceptional intensity and maximum fruit balance. It’s this fruit-forward formulation that defines our signature profile and sets us apart from producers using spirit-heavy blends.
Once the infusion reaches peak flavour, we move to dual-stage filtration. This removes solids while preserving the natural anthocyanin-rich ruby hue, which also brings antioxidant properties.
We then press the macerated berries to release the final juice and oils. All of these steps combine to make an exceptional liqueur. These steps are skipped by many producers who opt for flavourings or purées. The hard work is worth it as the result is a layered, smooth, and vibrant liqueur that’s as close to fresh fruit as you can pour.
Maturation & Bottling
A brief rest allows flavours to integrate before bottling by hand, waxing and labelling each bottle. Our small‑batch approach ensures every release is traceable back to the very farms that grew the fruit.
Why Real Fruit Matters?
Many commercial raspberry liqueurs rely on flavour concentrates or artificial additives to replicate fruit characteristics—but these can’t mimic the true structure or depth of natural berries. Synthetic flavourings are often one-dimensional and tend to leave a telltale aftertaste that lacks the subtle acidity, tannin structure, and aromatic lift that real fruit imparts.
At Tayport, we use 100% whole Scottish raspberries—not purées, not essences. Through natural infusion and time, our process captures the full spectrum of flavour compounds: esters, anthocyanins, fruit acids, and natural sugars. There is no substitute for the complexity and integrity delivered by real fruit and hard work.
This commitment to authenticity doesn’t just create better liqueur—it sets us apart. The result is a raspberry liqueur that tastes recognisably natural, layered, and bright—because it is.
Serving & Enjoying
Kir Royale: 15 ml Tayport Raspberry Liqueur topped with chilled Champagne.
Modern Clover Club: 50 ml Raspberry Liqueur, 60 ml Scots Pine Gin, lemon juice and aquafaba, shaken.
Dessert drizzle: Pour over vanilla ice cream or dark‑chocolate torte.
The Award-Winning Taste
Judges at the Great Taste Awards described our Raspberry Liqueur as “bright, clean, fresh raspberry flavour… well balanced with acidity… jammy and unctuous… making you want to go back for more”. With a smooth texture, balanced sweetness, and a long, refreshing finish, it’s a spirit that works beautifully sipped neat, topped with Champagne, or mixed into your favourite cocktails.
Faqs
Is raspberry liqueur the same as crème de framboise?
Both terms describe fruit‑forward raspberry liqueur, but Tayport’s expression uses only Scottish berries and a grain‑to‑glass spirit base for unmatched freshness.
Does the colour fade over time?
Natural anthocyanins mellow gradually; store bottles in a cool, dark place to maintain that vibrant ruby hue.
What awards has this liqueur won?
- Great Taste ★★★ (2020)
- Great Taste Golden Fork for Scotland (2020)
- IWSC Gold (95 pts, 2022)
How long has Tayport been perfecting this recipe?
Our family spent two years in R&D before launching in 2017 and we’ve continued refining every harvest since—over a decade of expertise distilled into each bottle.
