Every year, the Shetland Reel distillery founders Debbie Strang, Frank Strang, Stuart Nickerson and their team create a brand new Up Helly Aa gin in celebration of the Up Helly Aa fire festival held on the Shetland Isles each January. Their 2023 edition, the eighth Up Helly Aa gin, is a truly special craft gin that no gin fan will want to miss.

- Buy Shetland Reel Up Helly Aa Gin here!

In this feature, we are discovering everything you need to know about the amazing, fire-festival-inspired tipple. Check it out!

How is Shetland Reel Up Helly Aa 2023 Edition made?

Inspired by the Shetland Isles’ Up Helly Aa fire festival, Shetland Reel Up Helly Aa 2023 Edition gin is made by the distillery’s Head Distiller, Stuart Nickerson, and his team using their stunning Shetland Reel Lemon Fest Gin as a base.

That delicious gin is rested in port casks for up to three months until its flavour has fully developed.

The liquid is then bottled and revealed just before the Up Helly Aa festival. Each expression is a one-off distillation, making them truly unique. We can’t wait for you to give this one a try!

Where is Shetland Reel Up Helly Aa 2023 Edition made?

Just like Shetland Reel Filska Gin, Craft Gin Club’s much-loved November 2018 Gin of the Month, Shetland Reel Up Helly Aa 2023 Edition is distilled by Shetland Reel, the UK’s most northern distillery, on the island of Unst in the Shetland Isles, an archipelago in the middle of the North Sea, just off the top of Scotland.

What is the Up Helly Aa festival?

Up Helly Aa is a 24-hour fire festival inspired by ancient Viking traditions held annually on the last Tuesday of January across the islands of the Shetland archipelago to celebrate the end of yuletide. The largest of the celebrations is held at Lerwick, the main port of the Shetlands.

The celebration involves a procession of people in Viking costumes, known as “guizers”. They walk in squads, led by a “Jarl” and their squad, the “Jarl Squad”, all carrying flaming torches. The Jarl can be spotted in their raven-winged helmet.

The procession pulls along a mock Viking galley behind them as they march through the streets of the town and the festival comes to a climax when they set the galley ablaze.

The 2023 Up Helly Aa festival is particularly exciting because it is the first one since COVID lockdown rules were lifted and it is also the first festival to welcome females into the Jarl Squad. It’s set to be a fantastic day!

Shetland Up Helly Aa festival — Image: from Shetland Islands by @southspearmedia

What does “Up Helly Aa” mean?

The name of the Up Helly Aa festival is derived from Old Norse.

“Up” refers to the end of something, from the Old Norse word “uppi”.

The word “Helly” is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word “helgr” or “helli”, meaning “festival”.

And the word “Aa” is thought to come from the Old Norse “A’”, meaning “All”.

What does Shetland Reel Up Helly Aa 2023 Edition taste like?

Shetland Reel Up Helly Aa 2023 Edition has wonderfully inviting caramel and citrus notes across the nose. They are then joined by rich juniper and a touch of herb tones on the palate. The finish is long and sweet and delightfully moreish.

It’s a perfect expression of the Up Helly Aa festival in gin form.