This week the blog pulls up a chair with one maker, and the kitchen smells of rum and raisins. Slàinte Sauces make boozy, small-batch Scottish sauces in the Isle of Lismore, bottling whisky, rum and port into 185ml glass bottles that turn a plain pudding into a celebration. Slàinte, if you are wondering, is pronounced ‘slan-cha’, and it is the Scottish cheers.
Lismore sits in Loch Linnhe, a short ferry hop from Oban, and its Gaelic name, Lios Mòr, is usually translated as the great garden. A fittingly fertile home for a range that runs from dessert sauces to cheeseboard essentials, all handcrafted in small batches. Much of the range is vegan and free of gluten, dairy and nuts – each listing spells out its own details, worth a glance if that matters at your table.
The theme running through the bottles is generosity with the hard stuff – most carry 12% whisky, rum or port, which works out at nearly two measures per bottle, so these are firmly for the grown-ups. Three picks below that show the spread: a Scottish classic, a savoury one for the cheeseboard, and a world first.
Cranachan in a Bottle – £7.50
Slàinte Sauces, Isle of Lismore
Cranachan is the raspberries, toasted oats, cream and whisky dessert Scotland brings out when it wants to show off, and this bottle takes after it – 12% whisky, real raspberries and organic vanilla in a sweet, fruity sauce. Pour it over crushed meringues and cream for the full effect, or drizzle it on ice cream, cheesecake or pancakes when nobody is judging. Vegan, and free of gluten, dairy and nuts. Shake well before pouring – the good stuff separates naturally.
Port, Cherry & Black Pepper Sauce – £7.50
Slàinte Sauces, Isle of Lismore
The savoury one, and a cheeseboard’s best friend. Real port at 12% meets juicy cherries and cracked black pepper, made for Stilton, Brie and goat’s cheese, and equally at home over beef, burgers, duck or venison. Warm it gently and it turns into a rich, velvety glaze. The listing carries a happy customer’s verdict – ‘loved it over my goats cheese and walnut salad’ – and it is made in an allergen-free kitchen, vegan and free of gluten, dairy and nuts.
Clootie Dumpling in a Bottle – £7.50
Slàinte Sauces, Isle of Lismore
A world first, by their own proud count. Clootie dumpling is the spiced Scottish pudding traditionally boiled in a cloth, and this is the pourable version – rum-soaked raisins, rich molasses and warming mixed spice with 12% rum. Drizzle it over apple pie, sticky toffee pudding or Christmas cake, or stir it into coffee or hot chocolate for a festive treat. Vegan and dairy-free, and the right gift for anyone whose granny’s clootie dumpling remains the benchmark all desserts are measured against.
Bringing the celebration to the table
The range keeps going – a Chocolate Amaretto ice cream sauce at a mighty 25% Amaretto, a Sweet Chilli Whisky sauce for the barbecue, a Rum & Salted Caramel, and a Raspberry Ripple Martini that mixes into prosecco for a quick, creamy cocktail. Every bottle carries proper alcohol, so they are for the grown-ups only.
If choosing one bottle feels impossible, the bestselling boozy dessert sauce gift set pairs the Rum & Salted Caramel with the Raspberry Ripple Martini for £15, gift bag and Slàinte tag included, and the whisky lover’s set of three is £20.
Everything is made in small batches in Lismore, so a bottle bought here lands the money in an island kitchen. Browse the full range at Slàinte Sauces, see what else comes from the island in the Isle of Lismore collection, or meet another island maker in our Tiree Tea story. Slàinte!
