Ben Lomond Gin launches Open Special Edition 2026 inspired by Royal Birkdale

Ben Lomond Gin, the Official Gin of The Open Championship, has unveiled its Open Special Edition 2026 – a limited-release expression created to celebrate this summer’s Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

The new release ahead of The Open from 16-19 July continues the brand’s annual tribute series, with this year’s gin shaped directly by the character of Royal Birkdale’s famous links landscape. 

Known for its rolling fairways, deep rough and relentless coastal winds, the course provides the inspiration for a spirit designed to reflect unpredictability, texture and natural intensity.

For 2026, the gin incorporates botanicals foraged from the Royal Birkdale environment, including blackcurrant berries, wild chamomile and sorrel. 

These ingredients have been selected to echo the coastal terrain’s wind-battered vegetation and salty air influence, resulting in a gin that aims to capture a strong sense of place – bold, herbaceous and distinctly coastal.

Distilled in a classic London Dry style at 43% ABV, the expression delivers a profile described as bright and fruit-led on the palate, with soft floral notes and a crisp, green, herbaceous finish.

“We’ve taken the spirit of Royal Birkdale – wild, windswept and rich in character – and captured it in a distinctive gin,” said Andy Jack, Head of Marketing at Loch Lomond Group. 

“Each Open Special Edition is designed to celebrate not just the Championship, but the unique landscape and heritage of its host venue.”

The bottle design features a bespoke screen-printed finish, combining geometric artwork with visual references to The Open, Royal Birkdale’s natural elements and the botanicals used in the gin.

The 2026 edition has been distilled at the newly opened Luss Distillery, the home of Ben Lomond Gin on the banks of Loch Lomond, which is now open to visitors.

The limited-edition release is available now, priced at £32 RRP, and can be purchased via the official Ben Lomond Gin website.

It is also available at the Luss Distillery and select retail locations, as well as to spectators attending The Open at Royal Birkdale.

Fans visiting the Championship will also be able to experience the Ben Lomond Gin Garden within the hospitality area, showcasing curated serves inspired by the brand’s flavour-led approach.

Ben Lomond Gin first became Official Gin of The Open in 2023, launching its debut commemorative release for the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool, and has continued to build its annual special edition series since.