A CRAFT gin made in Australia which changes colour when tonic water is added to the spirit took its official bow on the Scottish bar scene last night.

Ink Gin, which turns from deep blue to blush pink when mixed with tonic, received an exclusive launch at One Square, a bar located in Edinburgh’s Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa. It joins the list of more than one hundred gins available at the Sheraton, currently the only stockist of the product, including the hotel’s own One Square Gin. One Square was created at Pickering’s Summerhall Distillery in Edinburgh.

Ink Gin is described as a small batch Australian craft gin.

Its recipe is based on 13 botanicals from eight countries spanning five continents, including Tasmania Pepper Berry, Guatemalan Cardamom and Egyptian coriander. However, the ingredient which gives the gin its colour-changing properties is the petal of the Butterfly Pea flower from Thailand.

Ink Gin is distributed in Scotland by Crafty Connoisseur, which specialises in hand-crafted food and drink products.

Tobiasz Sipowicz, bar manager at One Square, said: "At One Square, gin is our business and finding unique spirits new to the UK like Ink Gin is great for our bartenders and guests alike – our team get to experiment with an exciting, fresh product and our customers can enjoy an exclusive, sought-after gin.

"With One Square being the only location to sell the spirit, it looks like Edinburgh has become Ink Gin’s unofficial European home. We’re sure it will receive a warm Scottish welcome."