Demijohn launches tayberry vinegar made using rare Scottish fruit

Artisan food retailer Demijohn has launched a new vinegar made using tayberries, which it has claimed could be a “sweeter, much larger” alternative to raspberries and blackberries.

The “delicious, deeply fruity vinegar” is produced from the fruit, which is a cross between the raspberry and the bramble and is grown in parts of eastern Scotland. The retailer claimed that they are not cultivated on a commercial scale as the fruit cannot be easily picked or machine harvested.

It features a sweetness that can be used for dressing salads or adding to savoury dishes, and a sharpness than means it lends itself well to being used for cooking at temperature. The limited-supply vinegar is made by combining the berries with wine vinegar and sugar.

Demijohn owner Angus Ferguson said: “Our fruit vinegars are popular the whole year around. In summer they make excellent salad dressings or can be drizzled over meat, fish and even fruit. In the colder months we recommend adding them to sauces, gravies and casseroles for a rich, fruitier flavour. This new addition to our stable of fruit vinegars is delicious, versatile and such a wonderful colour. Why not take the healthy route and add one part tayberry vinegar to two parts sparkling mineral water and ice and you have a really healthy spritzer. And you can even drive after one of these!”