Outlander star Caitriona Balfe has launched her own Scottish gin – and it’s for a great cause.

The Irish actress, who plays lead Claire Randall/Fraser in the show, has created Forget Me Not Gin to support the arts and “acknowledge the positive contribution creative industries make to society”.

Posting on her official Twitter account, Caitriona wrote: “This is a very special product that has combined my love of collaborating with friends, drinking and finding ways to support our beleaguered artistic community.

“So I hope you enjoy and feel the love that has gone into Forget Me Not.”

The star had previously teased the new gin in a clip of her enjoying a G & T with her instagram star cat Eddie.

The special spirit is described as a “smooth botanical gin” distilled in the Highlands of Scotland – though the distillery hasn’t been named.

It’s created using botanicals including the Forget Me Not flower (which holds special significance on the show), rosehip, elderflower and interestingly beetroot.

A portion of the profits from sales of the new expression will go to support a number of charities and projects involved with the arts.

The first of which is the SWG3 Graduate Programme, which is based in Glasgow and offers a 12-month sponsored studio residency and commissioning programme to artists and designers each year.

A post on the new site dedicated to the gin, reads: “Sadly, arts funding has been cut across the globe over the past decade. Many of the artists we know and love today received financial assistance in their early years that allowed them to become successful, full-time artists.

“We want to help plug the funding gap that exists today so that tomorrow’s important artists get the support they need to reach their full potential.”

Those looking to get their hands on a bottle are asked to register on the website, with the first limited edition batches of Forget Me Not gin will be available to pre-order soon.

For the chance to purchase one of the first edition, signed bottles as soon as they become available in their country, they need to fill in the special form.

The new follows the announcement that a second batch of fellow star Sam Heughan’s Sassenach whisky (which is named after Caitriona’s character on the show) will soon be available with the first bottles reaching UK shores in November. [Source]