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Article: Great Glen Charcuterie

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Great Glen Charcuterie

Great Glen Charcuterie

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Meet The Makers:

Great Glen Charcuterie

Situated deep within the Scottish Highlands in the small village of Roy Bridge, Great Glen Charcuterie is a true pioneer of artisan preservation. Founded by Anja and Jan Jacob Baak, who relocated from the Netherlands in 2000, this independent family business has spent over two decades crafting exceptional charcuterie from wild Scottish venison. Their approach marries continental curing traditions with the rugged, uncompromising environment of the Highlands, resulting in produce that delivers a deeply rewarding, distinctly Scottish flavour profile.

A TASTE OF THE WILD

The foundation of Great Glen’s exceptional charcuterie lies in their absolute commitment to wild Scottish venison. The Baaks deliberately source all their meat from within a fifty-kilometre radius of their Highland base. They firmly believe the wild nature of the deer is directly reflected in the finished charcuterie. In fact, when experimenting with farmed venison, they discovered a distinct difference, noting that genuine wild venison remains significantly more flavoursome.

Because Scotland has no natural predators for deer, careful management is essential to protect the Highland environment from overgrazing. By turning this lean, wild meat into world-class charcuterie, the Baaks add vital value to the rural economy while championing true sustainability.

UNCOMPROMISING CRAFTSMANSHIP

Curing and drying a meat as remarkably lean as wild venison presents significant challenges, requiring immense skill and patience. The team at Great Glen strictly avoids mass-market shortcuts; every single product is made entirely by hand from start to finish. They rely on careful fermentation and precise air-drying techniques, alongside a short period of smoking over high-grade oak chippings to impart a beautifully delicate flavour.

This deliberate, artisan process accentuates the natural qualities of the meat, producing rich, highly tactile flavours that subtly shift with the changing seasons. Their dedication to this craft was firmly validated in 2013 when they secured three gold stars at the Great Taste Awards, along with the first-ever Best Charcuterie Award.

INSIDE OUR SCOTTISH HAMPERS

We are proud to feature Great Glen Charcuterie within our curated collections, chosen for their outstanding approach to genuine, wild provenance and their exceptional flavour profiles.

GREEN PEPPER VENISON SALAMI

This magnificent savoury provision brilliantly showcases the Baaks' craft. Using their award-winning wild venison recipe, the team introduces whole green peppercorns to the blend before it undergoes careful air-drying. This addition delivers a robust, earthy depth with a remarkably bright, subtle heat that perfectly complements the lean richness of the cured meat. It serves as a definitive addition to any artisan cheese board, pairing flawlessly with a complex single malt or a robust red wine.

WILD VENISON CHORIZO

Crafted purely from wild Scottish venison, this exceptional chorizo offers a deeply authentic Highland interpretation of a continental classic. The lean, sustainably sourced meat is gently infused with a delicate blend of traditional spices before being lightly smoked over oak and carefully air-dried. The resulting flavour profile is remarkably rich and tactile, delivering a satisfying, rustic warmth without overpowering the natural character of the wild game. It provides a distinctly Scottish twist to an artisan cheese board or a complex tapas curation.

Great Glen Charcuterie sliced Venison Salami with Green Peppercorns, an award-winning Scottish cured meat.
Great Glen Charcuterie Wild Venison Chorizo stick in vacuum packaging, a Scottish cured meat for luxury hampers.
Meet More Makers

Learn more about Great Glen Charcuterie in the video below

Video

Discover Great Glen Charcuterie in our curations

An overhead flat-lay of a gourmet charcuterie and cheese board arranged on a dark textured surface. The board includes sliced cured meats, several types of cheese, round crackers, a jar of preserves, packaged snacks, rosemary, and a white mug filled with black coffee.
Taste of Scotland Sale price£106.40
The Croft and Coast Fromager hamper featuring a signature black presentation box surrounded by a rich assortment of artisan cheeses, sliced charcuterie, crackers, preserves arranged on a dark grey textured surface.
The Croft & Coast Fromager Sale price£135.70
The Grand Gathering hamper featuring a large signature black presentation box surrounded by an extensive assortment of artisan cheeses, sliced charcuterie, smoked salmon, coffee, preserves, sweet treats, and two large bottles of craft soft drinks arranged on a dark grey textured surface.
The Grand Gathering Sale price£159.60
Sold outThe Founder's Reserve hamper featuring a signature black presentation box displayed behind an extensive selection of premium goods, including a bottle of single malt whisky, rapeseed oil, cured meats, artisan cheeses, three tubs of paté, water biscuits, sea salt, chocolate, a jar of pickle, and a bottle of scots pine syrup, arranged on a dark grey textured surface.
The Founder's Reserve Sale price£189.20
The Evening Larder hamper featuring a signature black presentation box displayed behind a selection of savoury goods, including sliced charcuterie, a cured meat stick, a wheel of brie, two tubs of paté, two boxes of biscuits, a jar of pickle, and a small jar of honey, arranged on a dark grey textured surface.
The Evening Larder Sale price£85.60
The Woodman's Reserve hamper featuring a signature black presentation box displayed behind sliced charcuterie, artisan blue cheese, a bottle of fruit syrup, a box of cheese sablés, a box of Scottish tablet, a bottle of rapeseed oil, a bag of smoked cashews, and a block of artisan cheese, arranged on a dark grey textured surface
The Woodman's Reserve Sale price£88.25
Sold outAn overhead flat-lay of an artisan spread on a dark grey surface, featuring a wooden board with bowls of condiments and crackers, a slate platter displaying sliced charcuterie, a wooden board with two types of artisan cheese and oatcakes, and a bottles of whisky, all placed on a fabric runner.
The Estate Bothy Sale price£196.05
An overhead flat-lay of an artisan spread on a dark grey surface, featuring a slate platter displaying slices of cured sausage, a block of artisan cheese with a cheese knife, and oatcakes, alongside a wooden board with a bowl of pickle and further oatcakes, accompanied by a Stornoway black pudding, all set on a fabric runner.
The Hillstalker's Larder Sale price£89.15
An overhead flat-lay of an artisan spread on a dark grey surface, featuring a slate platter displaying sliced charcuterie and cured sausages, alongside a wooden board with a bowl of mustard, a separate bowl of smoked cashews, and oatcakes, all set on a fabric runner.
The Ghillie Sale price£77.85
Sold outAn overhead flat-lay of an artisan spread on a dark grey surface, featuring a wooden board displaying slices of charcuterie, a block of artisan cheese with a cheese knife, and oatcakes, alongside a bottle of single malt whisky, a bottle of birch water, a bar of chocolate, and a cluster of smoked cashews, all set on a fabric runner.
The Alchemist's Dram Sale price£134.40
Sold outAn overhead flat-lay of an artisan spread on a dark grey surface, featuring a slate platter displaying slices of charcuterie, a block of artisan cheese, and oatcakes, alongside a bottle of whisky, a wooden board with a bowl of preserve, a separate bowl of mustard, a chocolate bar, and shortbread, all set on a fabric runner.
The Crofters Feast Sale price£168.55
An overhead flat-lay of an artisan spread on a dark grey surface, featuring a plate displaying smoked salmon, a block of artisan cheese, and slices of charcuterie, alongside a bowl of preserve, a serving of pâté with a knife, a small bowl of condiment, oatcakes, and a piece of black pudding.
The Highland Surf & Turf Sale price£95.75
Sold outAn overhead flat-lay of an artisan spread on a dark grey surface, featuring a wooden board displaying smoked salmon, charcuterie, and sea salt, a second wooden board with blue cheese, artisan cheese, and a cheese knife, alongside a bottle of whisky, a piece of black pudding, a small dish of cold-pressed rapeseed oil, a bowl of preserve, a bowl of mustard, and a bowl of balsamic glaze.
The Masterchef Commission Sale price£221.15
An overhead flat-lay of an artisan spread on a dark grey surface, featuring a plate displaying smoked salmon and oatcakes, a wooden board with charcuterie and additional oatcakes, a dark plate with a bowl of mustard, cashews, and sea salt, and a bottle of cold-pressed rapeseed oil, all arranged on a fabric runner.
The Highland Smoke & Cure Sale price£94.15
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