A Celebration of Colorado Gin (A Mega-Post)

Followers of SummerFruitCup might have noticed a recent uptick in the number of gin reviews posted on the website; this is in a New Year endeavour to clear some of our backlog of gin reviews.

Today’s mega-post has a theme: Colorado. Colorado is one of the top US states in terms of number of distilleries, along with Washington state, California, and New York. Should you ever be visiting the state, be sure to check out some of these great distilleries.

Cap Rock Gin (41.0% ABV)

Cap Rock Gin is made by Peak Spirits in western Colorado. It uses a base spirit made from local apples and a mix of 12 botanicals, including juniper, rose, and lavender.

On its own
Nose: Fruity, rich and full. Distinctive notes of floral angelica and fresh-cut green apples.
Taste: Smooth, with a fair amount of lemon balm and citrus, followed by fragrant and crisp green apple notes that linger and zing on the palate. There’s also a little dry angelica on the finish.

Gin & Tonic
Very unusual and rather fruity, with the jammy notes of apple sauce coming through, before moving onto more dry apple notes. A vibrant and delicious drink.

Martini
Bright and crisp, with a mix of dry apple and pear flavours, before some juniper at the end. There is also a pinch of sweet spice, which adds balance. I’d recommend garnishing this Martini with a wafer-thin apple slice.

Negroni
This is a great take on the classic drink; the gin adds another dimension with its luscious fruit notes, adding to the cocktails typical bitter-sweet character; the sweet works well with the vermouth, whilst the bitter works well with the Campari. A very well-integrated cocktail and a drink I’ll likely return to.

In Conclusion
Cap Rock is a fun gin – great for those who want to try something a bit different, it is also a great example of how a non-NGS base spirit can work wonders in gin. My favourite drink was the Negroni, but all that I tried were very good.
Colorado Fog Gin (40.0% ABV)

Produced at the Mystic Mountain Distillery at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Larkspur, Colorado.

On its own
Nose: Soft and vodka-like; a bit of vanilla, but not much else.
Taste: Very smooth and clean. The grain base is apparent, but there is almost nothing else there. The vaguest whiff of juniper does start to come through, or perhaps I just imagined it. Almost void of flavour, this has a finish that is very dry, sucking the moisture from the mouth. Adding a little water, a faint orange character emerges.

Gin & Tonic
This is an unfortunately cloying drink, although not without a refreshing quality. The gin’s flavour needs to be emboldened to allow the spirit to stand up to tonic. I use British Schweppes, so I imagine that it would be utterly lost against a HFCS-based tonic.

Martini
If this was a vodka Martini, it would be excellent: clean and smooth, with a good texture and a tiny hint of lemon citrus. But as a gin Martini, this sadly falls short; it has a dry finish, but no discernable juniper.

Negroni
This is a clean and somewhat refreshing drink, but the gin is totally lost to the other ingredients.

In Conclusion
There are some definite good points about Colorado Fog Gin: the base is of good quality in terms of texture and background character and the spirit has little burn or unpleasant stewed flavours. Unfortunately, it really lacks any discernible botanical character and as such I struggle to consider it as a gin. The best way to drink it was in a Martini – especially if you like vodka Martinis.

Colorado Gold Gin (40.0 % ABV)

Produced by the Colorado Gold Distillery in Cedaredge, Colorado, the distillers of this gin use local grains to produce their spirit base in addition to local water.

On its own
Nose: Sweet grain, beer, and coriander.
Taste: The sweet base comes through again on the palate: it’s quite bready, with herbal notes such as fennel and anise before dry juniper and a fresh finish of sweet citrus.

Gin & Tonic
A drink with a strong nose of pecans and pear. The taste begins with a little malt and hops, which transforms into notes of pecan and almond, before some sweet marmalade citrus. The finish is nutty and very dry. Certainly an unusual Gin & Tonic, but nonetheless refreshing.

Martini
This is almost like a white whiskey Martini, full of grainy, bready notes. It’s dry and clean, with fine notes of juniper and coriander, plus a stem, plant-like quality on the finish.

Negroni
Colorado Gold Gin makes a mellow Negroni that, thanks to the base spirit, has a character reminiscent of geneva. There are some particularly bitter, dry, tannin notes, plus some herbal elements. An unusual, but cosy cocktail with a curbed bitterness and lingering sweetness of anise and fennel.

In Conclusion
Colorado Gold is certainly a very contemporary gin; with a lot of its base spirit coming through, the slightly sweet spice may well be too much for some traditionalists, but I enjoyed it. My favourite drink was the Negroni.
Denver Dry Gin (40.0% ABV)

A product of Mile High Spirits in the city of Denver, this gin is produced in a large glass still. It is made using botanicals that include: juniper, citrus, coriander, and Grains of Paradise.

On its own
Nose: Clean, with a generous dose of juniper, plus citrus and earthy notes.
Taste: A classic style of gin, but with a modest sweetness, this has plenty of juniper, as well as a pleasant mix of lemon and lime, all followed by some earthy notes. This is an excellent gin with both good texture and flavour.

Gin & Tonic
The drink has a light louche to it, plus a strong nose of pine. To sip, it is an extremely crisp, crystal-clean drink: there is refreshing juniper and citrus, plus the the earthy, floral flavours of angelica. A really good drink that ticks all the boxes.

Martini
Very oily and, again, the drink louches slightly. Nonetheless, it is easy to drink and has a wide variety of signature classic gin flavours, all rounded off with a sweet spicy lift at the end of the finish.

Negroni
This is a Negroni with a fine interplay between bitter and sweet. There are notes of zesty citrus, plus the dryness of cedar and pine, before, once again, the drink is brought to a close with the gin’s signature spicy flourish.

In Conclusion
Denver Dry Gin is a first-class example of a truly classic London Dry Gin and is probably the best I have encountered that is produced outside of the UK. All of the drinks were excellent, but my favourite was the Gin & Tonic.
Dancing Pines (40.0% ABV)

Dancing Pines Distillery is in Loveland, Colorado, a little north of Denver. Their gin recipe uses just six botanicals.

Nose: A nice bright nose of juniper and lemon, along with a tinge of sweet, but pronounced alcohol.
Taste: Nice balance. Quiet upfront, building to a moderate level of juniper with an anise and fennel seed mid-note. The finish closes with a tinge of lemon, which is long and lingering. It has the character of a mild, but quite flavourful gin.

Gin & Tonic
Very crisp, clean. There’s a reasonable balance of flavour, with some citrus notes, and a particularly dry finish. An okay Gin & Tonic, but not great.

Martini
A cocktail with a spicy and savoury element on the nose. To drink, this is a very smooth Martini, with silky notes of fennel/anise coming through, accompanied by dry pine and a citrus finish. Very nice.

Negroni
Dancing Pines makes a soft and clean Negroni with good spice and citrus notes, as well as hints of floral and vanilla. It is less intense than some other Negronis, but nevertheless has a good, if subtle flavour. Very easy to drink.

In Conclusion
Dancing Pines is a subtle gin that makes good use of its botanical flavours. My favourite drink was the Martini.
Rob’s Mountain Gin (44.0% ABV)

Today’s review looks at the first of two gins from Spring 44 Distillery in Loveland, Colorado. Rob’s Mountain Gin is a limited edition spirit; each edition has a different formula, this was Formula #44.

On its own
Nose: Zesty, with notes of coriander, lemon, and lime, as well as a hint of black rubber.
Taste: Smooth and very creamy, with herbal notes and a silky note of citrus vanilla. The finish is lovely and dry, with lots of juniper notes. This gin has great balance; a splendid sipper.

Gin & Tonic
A drink with a spicy, complex nose, this Gin & Tonic has plenty of juniper upfront, which gradually gives way to sweet spice and more herbal notes.

Martini
Thick and full of flavour; there are plenty of herbal and spiced notes, as well as some citrus, fennel, and anise, and more of a sweet note towards the end. Sophisticated and flavoursome, this is a delight to drink.

Negroni
Excellent – well-rounded and full-bodied, with a rich, slightly jammy, but bitter finish. The finish has a real, long-lingering bitterness that is complemented by the cocktail’s herbal character and tangy citrus.

In Conclusion
Rob’s Mountain Gin is a truly first-class spirit that is delicious either on its own or when mixed. My favourite drink was the Martini.
Spring 44 (44.0% ABV)

Botanicals: Juniper, Coriander, Nutmeg, Agave Nectar

On its own
Nose: Lemon, rose, and spicy coriander.
Taste: This gin has a thick, mouth-filling texture and is absolutely packed full of luscious juniper: fruity and jammy, with a lovely freshness. The finish has more zesty notes of coriander, plus spice and pepper.

Gin & Tonic
Lively, with plenty of citrus notes, plus hints of lemongrass and coriander. Light, bright, and very thirst-quenching.

Martini
Another satisfying cocktail that is clean and crisp, with an icy shard of juniper, coriander, and citrus flavours. A Martini with a booming character, this is superb. Textbook.

Negroni
A good, intense Negroni with a solid bitter-sweetness, as well as notes of citrus, juniper, and an array of earthy botanicals. Very good and definitely one that will please Negroni traditionalists.

In Conclusion
Overall, Spring 44 is a well-made gin with a good character and flavour-integration. My favourite drink was the Martini.
Spirit Hound (40.0% ABV)

Spirit Hound Gin is made by Spirit Hound Distillers in Lyons, Colorado. Their juniper is sourced from the local area by patrons of their bar, where one bag of juniper berries = a free drink. As such, the varieties used vary, but will likely include both Juniperus Communis and Juniperus Scopulorum. Spirit Hound distill their botanicals using a vapour basket and their mix includes: juniper, cinnamon, anise, cardamom, and clove.

On its own
Nose: Juniper that’s accompanied by fruity notes such as watermelon and cantaloupe. There is also some cucumber notes. Exceptionally fresh.
Taste: Initial citrus flavours lead onto those of sweet spices such as cassia, nutmeg, and cardamom. The piney, juniper finish lasts for a good while and contributes to what is generally a good, thick texture.

Gin & Tonic
Spice and nutty notes come through: sweet anise and fennel, as well as cinnamon, a hint of nutmeg and cardamom, as well as a hint of sassafras. The spice notes are warm, but the drink is still refreshing, especially with a citrus wedge as garnish.

Martini
Strong notes of liquorice, anise, cinnamon, fennel, and cardamom came through well. This is a slightly sweet and very spicy Martini. I think a lemon twist would be the best garnish. Very smooth and well-rounded.

Negroni
A full-flavoured drink with warm spice in the middle and an intense bitterness at the end. Clean, fresh, and revitalising.

In Conclusion
A refreshing gin with a complex character. My favourite drink was the Martini, although all of the drinks were excellent.
Woods Treeline Gin (40.0% ABV)

Wood High Mountain Distillery make a range of spirits from their site in Salida, Colorado, including single malt and rye whiskies, elderflower liqueurs, and both aged and unaged gins.

On its own
Nose: Juniper, cassia, cinnamon, and some salty fennel.
Taste: This has a smooth texture to start, with more spicy pepper towards the end. There are, however, some spicy notes to start with: nutmeg, cinnamon, and fennel. This is a pretty spicy gin, with a dash of sweetness, but is nevertheless very smooth. It has many of the flavours that I would associate with an aged gin: the sweetness, the spice.

Gin & Tonic
Zesty citrus to start, followed by warm vanilla. This is a spicy Gin & Tonic with a little sweetness in the middle, before a dry finish of refreshing pine.

Martini
A Martini with a silky mouthfeel, this is well-rounded with juniper and spiced notes of fennel, anise, and nutmeg. It’s a splendid drink and an excellent example of a more contemporary Gin Martini made with an American Craft Gin.

Negroni
Plenty of sweet anise upfront, but with lots of other flavours, too, such as citrus and spice. The drink almost tastes as if the glass has had an absinthe rinse. It has a great flavour profile and a superb bitter-dry finish.

In Conclusion
Woods Treeline Gin is a lovely, complex gin that makes some cracking cocktails; my favourite was the Negroni.

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Cocktails with… Fremont Mischief Gin from Seattle

One of the few places that I have visited more than once in the US is the north-west city of Seattle; in fact, I once visited it twice in as many months. The city is a hub of distilling and some superb distilleries are located there. Examples include: Copperworks, Sun Liquor, Sound Spirits, and, of course, who could forget the fantastic Captive Spirits, producers of BIG Gin.

Fremont Mischief Distillery is located in Canal Street, where they make a range of spirits, from vodka to whiskey and, of course, gin. Fremont Mischief Gin is bottled at 40.0% ABV.

On its own
Nose: Zesty citrus and fresh, aromatic spice: coriander, nutmeg, and cassia.
Taste: Vibrant, with more spice upfront, then piney juniper that leads onto bright citrus. Hints of violet precede a dry, slightly bitter, finish.

Gin & Tonic
A brilliant drink with a charming interplay between juniper-jelly and spice. There are vibrant cassia, luscious citrus, and wonderful cardamom notes, too. Fantastic!

Martini
Silky smooth – a luxurious texture – with a variety of spice: cardamom, cassia, & nutmeg. Bright pine needle notes follow, making this a really lovely drink.

Negroni
Fremont Mischief Gin makes a particularly spicy Negroni, with the sweeter notes of the gin and vermouth neatly balanced by the bitterness of Campari.

In Conclusion
As is evident from the tasting notes, I think that Fremont Mischief is a pretty fantastic gin. It is full of flavour and has a variety of botanical nuances: citrus, herbs, spice. The result is a sippable and very mixable gin. My favourite drink was the Gin & Tonic.

Cocktails with… Dancing Trees Gin – from Ohio

Dancing Trees Gin is made by the Dancing Trees Distillery (now know as Fifth Elements Distillery) in Meigs County, Ohio. The distillery was founded by Kelly Sauber in 2011, who started off twenty years earlier as a home-brewer. They currently make a gin, two vodkas (one grain-based, one grape-based), and a coffee liqueur, and they are passionate about using local ingredients.

The gin is made using Spicebush Berries and Organic Rosehip as part of its botanical mix, has a grain spirit base, and is bottled at 40%ABV.

The Taste

On its own
Nose: Grain notes, as well a hint of grape and pear. There’s also a vanilla sweetness, followed by dry pine.
Taste: Smooth and thick, with a silky mouthfeel, notes of dry almond and apple/pear come through, mixed in with a restrained sweetness. There’s a hint of coriander accompanying the juniper notes, before a long finish that fluctuates between sweet and dry apple notes and some nuttiness. All-in-all, complex and engaging.

Gin & Tonic
Very dry, with notes of almond, pear, and pine. Despite the dryness, there is a confectionery aspect to the drink, somewhat reminiscent of a pear and almond tart, but it isn’t too sweet. Rather unusual, but nonetheless clean and refreshing.

Martini
Herbal coriander comes through on the nose. To taste, there are flavours of juniper and dry apples (like Calvados), plus a little coriander and fennel, and a dark, sweet treacle note, which results in the cocktail being slightly reminiscent of dark naval rum. The finish is long and bitter.

Negroni
Great – not too sweet and not too bitter, with pine notes accompanied by chocolate and a light nuttiness. All of the flavours are well-balanced, making it a real treat to drink. There’s little more to say, except that I am impressed and this is a sound drink.

In Conclusion
Dancing Trees Gin is a dry gin with a good deal of fruitiness to it that brings some different and unexpected flavours to familiar cocktails. My favourite drink was the Negroni.

Cocktails with the new Barrel Reserve and Peat Barrel BIG Gins – from the USA!

As 2016 approaches, I thought that today I would share with readers two 2015 releases from one of my favourite distilleries; not only do they make delicious, award-winning products, but the owners are a hoot! I speak, of course, of Captive Spirits: Ben Capdeville, Holly Robinson, and the entire Big Gin family.

In 2014, Bourbon-Barreled Big Gin won Best Contemporary Gin at the IWSC and now the folks at Captive Spirits have released two new aged gins.

Barrel Reserve Big Gin is aged for Three Years in Ex-bourbon (Heaven Hill casks).

Peat Barreled Big Gin is rested for 3-4 months in Westland Distillery’s American Single Malt Peated Whiskey barrels (which previously held Wild Turkey) and is bottled at 47% ABV.

Barrel Reserve BIG Gin

On its own
Colour: Light gold
Nose: Light fruit and vanilla. This is sweet and inviting, before a hint of pine blossom towards the end.
Taste: Delightfully smooth and sippable, this has a lovely balance of the complex, sweet wood spice and the dryer, piney gin notes. It also has a thick texture that fills the mouth and the menthol pepper of the Tasmanian Pepperberry on the finish.

Frozen
This gin chills down well, adding a lovely viscosity to the texture. Upfront, there are notes of toffee and spice, with some crisp pine and citrus, too. The finish is more floral, with sweet spice and wood; it’s creamy, before a peppery finish.

Gin Soda
Herbaceous and woody; this is quite resinous, but the lengthening of the soda gives the gin a lighter, refreshing character without compromising on intensity or quality.

Sweet Martini
Sweet, fruity, and jammy, with a touch of bitter herbal notes. Then comes some spice and vanilla, and a lovely, creamy finish.

Negroni
Wow! Simply fantastic – there is an excellent synergy between the gin, the wood, and the other ingredients. Smooth, mellow, and relaxed, the gin takes the drink to another level, with beautiful vanilla wood and maple notes in the middle. A must try!

Peat Barreled BIG Gin

On its own
Colour: Pale straw
Nose: Light spice with a wisp of dry, smoked wood, then a little citrus and cedar. This is complex and evolving with a few subtleties kept back for the palate.
Taste: The wood creates a very dry, light smoke that lingers and builds as you sip. The dry wood notes work well with the fundamentally dry character of the gin. After the wood comes some juniper, angelica, and a little citrus. The finish is of spice and the slight menthol pepper of the Tasmanian Pepperberry.

From the Freezer
Dry, with flavours of apricot kernels, followed by flavours of fragrant cedar. Excellent, cooling, and sippable.

Gin Soda
The woody notes are dry, adding to the refreshing nature of the drink and complementing the other botanical notes, whilst the spice adds complexity. This is, without a doubt, an aged gin made for soda.

Sweet Martini
Superb – light and dry, almost as if it was made with dry vermouth. Despite that, there’s a lovely sweetness at the end, along with delicious, rich orange notes. This is truly excellent and sets itself apart from other Sweet Martinis.

Negroni
A wonderfully woody Negroni: the smoky wood works really well with the bitterness of the cocktail and here is a touch of very dark chocolate thrown in, too. All of this is balanced by the sweetness of the vermouth and the extra bitterness of the Campari. Another excellent drink.

In Conclusion

It’s great to see the folks at BIG Gin not rest on their laurels after their big win at IWSC with their first Bourbon Barreled Big Gin. These two new additions are no fly-by-nights and have obviously been well thought through before their release.

The Barrel Reserve adds smoothness and complexity to what was already a great gin and really starts to bring aged gin in line with some of the better whiskies that are great to sip and explore neat.

The Peat Barreled Gin achieves a fine balance between gin, wood, and smoke and, whilst the peat is certainly there, it does not overwhelm the gin’s character; in addition, the extra woody, smoky dryness that it adds is – I think – fantastic. I highly recommended trying both.

Cocktails with… Griffon Gin from Washington State, USA

Made at the Double V Distillery in Battle Ground Washington State, USA, Griffon Gin is grain-to-glass; that is, they distill the whole product themselves, including both the base spirit and the redistillation of botanicals.

The base is made using a mix of locally grown corn (80%) and barley, and their botanicals include juniper, coriander, and cardamom. It is bottled at 40.0% ABV.

The Taste

On its own
Nose: Creamy and sweet with a touch of stickiness to start, but then there are some dryer, floral (lavender) elements that are followed by stalky, vegetal notes. A tempting aroma that encourages you to take a sip.
Taste: Coriander and light citrus upfront, followed by spice (cardamom) and then some dryer notes. The spirit is relatively smooth, although there is some warmth, along with more citrus, on the finish.

Gin & Tonic
This is quite a sweet Gin & Tonic with a lots of spice; cardamom is the most dominant, but there is also ginger, cassia, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Citrus and a bit of dryness comes through at the end. Fresh and tasty.

Martini
Clean, with lovely pine notes and lots of spice. There are hints of cedar wood, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Very tasty and complex. Delicious.

Negroni
Another spicy cocktail, this time with some crisp, fresh notes, too. This is a well-integrated drink with a bitter finish, but one that is curbed slightly by the hints of cassia. Delightful – near perfect.

In Conclusion
Whilst Griffon is certainly a very spicy gin, the spice does not dominate the entirety of its character and other elements, such as the citrus and pine/juniper, add balance.

All of the drinks that I tried were excellent, but the Negroni just takes it for me.

Cocktails with… Spirits Works Gin

I’ve often written about the renaissance of craft distilling in the US, but the availability of these products has always been rather limited. However, last week, a new gin brand arrived in the UK, being imported from America by GX Spirits.

That brand is Spirit Works, out of Sebastopol, north of San Francisco, California.

Spirit Works was founded by husband and wife team, Timo & Ashby Marshall. Timo originally hails from England, whilst Ashby is a native of the Pacific West Coast.

Their current range includes a gin, a vodka, and the only US sloe gin made in the traditional, English style.

Batch 004 from November 15, 2013 – you can check out when your batch comes from on the Spirit Works website.

The gin is made using an organic, Californian wheat base, which is milled, mashed, fermented and distilled on-site at the distillery. It is bottled at 43.0% ABV and contains a proprietary botanical blend of traditional and Californian botanicals, including:

Juniper
Coriander
Angelica
Citrus
Cardamom

On its own
Nose: Juniper with hint of lemon and vanilla.
Taste: Juniper and spice up-front, which moves onto a stronger pine flavour intermingled with a sweet breadiness with a touch of fennel or caraway. There’s also bright citrus and a little pepper towards the end. A good, solid dry gin with a little transatlantic flair. Very nice to sip neat, on the rocks, or from the freezer.

Gin & Tonic
Fruity, with notes of vanilla and a dry, refreshing finish with a lot of flavour. Classic, with a creamy twist. I am reminded of jelly and ice-cream, but by no means in a bad way; the drink is not overly sweet and has a dry finish. My advice: try one.

Martini
This cocktail has a lovely interplay of flavours between dryness and crispness. The juniper is certainly there, as well as dry floral and citrus notes that work well with the vermouth, but be careful not to put too much in. Just before the finish there is a burst of plumy fruit, which stops the drink from becoming too arid. The finish is long, lingering and dry and, as it fades, you are more than inclined to take another sip.

Negroni
Lovely nose – some hints of vanilla and cinnamon, like homemade custard. The taste is even better, just superb – a lovely interplay of flavours between the spicy botanicals, dry botanicals, and its sweeter elements. Complex, intense and a delight to drink.

Spirit Works, Website, Twitter, Facebook, UK Distributor.

Cocktails with… Bellewood Gin

With the rise of craft and micro-distillers comes an increased desire to innovate and experiment in search of a gin that breaks boundaries and sets itself apart from the crowd. An increasingly popular way of doing this is to use a non-typical base spirit (i.e. not Neutral Grain Spirit). Often, the base spirit used is inspired by what grows around the distillery and one such example is apples. There are apple base spirits in use throughout the US and the William Case Gin of the UK also uses an apple base.

Today’s focus is on another gin with an apple base spirit, named Bellewood Gin from Lynden, in the North of the state of Washington. Bellewood Gin’s apple spirit base is made from a blend of 21 varieties of apples, primarily Jonagold and Jonamac, but generally a mix, depending on the harvest. Its seven botanicals are vapour infused using a gin basket in a Vendome still and include:

Juniper
Coriander
Cinnamon
Angelica root
Cardamon
Orange peel
Lemon peel

On its own
Nose: Spiced apple with juniper, angelica, and some lovely, warm spiced notes: cinnamon, nutmeg, and cassia, as well as fruity raisin. Warm and inviting.
Taste: A lovely, smooth spirit with the apple working well with the dry botanicals (juniper, angelica); this is then balanced out by some of the sweet, baking spice notes, which are somewhat reminiscent of an apple crumble or baked apple.

Gin & Tonic
The base comes through strongly, giving a dry apple flavour that’s followed by a flair of gingerbread spice, although this is slightly more subtle than the flavours of the gin on its own. The finish is dry, with some bitterness from the quinine and juniper that stops the drink from becoming too sweet.

Martini
A spicy Martini with citrus (orange and lemon) and spice, including cinnamon, nutmeg, cassia, and even a hint of vanilla. It’s a little like some kind of cinnamon bread, but one that is, thankfully, not too sweet. All-in-all, this is a smooth and viscous Martini that I’d happily have again.

Negroni
Another delightful Bellewood drink. This is full of fresh, crisp apple notes, as well as piney juniper and cinnamon spice, which work well with the cocktail’s other ingredients to create a tasty drink that’s full of flavour.

In Conclusion
Bellewood is an exemplary example of an apple-based gin. Depending upon how it’s mixed, different aspects of the spirit came through – a sign of good gin. My favourite cocktail was the Martini.

Cocktails with Genius Navy Strength Gin

A few weeks back, I reviewed Genius Gin from Texas, courtesy of a sample provided by Aaron from TheGinIsIn.com (America’s Gin website). Today, I am reviewing Genius Gin Navy Strength after the folk at Genius Distillery were kind enough to send me a bottle.

On its own
Nose: Clean, with a little sweetness that comes from the can base spirit; it is almost reminiscent of a white rum. There is also a little creamy spice, followed by dry citrus.
Taste: A full flavour, with a rich mouthfeel. Initially, there’s a thick, creamy sweetness, which moves to some of the more traditional gin flavours: juniper, angelica and coriander. There is then a touch of spice, before a powerful, long and lingering, dry finish.

Gin & Tonic
A flavoursome Gin & Tonic, with coriander and some sweetness, as well as hints of nut, almond and fresh, crisp pear. A powerful and very refreshing drink – lime would be my choice of garnish. Lovely.

Martini
A smooth and silky Martini with a little sweetness but then also some dry fruit and nuttiness that provides a slight hint of bitterness. There are also some earthy herbal elements which I think means the gin could easily lend itself to an olive garnish, although both lemon peel or a Dickens serve (no olive or twist) work well, too. The botanical flavours are there, but this is certainly less intense than a Martini made with a very traditional gin like Tanqueray. Pretty good stuff.

Negroni
A powerful drink, with the extra ABV providing a bolder botanical flavour that has plenty of juniper and citrus, as well as some dark chocolate and intense, bitter, herbal elements towards the end. The finish is long, dry and lingering.

Gimlet

A clean drink with plenty of vanilla and lime – clean, crisp and a lovely example of a more contemporary twist in the Gimlet – smooth without being overly cloying.

In Conclusion
Genius Navy Gin is a great example of how the ABV can impact upon the flavour of a spirit and is a good illustration of the different characteristics that a Navy Gin can add to drinks when mixing. My favourite drink was the Negroini.

Cocktails with… Genius Gin – from Texas!

A few years back, we tried our first gin from Texas. I‘m not sure why, but a gin from the lone-star state really excited me and I was thrilled to try it. As a result, I think it’s superb that this was not a one-off and that more gins are coming out of Texas.

Today’s focus is on Genius Gin and comes courtesy of Aaron J. Knoll Esq. of theGinIsIn.com and is part of the International Gin Exchange.

Thanks to Aaron of TheGinIsIjn.com for the Sample and the Picture

Genius Gin is made by Genius Distillery in Austin,Texas. It is distilled from scratch, with the base spirits being fermented and distilled from sugar cane. The botanical mix is separated into two groups: the first group (including elderflower, lavender, lime peel, and angelica root) is macerated for 72 hours in the spirit, before being re-distilled in a pot still; the second group (including juniper, coriander and cardamom) are placed in a vapour infusion basket, which the distillate from the initial maceration passes through.

The final product is bottled at 45% ABV, although the distillers also make a Navy Strength version, bottled at 57% ABV.

Genius, on its own
Nose: A mix of pine, nuttiness and then coriander, moving towards some dry confectionary notes like milk, chocolate, and even a touch of coconut.
Taste: This has an excellent texture that fills your mouth and is smooth. The initial flavour is juicy, with a distinct fruitiness, followed by dry juniper and then more dry notes of pear and cherry.

Genius Gin & Tonic
A particularly clean Gin & Tonic, with hints of dry almond and pear coming through, as well as a little sappy pine. Refreshing and enjoyable.

Genius Martini
Some rich, creamy, woody flavours are combined with spice and dry juniper, as well hints of citrus and other fruit. The flavours of the gin really complement those of the dry vermouth, creating another crisp, refreshing and invigorating drink.

Genius Negroni
This chills down really nicely and there is a lovely interplay between the dry gin, the sweet and herbal vermouth, and the bitter and herbal Campari. A very good standard of Negroni that would make a great pre-dinner cocktail.

In Conclusion
I really enjoyed the balanced mix of flavours in Genius Gin. It’s a gin that will appeal to those who like a more contemporary style of gin; however, it is close enough to the more traditional styles that there is something to be enjoyed by your everyday gin drinker, too. My choice for top drink was tricky today, but I’ll plump for the Martini.

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Cocktails with… Las Vegas Gin

In my quest to try a gin distilled in each state of the USA (plus the District of Colombia), it is now easier to tell which states still evade me:

Alabama
Arizona
Connecticut
Florida
Hawaii
Maryland
Nebraska
New Jersey
North Dakota
South Dakota
Oklahoma
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Utah
Wyoming
Nevada

This weekend, I could finally tick the Silver State off my list. The gin that I’m looking at today comes from the Las Vegas Distillery, located in Henderson, just outside of Las Vegas.

I have already tried their excellent vodka, which is made from a blend of seven different grains (wheat, millet, rye, spelt, corn, oat, and malted barley), and so was understandably keen to try their gin, which is distilled from grain and bottled at 45.0% ABV.

THE TASTE

On its own
Nose: Quite dry, with chocolate and vanilla notes, as well as coriander, fennel and lemon verbena.
Taste: A smooth liquid, with clear juniper upfront, followed by a smoky middle, somewhat reminiscent of tequila or mezcal. Finally, there is a sweet confectionery lift, with a little dark chocolate cream.

Gin & Tonic
The tequila notes I have hinted to are well-pronounced when the gin is mixed with tonic, making this seem like a gin/tequila/tonic hybrid. There is still some dryness towards the end, along with a little citrus. Given the unusual flavour profile, lime seems to be the best choice for the garnish. All-in-all, this is a refreshing and original drink.

Martini
A fine, dry Martini with quite lot of spice, fennel, coriander, and liquorice. These notes are then followed by some smokiness towards the end, which is neatly combined with the dryness. Given that this is a little more savoury than most Martinis, I think it would work well with an olive garnish.

Negroni
A rather wild Negroni: smoky and dry, with plenty of spice and a hint of agave. Certainly a more contemporary take on the drink, but an excellent and flavourful one, nonetheless.

From the Freezer
Viscous and rather lovely; a smoky, almost salty character develops at low temperature, followed by juniper and a little dry citrus on the finish. Very intriguing and a treat to sip.

In Conclusion
This gin is very good and is one of the most original and engaging dry gins that I have tried for a while. It mixed well in all of the drinks mentioned above, but the Martini was my favourite. I’m very keen to find out more about how it is made.