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.
Summer Fruit Cup 