Gin 2
The Great Gin Exploration
For many years, we had not been vodka or gin fans. And this is due to bad gin decisions probably 30 years ago when we were much younger. Enough said. What is important is that we are back and keenly interested in gin, vermouth and all things botanically infused.
So, about 3 weeks ago (Jan 7, 2026), we stopped into the Bitter Bar next to Zuzu's on Main Street in Napa. And I asked for a martini made with Griffo gin because I had the privilege of serving the company's owner at the winery I work for. He had made his product sound pretty amazing. The bar keeper made the martini with Griffo gin and a touch of Tximista blanco vermouth. And seriously, my life changed in a glass. I was spellbound. And since then, I have been on a hunt for botanical knowledge and product. We are just getting started here.
Gin Count: 51 - 70
Distiller: Bombay Spirits Company, Laverstoke, Hampshire, England.
Description: Bombay London Dry Gin
Thoughts: I almost feel silly for overlooking this gin. We did the Sapphire very early on. And then just forgot about this. This gin is made from a very old recipe from 1761. It uses 8 botanicals. The botanicals are placed in a copper basket and steamed in the vapors of the spirit, infusing the gin with the botanical aromatics. These botanicals include Juniper berries (Tuscany), Coriander seeds (Morocco), Angelica root (Tuscany), Cassia bark (India), Orris root (Tuscany), Liquorice root (China), Lemon peel (Spain), Almond. There are two less than Sapphire.
On the nose the roots and bark really stand out. But the nose is only mediun intensity. And on the palate you get the angelica, coriander, liquorice and lemon peel. The finish is long. The intensity is med+.
This is well balanced, gentle and moderately intense. And therefore, this is a perfect match for any damn gin drink you can think of. And the botanicals are big enough to stand on their own with liqueurs, tonic, vermouths, etc . . . Actually, we are not sure which of the Bombays we like best. But this one stays.
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Date Tasted: 5/30/2026
Distiller: Angeac Distllery, Franc
Description: Iris Flavored Gin, Fresh Distillation
Thoughts: It’s blue! And beautiful! One of the botanicals is responsible for the color. They are: cloves, cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, cassia, licorice, juniper berries, orange peel, grains of paradise, nutmeg, and iris root and flower. The iris flowers are what gives this distinctive gin its color. This gin is distilled on small batched 4 times. And that is what give it its distinctive clean grain flavor, creating a blank slate for the botanicals.
The nose is a baker’s dream. It has lovely cassia, cardamom, cinnamon, juniper and rooty notes. This one is a keeper.
We love the length of the finish on the palate. The sweet citrus lingers along with the bitter roots. But the first taste is coriander and juniper. This is really nicely balanced. None of the elements overpower the rest. They all play nicely and intensely in the sandbox.
This one is a keeper, as I’ve said. What a delight to drink straight.
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Date Tasted: 5/30/2026
Distiller: Produced for BevMo at Athenaeum, Graton, Ca
Description: Athenaeum Wine Country Dry Gin
Thoughts: This is a California gin made with 9 botanicals which include juniper, coriander, angelica, cassia bark, lemon and orange peel. The others are not listed.
On the nose we get cinnamon, cardamom, juniper and the orange peel. It comes across (though ice cold) as warm because it almost wants to be a baked good. Think cinnamon/orange peel bundt cake. Very nice.
The flavors are exactly like the nose with very nice concentration, and a baking spice finish/burn that goes for minutes. This is a really classy gin.
None of the notes are overpowering. Every botanical is nicely balanced. The cinnamon is strong enough that this gin would be so perfect with a blanco vermouth, lemon twist in a martini. It sort of needs that citrus kick. But this gets high marks from us.
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Date Tasted: 5/29/2026
Distiller: Glen Catrine Distillers, UK
Description: Original London Dry Gin, Rear Admiral Joseph’s Original Recipe
Thoughts: I got this at Trader Joes for a song. This might be one of the world’s best gin bargains. It has a nice nose of pepper corn, juniper, citrus peel and rootiness.
The flavor is nice. The roots such as anglica and anise are prevalent. The juniper is present as well. The drink itself is low on intensity of flavors. None of the flavors or scents on the nose really stand out and shine as they do in other gins we’ve tried.
But like the Aviation below, this one is an opportunity to build. It will be amenable to just about any gin mixed drink. It’s the perfect blank slate.
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Date Tasted: 5/28/2026
Distiller: House Spirits Distillery, Portland, Or
Description: Aviation American Gin
Thoughts: Very gentle gin, pine and juniper and a touch of coriander on the nose. The palate is soft as well with a slight hint of citrus.
Consider this an opportunity. This gin is like a blank slate, a painter’s canvas on which there are only a few starting colors. There is so much opportunity with this gin. It would be great as a gimlet, a dirty martini, a negroni. It wants to be written upon. It is a scaffold waiting to support an even larger work. This is a very gentle gin, soft and ready to work.
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Date Tasted: 5/28/2026
Distiller: Bodegas y Destilerías Suau de Mallorca S.A.
Description: Maior Gin
Thoughts: There are just 4 botanicals here: Juniper, fig leaves, rosemary and Soller orange peel. And let me tell you, this is all that is needed. The 4 bots fill every scent and flavor gap with great scents and flavors.
The nose has a sweet citrus/juniper scent. The fig leaves are noticeable and probably contribute to the sweetness on the nose.
The palate is unique and distinctive. The rosemary seems to hide here quite well but comes out on the back of the tongue. There is a juniper bite matched well by the slight sweet fig leaves and citrus. Just a lovely gin experience.
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Date Tasted: 5/25/2026
Distiller: Barra Distillers, Scotland
Description: Isle of Barra Gin
Thoughts: Born on the shores of the Isle of Barra out there in the Outer Hebrides, made from 17 foraged botanicals, this is an event of a gin. The botanical list is such: Carrageen Seaweed, Liquorice Root, Lemon Peel, Juniper Berries, Angelica Root, Oris Root Powder, Mint, Quebec Peppers, Lemon Balm, Elderflower, Dried Peppermint, Coriander Seeds, Orange Peel, Cassia Bark, Chamomile flowers. If you counted, you get 15. Well, they include two mystery botanicals. It’s a secret!
The nose is stunning with sea notes. It smells like a wind washed Atlantic beach. All the ingredients are nicely managed so that none overpower the rest.
The palate is explosive with flavors like roots, seaweed, mint, citrus and juniper. It is very powerful, round, mouth-filling, beautiful and an experience I am so glad I did not miss. I question mixing this with anything other than a G&T. Drink it straight. It’s beautiful.
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Date Tasted: 5/25/2026
Distiller: Langeley Distillery, England
Description: Martin Miller’s Gin
Thoughts: Here are the botanicals: Juniper berries, Coriander, Angelica root, Orris root, Cassia bark, Cinnamon bark, Licorice root, Nutmeg, Iris root (Florentine Iris), Seville orange peel. With that said, this sounds pretty standard.
First of all, the roots in the bot list are very prevalent. They are bitter, spicy and sweet at the same time. The sweet hits us in the back of the tongue. When we read that it contained licorice root, we worried a little. Some gins with licorice are really, really licorice. This one does not disappoint. It just tastes like lovely roots. We get citrus peel, various roots, a very touch of juniper and cucumber (added post distillation).
It says that it is shipped raw to Iceland where it is cut with Icelandic spring water. It made me roll my eyes a little at first. Overkill? No! It really pays off. The crisp water, the bots and the overall performance are magnificent. This is stunning gin. Soft and concentrated at the same time. This is a real winner. We are so glad we tried this gin. It has the feel of some of the finest London Dry gins with a more concentrated twist.
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Date Tasted: 5/24/2026
Distiller: West Cork Distillers, Ireland
Description: Bohane Irish Dry Gin
Thoughts: So, everyone on the Irish side of my family came from Cork. So, there is something very homey, oceanic about this gin. The first sniff is so intense. And it is a little harsh, but only a little. This is no gentle drink like the last one. The nose screams seabrack and other botanicals. According to the website there are 19 botanicals. These include juniper, coriander, angelica root, blackberry, rosehip, elderflower, citrus peels, herbs and spices.
The flavor shows rosehips, juniper and botanical roots. It is really super. I would never mix this with anything. It is too perfect. Drink it ice-cold in a frozen glass. Let it warm slightly. Run it through your teeth like a whitening rise. It will reward you with a massively long finish. Great gin!
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Date Tasted: 5/24/2026
Distiller: Stockholm Distillery AB
Description: Braneeri Dry Gin
Thoughts: 7 botanicals: juniper, coriander, angelica root, lemon peel, heather, elderflower, and rosemary. This sounds like a purist recipe to me. All the damn classic bots.
Some reviewers said this was gentle on the nose. I agree with that. It is like cream with botanicals mixed in. You get gentle hints of the elements. And they are soft and great.
The palate explodes with flavors. The coriander, lemon peel and rosemary predominate with hints of juniper. Hint: try it in ice-cold in an ice-cold glass first. Then mix it. It will be an education.
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Date Tasted: 5/24/2026
Distiller: Black Forest Distillers GbmH
Description: Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin
Thoughts: One of the most unique gins we have tried. This thing has 47 botanicals! See below. Because of this it has a massively intense nose. And the flavors are insane. And yet no botanical gets in the way of any other. They are all in balance. This is so powerful. With a little vermouth this would make the ultimate martini.
It is not my favorite gin, but it is right up there with the most impressive. It is so powerful it almost scares me. I will always keep a bottle of this around.
Here is a list of botanicals: Juniper berries, lemon peels, grapefruit peels, pomelo, bitter orange, lemon verbena, lemongrass, lingonberries, cranberries, sloe berries, blackberries, rose hip peel, sage, lemon balm, bramble leaves, verbena, Monarda didyma blossoms, acacia flowers, marshmallow, sweet flag, cardamom, cassia bark, cloves, cubeb pepper, grains of paradise, nutmeg, pimento, black pepper, angelica root, orris root, musk seed, ambrette seed, chamomile, lavender, jasmine, honeysuckle, rose, elderflower, spruce shoots, hawthorn berries, makrut lime leaves, dog rose, rose mallow, acacia blossoms, bee balm.
I wish I knew the scent and flavor of half of those!
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Date Tasted: 5/24/2026
Distiller: House of Suntory, Osaka, Japan
Description: Roku Gin
Thoughts: For starters, this bottle is beautiful. Through the frost it is hard to see the embossed glass. The second thing that strikes me is that the first sniff of this gin screams juniper. And then I looked at the back of the bottle and it is all Japanese local botanicals. Really cool.
They put Sakura flower, Sansho pepper, Yuzu peel, Sakura leaf, Sencha tea and Gyokuro tea in it. It definitely has a tea nose with tons of pepper and green leaf scents. But it really does smell like juniper. Just saying. This nose is really enticing and intense.
The palate is really roaring with balanced flavors of pepper, citrus and floral notes. It is very nice gin doesn’t deviate from the classic London Dry gins much at all. Gonna keep a bottle of this around. I just want to drink it straight. Any additions would take away from its unique flavors.
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Date Tasted: 5/21/2026
Distiller: De Kuyper Royal Distillers, Holland
Description: No 3 London Dry Gin
Thoughts: This gin is created in Holland for Berry Bros and Rudd of London. It contains the following botanicals: juniper, coriander, grapefruit zest, orange peel, cardamom, angelica root. Juniper is not overly prevalent. We get more sweet orange peel, cardamom and coriander in a medium intensity nose.
The palate is powerful, lovely and balanced. The juniper and root notes are really amazing here. Odd how the juniper is almost absent on the nose.
This is a great London Dry. It would make a great negroni or martini. This is a great accompaniment gin.
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Date Tasted: 5/21/2026
Distiller: New Amsterdam From the Modesto Distillery
Description: Stratusphere Gin
Thoughts: The first sniff and we get candied citrus peel, coriander and a touch of juniper, but the juniper seems to be an afterthought.
The palate has a slight botanical bitter bite that is easily balanced out by the slight sweetness. So far so good. The flavors are not pronounced or complex. However, there is a nice citrus/coriander/sweet cardamom.
This is a pleasant, though basic gin. It is perfect for mixers. The price is amazing for what you get. Keep this around for G&T or martinis.
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Date Tasted: 5/18/2026
Distiller: Glendalough Distillery, Wicklow County, Ireland
Description: Rose Gin Wild local botanicals foraged daily
Thoughts: We cheated and looked at the website. This is infused with various garden and wild rose petals. It is an homage to the distiller’s mother, Rose. And when I read that I thought, oh boy, this is going to be way too rosy. But it’s not! It is gently rose scented. It has some of the citrus of the Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin. The floral scent is very dry pot pourri, juniper, sweet coriander and key lime pie.
The palate is dry, dry. The alcohol burn is noticeable. The lime flavor, gentle rose petal and juniper is lovely. But this gin needs to be added to martini or G&T. It needs a little something to lighten it up. A Negroni would not go amiss with this gin.
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Date Tasted: 5/11/2026
Distller: MG Distilleries, Spain
Description: Lindon Dry Gin MG – Manuel Giro – 1940 Original Recipe
Thoughts: Founded 1835 – The site says that there is juniper in it. But they don’t say what else is in there. So, we are guessing juniper, citrus, cinnamon, coriander and angelica.
The nose is very gentle but pristine. The palate is very concentrated and beautiful. A definite sipper but designed for mixing into a martini where the vermouth is just washed over the ice and then dumped. This gin will shine!
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Date Tasted: 5/11/2026
Distiller: Spirit Works Distillery
Description: Old Tom Gin
Thoughts: I’m not sure if I’m just off on all these Old Tom gins, but they all have notes of Christmas cookies to me. This one is like a sugar cookie, sloe berries, medicinal notes of elderberry, nutmeg, toasty oak, juniper, honey, echinacea flower, cinnamon and phreesia.
Of these three Old Tom styles, this is my favorite. It isn’t overpowering. And on the palate, it really pleases with teasing notes of cookie, honey, baking spices, wood and berries.
These guys are knocking this out of the park far as I’m concerned.
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Date Tasted: 5/10/2026
Distiller: Tree House Distillery
Description: Percy’s Old Tom Gin
Thoughts: The very first scent is like a Christmas cookie with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and even a flour element. But it goes beyond that. You get maple syrup, cedar, juniper, black tea and cloves.
The palate is rich, balanced and full of flavor. You get the notes above but also oak and honey. A fine expression of the Old Tom style. It feels like autumn and tastes like Christmas cookies.
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Date Tasted: 5/10/2026
Distiller: Bar Hill Distillery
Description: Barrel Selection Tom Cat Gin
Thoughts: It is like opening a cupboard in a baker’s home filled with fresh and old spices. You get massive notes of anise, juniper leaves, raw honey and expressive oak.
On the palate you get intense juniper, toasty oak and honey notes. These old-style gins are really interesting. They are so strongly flavored compared to their London dry cousins. These would definitely find a place in our house as mixed drinks.
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Date Tasted: 5/10/2026
Distiller: Spirit Works Distillery
Description: Sloe Gin
Thoughts: This was so much fun to try. But I have to say that it is not my cup of gin. It has a thickness, sweetness and powerful herbal quality that is not in my wheelhouse of flavors. But if you like a drink with nice berry flavors, sweetness and herbal intensity, this could be for you.
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Date Tasted: 5/10/2026
