A Muddled Thought

Our next gin hails from a distillery located in Upstate New York, known as the Finger Lakes Distillery, taken its namesake from the very area it calls home, specifically the Finger Lakes Region.

Formed in 2007 when Brian McKenzie, and Thomas Earl McKenzie(no relation) met at a distillers conference. Brian, with a background in finance, was looking to open a business in the Finger Lakes Region of New York, and connected with Thomas who has a long history of consulting with distilleries, and as a wine maker. Out of this chance meeting, Finger Lakes Distillery was born.

The Last Days of Summer. A combination of Seneca Drums Gin, Green Chartreuse, Black Pepper Watermelon Syrup and Lemon Juice.

Finger Lakes Distillery creates all its spirits via a 300 gallon copper pot still that was created by the Holstein Company and flown in from Markdoff Germany. Finger Lakes Distillery tends to keep everything close to home, with the company run by Brian, his wife, Jennifer, Brian’s parents, several cousins and Thomas.

Starting with a neutral grape alcohol base, that’s blended with some grain neutral spirit. Finger Lakes then macerates its botanicals during the first distillation. During a second distillation the botanicals are soaked directly in the base spirit.
Using a series of botanicals including juniper , cardamom, coriander, citrus, fresh cucumber, black pepper, and licorice results in a spirit, that introduces itself with notes of floral and sweetness on the nose. These notes are balanced just right so as to tempt and stir the desire to see what the spirit feels like whence it meets with your palate.

When you finally indulge in tasting this homegrown gin, you’re hit with notes of lemon, black pepper, candied ginger and coriander that ends with an refreshing twist of lime.

With Seneca Drums Gin, the Mckenzies have managed to create something a bit different than a standard dry gin. The spirit manages to balance occasional sweet notes with hints of dryness without introducing an overpowering presence of juniper. Any gin lover looking to experience something truly different should seek Seneca Drums out as they’ll be pleasantly surprised.

The Last Days of Summer
1 ¾ Seneca Drums Gin
½ oz Green Chartreuse
½ Lemon Juice
¾ Black Pepper Watermelon Syrup
Garnish with Lemon Slice and if available watermelon that’s been sprinkled with black pepper presented on toothpick.

Three Outta Three

Milagro Blanco 1 3/4
Milagro Anejo 3/4 oz
Seneca Drums Gin 1 oz
1/2oz Lime Juice
1 Mole Bitter
2 Dashes Grapefruit Bitters
2 Barspoons Agave Nectar

Three Outta Three. A combination of Seneca Drums Gin, Milagro Anejo and Blanco Tequilas, Mole and Grapefruit Bitters, Agave Nectar.and Grapefruit Juice.

Released in 2006 by Philadelphia Distilling and named to pay homage to the revolutionary soldiers who fought for this country, Bluecoat Gin continues to keep close to home by using botanicals such as organic juniper berries, and American citrus peels including sweet oranges and lemons. Other than these few botanicals, the remainder of the ingredients used to bring Bluecoat to life remain a secret to all except Master Distiller Robert Cassell.

Robert works his magic creating Bluecoat by a means of a ten-hour distillation process that starts with a slow heating of the pot still to enable Robert to slowly separate the heads and tails (the impurities) and leave the heart of the spirit. Once this process has been completed, the remaining spirit is bottled with triple filtered water to bring it down to 94 proof (or 47%ABV) and is filtered and tasted before Robert gives the go-ahead to begin bottling.

Bluecoat is a gin that starts off very soft and floral. This softness leads the way into notes of lemon, and hints of black pepper that tag along with each sip. Blue coat finishes with a touch of heat and sweetness.

A very light and refreshing gin that’s soft enough for one to sip on its own with a rock of ice.

Philisski
1 ¾ Bluecoat
¾ oz Aperol
¾ North Shore Aquavit
½ oz Simple Syrup
Grapefruit Bitters
Shake, Serve in Collins filled with Ice
Top with Club Soda

Philisski. A combination of Blue Coat Gin, North Shore Aquavit, Simple Syrup, and Grapefruit Bitters. Top with Club Soda.

Cool Revolution
2 oz Blue Coat
¼ oz Yellow Chartreuse
½ Lemon Juice
½ Simple Syrup
Egg White
Top with Mint Leaf

Cool Revolution. A combination of Blue Coat Gin, Yellow Chartreuse, Simple Syrup, Lemon Juice and Eggwhite

Coming in at higher proof than most gins you’ll normally come across on the back bar of your favorite speakeasy or local spirit vendor, Junipero Gin rings in at a hefty 98.6 proof or in another words 49.3% alcohol.

Hailing from Anchor Distilling, the same company responsible for Old Poterero Rye and the infamous Anchor Steam Beer, very little information is currently shared regarding the background of Junipero Gin.

What is known is this; Anchor Distilling uses a minimum of twelve botanicals, and uses the “soaking” method to infuse the flavors of these secret botanicals into the spirit, billed as a Dry or Distilled Dry Gin.

As the master distiller, Fritz Maytag currently refuses to share any information regarding any of these twelve botanicals, we can only taste the spirit and guess what he must use to create Junipero.

This secretive spirit starts out with a nose filled with juniper, and spice. As you begin to introduce Juniper to your palate, you hit with notes of lemon, orange zest, occasional flavors of celery, that mellows to introduce a flavor similar to a fresh baked bread or a dough that finishes with an almost sweet white wine like finale.

Sunset over the Bay
1 ¾ oz Junipero Gin
½ oz Orange Juice
¾ Lillet Blanc
2 Dashes Regans Orange Bitters
Barspoon Orange Marmalade
Bar Spoon Vieux Carre Absinthe

Sunset over the Bay. A combination of Junipero Gin, Vieux Carre Absinthe, Lillet Blanc, Orange Marmalade, Orange Juice and Regan's Orange Bitters.

Jumping from our last gin, Port of Barcelona hailing from Spain we skip over to Scotland and Hendricks Gin. Hendricks, a gin instantly associated with cucumbers by most gin drinkers. But that Hendricks, she’s a gin of so many more personalities. This can be attributed to the process used to birth this wonderous spirit. By taking a step outside the box that many distillers live in, and using a process that combines two different styles of distillation, the end result is a spirit with many different notes.

Before we get to all that, let’s take a quick look at what botanicals go into Hendricks. Hendricks infuses about thirteen different botanicals into its base spirit. Outside of the usual juniper berry, citrus peels, coriander, angelica and orris roots, Hendricks introduces elderflower, meadowsweet, and caraway to its neutral spirit during the distillation process. Oh and what a distillation process it is.

Unlike most other gins, Hendricks ’starts off by a vapor based distillation process by means of a Carter Head Still for one of its two base spirits. In this particular style of still, the botanicals are placed in a basket and meet the rising vapors of the spirit originate from the base of the still. This is but one part of the Hendricks Process. The second step of the process that leads to Hendricks is taking these same botanicals and steeping them again and the base spirit. These two separate distillations are combined or married together before the final ingredients of rose petal and cucumbers are added via an infusion method to create the spirit we all know as Hendricks Gin.

With a process like this, Hendricks falls under a category all its own and definitely doesn’t disappoint when it meets the palate. As you take that first sip, Hendricks grabs the taste buds he moment this elegant gin hits your lips. Layers of delicate sweetness peel away to reveal hints of soothing sweet orange, nuances of tangerine and the occasional touch of cucumber that leads the way into a finish brimming with softness yet at the same time spice.

Ease into It…
1 ¾ oz Hendricks
¾ Black pepper Watermelon Syrup
½ Navan Vanilla Liqueur
½ oz Lemon Juice
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters

Ease into It… A combination of Hendricks Gin, Navan Vanilla Liqueur, Black Pepper Watermelon Syrup, Lemon Juice and Angostura Bitters.

Petite and Deadly
1 ¾ oz Hendricks
¾ oz Laird’s Bonded Applejack
1oz Hudson Apple Vodka
¾ oz Apple Cinnamon Syrup
Barspoon Yellow Chartreuse
2 Dashes The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters

Petite and Deadly. A combination of Hendricks Gin, Laird’s Bonded Applejack, Hudson Apple Vodka, Apple Cinnamon Syrup, Yellow Chartreuse and The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters.

A gin born of absinthe. Or so goes the story of Port of Barcelona Gin. The second product of the Esmeralda Distillery, which up until the release of Port of Barcelona only produced Obsello Absinthe Verte.

As previously written about during our look at Obsello Absinthe, the distillery itself grew out of a passion project that former art teacher, Bryan Alex got interested in as a high school student, that of the mysteries and creation behind Absinthe.

After successfully launching Obsello Absinthe within the United States, Spain and the United States, Bryan started working on a formula of botanicals for a gin.

Using that the same creativity that he applied to Obsello Absinthe, Bryan created his own take on gin. Bryan’s unique spin on that juniper based spirit we all know and love includes the following botanticals such as iris flower root, star anise(yes you read that correct), coriander seeds, orange peels, ginger root, hazelnuts, and sweet almonds to name but a few.

All these botanicals work together to create a gin that’s anything but standard.
With that first sip, you’re hit with notes of vanilla, that’s followed up by nuances of anise and lavender. And in a change of pace of other gins, the juniper notes, play with your palate from behind the curtain of the other flavors. Finishes with notes of lime and black pepper.

Perplexing Reflection
2oz Port of Barcelona
½ oz Crème De Violette
½ oz Cinnamon Syrup
½ oz Lime Juice
2 Dashes Regans Orange Bitters

Perplexing Reflection. A combination of Port of Barcelona Gin, Creme De Violette, Cinnamon Syrup, Lime Juice and Regans Orange Bitters.

So now we come to Genever, and what better offering to look at then Bols Genever, one of the first Genevers to be mass-produced.

The story of Bols can be traced back to 1575 when the Bols family, at this time known as “Bulsius” arrived in Amsterdam, and started distilling and selling liqueurs. After the Dutch East India Company was founded in 1602, Bols became one of the main suppliers to its inner circle. Via this method, sailors and navy men incidentally spread the gospel of Genever. This leads us until 1664, at which time Bols began distilling Genever after receiving licensing to begin the distillation of spirits in 1646.

Flashing forward a few hundred years to the 1880’s, and moving across the the world to the United States, genever was outselling gin at a ratio of 6:1. Somehow between this time period and up until a few years ago, the popularity of Genever seemed to wane within bars and the spirits industry.

After the category of Genever received “protected status”(meaning that Genever can now only be made in the Netherlands)from the European Union in 2008, Bols began a massive re-launch

So what’s the process behind the creation of Genever?

Bols starts with small batches of distillate malt wine that are distilled in copper pot stills from three different mash types: rye, corn and wheat(known as Moutwijn). Once these different mash types are distilled via a pot still, the they are then moved to a continuous still and distilled up to three more times with the end result being a spirit that runs between between 46% and 48% ABV.

During the time that the spirits passes through the continuous still, the Bols Master Distiller cuts out all but the hearts of the distillate. This remaining malt wine(known as bestnat) is rested in stainless steel containers for up to several weeks. At this point, Bols also begins to infuse botanticals such as juniper, angelica, ginger and coriander into a neutral (grain-based) spirit and distills this via a pot still method. Once distilled it is married(or blended) with the rested malt wine.

At this point, the spirit known as Bols Genever is complete. A spirit that exposes that barley used in it’s creation right away, that hen mellows out into notes of cinnamon, and perfectly defined orange zest, that occasionally shares the spotlight with touches of yeast. All these flavors lead up to an impressive and soothing menthol finish.

As shown below, the flavors within Bols Genever work great in cocktails.

Around the Globe

2 oz Bols Genever
1 oz Laphroiag
½ oz Chai Demera Syrup
1/2 Allspice Dram
½ oz Lemon Juice
2 Dashes Regans Orange Bitters

Garnish with Lemon Zest
Shake with Serve
Serve in Double Old Fashioned.

Around the Globe. A combination of Bols Genever, Laphroiag, Allspice Dram, Lemon Juice and Regans Orange Bitters.

Bay Area Breakfast
1 ½ Genever
½ oz Fernet Branca
½ oz Averna
¾ oz Simple Syrup
2 Dashes Jerry Thomas Decanter Bitters
1 Dash Regans Orange Bitters
Eggwhite
Dry Shake. Then Shake with Ice
Serve up in Coupe.

Here are a few more Bols Genever Recipes, courtesy of Katie Darling, Bols Genever Brand Ambassador:

The Holland Razor Blade

2 oz Bols Genever

3/4 oz Simple syrup
3/4 oz Lemon juice
Shake, strain, coupe
Dash Cayenne pepper sprinkled on top


The Dutch Honey-
Created by Erik Castro-San Francisco
2 oz Bols Genever
3/4 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz yellow chartreuse
1/2 oz Simple Syrup

1/4 oz Honey Syrup
Dash Angostura


On one big rock, Double rocks glass

The Collins


2 oz Bols Genever

1 oz of Lemon juice

1/2 Demerara Syrup

Top with soda


Shake everything, in collins glass, top with soda, garnish lemon wedge.

The Old Old Fashioned
2 oz Bols Genever
1.5 Barspoons muscovado sugar
3-4 dashes Jerry Thomas own decanter bitters( Bitter truth)
Splash simple(If needed)
One large cube of ice and an Orange twist


North Shore Distillery was brought to life in 2005 by Derek and Sonja Kassebaum, a husband and wife team of spirits enthusiasts. Based in Lake Bluff, Illinois, along with their pot still, lovingly known as Ethel, they churn out a variety of spirits including a vodka, two absinthe offerings, two styles of gin, one of the only American created aquavits on the market, and the occasional small batched once a year release.

While North Shore produces a London Style Dry Gin known as Distillers Gin No. 11, we decided to take a look at their American dry offering known as Distillers Gin No. 6.

North Shore uses a combination of botanicals including juniper, lemon peel, coriander, anise seed, Ceylon cinnamon, and lavender to name but a few of the ingredients that make Distillers No.6 Gin what it is. Some of these botanicals are macerated prior to distillation while others are added during the distillation process.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened this bottle that originates in a place not known for producing gin. I was incredibly surprised at that first sampling. No. 6 opens up right away, full steam ahead with incredibly forward notes of citrus, this leads the way into what becomes a soft, mellow and incredibly inviting gin that is intertwined with very subtle hints of vanilla, cardamom, and what seems like hints of allspice. This unique gin, kept surprising my palate with each sip, ended with a beautifully developed peppery finish.

One thing’s for sure, Derek and Sonja know their stuff when it comes to producing gin. And whatever they’re doing to that darling little still of theirs, Ethel, they should keep doing it, she does a great job rewarding those parents of hers.

The Gin Abides
2 oz Distiller’s Gin No. 6
½ Yellow Chartreuse
2 Dashes Peach Bitters
½ Demerara Syrup

The Gin Abides. A combination of Distillers Gin No.6, Yellow Chartreuse, Demerara Syrup, and Peach Bitters.

The Inquisitor Cocktail

1 ¾ oz oz Distiller’s Gin No. 6
½ oz Lime Juice
½ Allspice Dram
½ Scorpion Mezcal
2 Dashes Grapefruit Bitters

The Inquisitor Cocktail. A combination of Distillers Gin No.6, Lime Juice, Allspice Dram, Scorpion Mezcal, and Grapefruit Bitters.

What happens when two guys who met while playing hockey get together to make a gin? DH Krahn happens. David Hughes of Long Island and Scott Krahn of Canada met in 2003 over hockey practice at Cornell University. Ending up as classmates and being tasked with the creation of a new brand for a class project, they came up with the concept of DH Krahn, a new gin that had more subtle notes of juniper. The concept of a rounder gin that didn’t contain that wallop of juniper that other brands had was unheard of at a time when only handful of gins brands were in the market.

What began as only a class project in 2003 became reality a few days after graduation when in 2004, David and Scott began development of this new gin. Flash forward to 2006, and after two years of trial and error a new gin was born.

With a unique mix of botanicals (including Italian juniper berries, Moroccan coriander Seed, Californian lemon and orange peels, Thai ginger and grapefruit peels) the guys managed to achieve what they set out to do, create a gin that has more developed notes of juniper while still exhibiting a rounder presence on the palate.

DH Krahn Gin starts off with light, very soft floral notes on the palate. Hints of black pepper, and soothing grapefruit that leads into notes of lemon and hints of orange on the palate. The spirit completes with hints of candied grapefruit and soft juniper.

The North Fork
1 ½ oz DH Krahn
½ Aperol
¼ oz Carpano Antica
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
¾ oz Simple Syrup
Garnish with Grapefruit Zest

The North Fork. A combination of DH Krahn, Aperol, Carpano Antica, Grapefruit Juice and Simple Syrup.

Neptunian Sunset
1 ¾ DH Krahn
½ oz Batavia Arrack
½ oz Rhum Clement Creole Shrub
½ oz Cinnamon Syrup
2 Dashes Regans Orange Bitters
Garnish with Burnt Orange Zest

Neptunian Sunset. A combination of DH Krahn, Batavia Arrack, Rhum Clement Creole Shrub, Cinnamon Syrup and Orange Bitters.

Proper Attire
1 1/2 oz DH Krahn
1 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
½ oz Lillet Blanc
2 Dash Regan’s Orange Bitters

Proper Attire. A combination of DH Krahn, Dolin Dry Vermouth, Lillet Blanc and Regan's Orange Bitters.

We now come to a relatively new gin, one that’s been on the market less than a year. Oxley Classic (note not London) English Dry hit the market in late 2009. As Oxley doesn’t use the traditional one pass method required to call itself it London Dry, it falls under the heading of being an English Dry Gin. Oxley also happens to be the only gin on the market that uses a process called cold distillation and is the first spirit to attempt to use a distillation process that doesn’t involve heat.

According to Oxley, the process of cold distillation works based on the principle that the boiling point of all liquids alters with temperature change. In other words, the lower the amount of pressure applied, the lower the temperature needs to be to achieve a boiling point. Oxley achieves this process by means of applying a vacuum to lower the pressure within the still which in turn allows distillation to take place at -5° C. Oxley states they are able to achieve a smoother more flavorful gin by these means, since no heat is applied during distillation, and the botanicals used remain unchanged and maintain their complexity rather than losing something during the distillation process had heat been applied.

Oxley also happens to be an small batched product, whereas Beefeater produces about 2.5 million cases a year, Oxley is only able to produce between about 4,000-5,000 (number estimated) cases with a production limited to 240 bottles a day.

Oxley utilizes 14 different botanicals including Frozen Spanish Orange Peels, Italian Juniper, Spanish Lemon Peels, Cassia Bark, Liquorice, Nutmeg, Iris Root, Cocoa sourced from Ecuador, Vanilla Beans from Madagascar, as well as Grains of Paradise (an herb that happens to be part of the ginger family) that adds some notes of spice, and Meadowsweet (a member of the Rosacaceae family that also includes blackberries and roses) which is used in Oxley to introduces some additional aromatics.Even before you’ve begun sipping Oxley, its complexity begins to show with aromas of delicate citrus, light juniper and whimsical pepper.

Once put it to the lips, Oxley continues to demonstrate its quality, starting off with a soft feel on the mouth that segues into notes of lemon and vanilla, so perfectly intertwined it reminds one of a limoncello. These notes are followed up by coriander, and additional hints of vanilla that lead the way into the presence of black licorice. Oxley closes out with refreshing floral and cocoa notes and just a dash more lemon, creating an very interesting, complex yet playful finish that has you thinking about what you just tasted for the rest of the night.

A Smokey Landing
Oxley Classic English Dry Gin
½ oz Crème De Violet
¾ Los Amantes Mezcal
½ oz Chai Demerara Syrup
2 Dashes Jerry Thomas Decanter Bitters

A Smokey Landing. A combination of Oxley Gin, Crème De Violet, Los Amantes Joven Mezcal, Chai Demerara Syrup and Jerry Thomas Bitters.

The Ringer
1 ¾ oz Oxley Classic English Dry Gin
¾ oz Crème De Cacao
Barspoon Pernod
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
Garnish with Lemon Twist

The Ringer. A combination of Oxley Dry Gin, Crème De Cacao, Pernod and Lemon Juice.

After spending the past week looking at some of the bigger names in Gin, we now come to Pacific Distilleries. Pacific, is a small family owned distillery that puts out just two products, Pacifique Absinthe and Voyager. With only two products both better damn good. As written about last year, Pacifique’s absinthe blew us away. So how’s their Voyager gin fare?

As soon as I opened the bottle and took a whiff, I was hit with elegant aromas of mild juniper, hints of sweetness akin to a chai tea.

Voyager’s, a balanced yet playful gin that comes to life with a barrage of flavors. It opens up right away with flavors of juniper, hints of cinnamon and basil and the odd yet welcomed occasional undertone of a sweetened carrot.

As you delve deeper into the spirit, characters of black licorice show themselves before leading into a a finish incorporating touches of white pepper and hints of citrus.

Just as Marc Bernhard, Master Distiller of Pacific Distilleries managed to create a remarkable representation of absinthe in Pacifique, he scores another
home run with Voyager gin. Not you’re a typical American Dry Gin but in this case not a bad thing. A spirit that never stops teasing with flavors.

Here are a few new cocktails using Voyager Gin and playing off its flavors a bit.

Close to the Heart
1 ½ oz Voyager
½ Carpano Antica
½ oz Sombra Mezcal
½ oz Cinnamon Syrup
½ oz Lemon Juice
1 Dash Rhubarb Bitters
Dash of Pacifique Absinthe
Shake with Ice
Serve up
Garnish with Lemon Twist

Close to the Heart. A combination of Voyager, Carpano Antica, Sombra Mezcal, Pacifique Absinthe, Cinnamon Syrup, and Rhubarb.

Northern Harvest
1 oz Voyager
1 oz Laird’s Bonded Applejack
½ oz Benedectine
2 Bar spoons Maple Syrup
2 Dash Regan’s Orange Bitters
Shake with Ice
Serve in Double Old Fashioned with one large rock
Twist Lemon Peel over drink and Discard.

Northern Harvest. A combination of Voyager Gin, Laird's Applejack, Benedictine, Maple Syrup and Regan's Orange Bitters.