It’s a gin gin Situation
There’s some debate about St. George’s claim to be America’s first craft distillery, but any way the coin flips, it is undeniably one of the top spirits producers in the country. Whether you enjoy all of their products or not, each of their ultra-high quality and distinct personality is undeniable. Hailing from Alameda, California and founded in 1982, the company produces a wide range of items with very specific characteristics, a profound sense of balance, and the utmost attention to every detail. I’m personally a pretty big fan, in case that’s not readily apparent.
In his role as master distiller, Lance Winters is the creative force behind St. George Spirits, known for his “penchant for gleefully shunning the spirits world's conventions” (Esquire) and respected for having “a passion for his craft only equaled by his explosive imagination” (The Bold Italic). Lance came to St. George Spirits in 1996 after time spent as a U.S. Navy nuclear engineer and subsequently working as a brewer. In short, Lance is both a literal and creative genius. Let’s also give a nod to Dave Smith, Head Distiller and Blender.
We carry a number of items from St. George with pride (over a dozen at present) and those that either already know or are willing to trust our collective passion for the distillery are pleased with what they find under the cork enough to become fans in their own right. Let’s chat GIN, shall we?….
St. George Terroir Gin
Constructed to express the local California, you guessed it…TERROIR, this guy is Douglas fir forward, with California bay laurel, coastal sage, and other evocative botanicals. Roasted coriander and of course juniper add citrus and actually make this gin, respectively. As far as juniper goes, the Terroir Gin is pretty tame and while Douglas fir may produce pinecones, it isn’t really all that piney the way one might expect. It’s as if it provides a certain level of sweetness without any sugar at all. This is about as elegant as a gin can get…in my humble opinion. In a martini, grab some of our Dolin de Chambéry Dry Vermouth ($15.99), Fee Brothers Orange Bitters ($8.99) and frankly some cocktail onions with high acidity would thrive in your ‘Gibson’ – olives are okay too;)
St. George Botanivore Gin
A bit more assertive, Botanivore as the name suggests is a bit more botanically-oriented than others in this lineup and has a more formidable juniper characteristic, but is super harmonious just the same. Harmony happens to be quite the feat when one considers it contains 19 botanicals both infused directly via maceration and vapor-infused out of the typical basket. And yes, here’s the list…angelica root, bay laurel, bergamot peel, black peppercorn, caraway, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, citra hops, coriander, dill seed, fennel seed, ginger, juniper berries, lemon peel, lime peel, orris root, Seville orange peel, star anise. This is killer in a Vesper [Lillet Blanc (21.99) & St. George All Purpose Vodka ($27.99)], dynamite in a G&T [Fever Tree Indian Tonic 4-Pack (6.99)]…I’m making myself thirsty!!!
St. George Dry Rye Gin
Calling this unique only scratches the surface. The rye character reeeeeally comes through – peppery and somewhat malty with hints of earth and a relatively intense juniper core (50% more than either of the other two aforementioned gins) plus it’s complemented by black peppercorn, caraway, coriander, grapefruit and lime peels. Warm and spicy, it has a natural affinity with bitters, citrus, stone fruit, and ginger. Try it in a Negroni, a Martinez, a Gin Buck—or any classic cocktail that calls for rye whiskey. You’ll never look at an Old Fashioned the same way again.
There is something truly special about what these guys do with their copper pot stills. The Gin Sample Pack is a terrific way to explore the variety and choose which is your favorite for whichever application you prefer. Or you can just go for the gold with standard format sizes and share with some friends.
Cheers,
Todd, aka TL