Junipero Gin, made by Hotalin & Co in Portero Hill, San Francisco, is a classic gin for the modern age, with a big, bold flavour spurred on by the fiery ABV.
Junipero Gin, made by Hotalin & Co in Portero Hill, San Francisco, is a classic gin for the modern age, with a big, bold flavour spurred on by the fiery ABV.
At the title suggests, Junipero Gin is a tribute to juniper, but it's not a singular affair, with the spices bringing a deep, bruising flavour and a soft citrus oil easing the mouthfeel. It makes for an exceptionally boozy Martini.
"Junipero was one of the first gins to emerge in the USA's craft distilling revolution and is an homage to gin's hero botanical. Pure class and an expression than deserves a lot more air time."
Junipero Gin is pot distilled and follows a fairly simple recipe, with big juniper joined by angelica, aniseed, cardamom, cassia, coriander, cubeb, grains of paradise, lemon, orange and orris.
Hotalin – known as Anchor Distilling at the time – was created by Fritz Maytag, who can most definitely be named as one of those responsible for the explosion of Craft gin over on that side of the Atlantic.
Hotalin showed itself to be ballsy when it created the first pot-distilled American Whiskey way back in 1993. Five years later, and decades ahead of Gin’s resurgence, Junipero Gin was born.
Botanivore Gin, the “botanical eater” as it's lovingly known, is comprised of 19 different botanicals working in concert. Think of a meadow in bloom—herbaceous, fresh, and elegant.
"Botanically complex, sure, but the secret here is that you can take this gin on many levels - a simple treat for a G&T, a gin to return to in cocktails to tease out its nuances. There are a lot of layers that reveal them selves with this one…"
Using a base of 100% pot-distilled rye, this a gin for whiskey lovers. With a malty structure, peppery spice, and an impossibly rich mouthfeel, Dry Rye Gin is a half way house between gin and genever.
"Malty notes from the rye base are clear but it's worth noting that there's also 50% more juniper than in either of their other two gins, which comes in handy in cocktails like a Martinez or Negroni."
A slight twist on a classic London Dry profile, Conker Dry Gin is well-balanced and Juniper-led, but with the bright and refreshing Dorset notes of elderberries, samphire and handpicked gorse flowers...
"Both Conker gin and the team are the embodiment of the Craft movement. To taste, gorse, samphire and elderberries are so well balanced on a classic juniper core the gin’s unique, yet it’s one that you’ll find yourself returning to over and again."
Duck & Crutch Gin is an unusual proposition, packaged in a decanter shaped bottle and made in a shed in West London by its co-founder, George and Hollie. It really is a thing of beauty, with...
"Craft through and through and delivered with aplomb. Tiny batches, impossibly small distillery, charming couple at the helm and quite strikingly cool, intricately designed bottles containing delicious well rounded gin."