Notes: This is a different style of gin from the much more common London Dry style (click on above for info on Styles/Definitions of Gin). It is made in by a small company in Spokane, Washington which uses one of the more unique blends of botanicals for gin I have heard of, and trust me that is saying a lot !

They start out with their excellent vodka as a base and then use a blend of the usual suspects of juniper and coriander, with lavender (I’ve seen that before in a couple), along with mint, dried Fuji apples, and hops – which is something no else we know of has attempted.

Appearance: Clear, bright,a touch of oiliness/viscosity to the body, good long legs. When it is chilled it takes on a wonderful thick glasslike appearance even when shaken.

First Impression: Juniper and lavender bouquet in the nose with a hint of coriander, but this is all overlaid with a intriguing blanket of apple and hops, giving it somewhat genever like aromas with the slight bite and tang of a nice mint.

Taste: Tastes more like a genever with citrus, lavender, and apples than a London Dry. Very complex, aromatic and wonderful. The taste was balancing act between the aromatic start, a very herbal / earthy middle and a dry finish with mint tones that make you look forward to more. Warming end but no burn. Delicious!

Drinks: We tried the gin in martinis, gin and tonics and a few more. It is wonderful as a martini with a twist of lemon or an olive. Which is somewhat unusual as many gins are very much one or the other. Almost all you need for an Opera, Maidens Prayer, etc. It has a wonderful delicacy and base notes that would work for a number of classic gin cocktails including ones calling for genever (but with much more spice) and I think it will inspire a number of mixologists to create new drinks with it.

Bottle: Distinctive, short cylindrical bright clear glass with sharp shoulders, and NO frosting unlike the sea of others. Simple graphics silk screened or printed directly onto the glass. Nice heft to the bottle and a good grade of clear glass with nice decanter base so it is solid and hard to knock over.

Shows the gin to excellent effect. Each bottle is also hand sealed with a notation as to batch number and bottle number within the batch – a nice touch. Bottle is from France – where they seem to make a much better grade of glass and this makes the bottle shine and create a nice presentatation.

Final Thoughts: An intensely interesting gin in a that is a refreshing departure from the usual. Skillfully made, with a very creative blending of spices and flawless execution in distillation. This is a top notch gin – better than some that cost a good bit more and is cheaper than many in the premium category. Different enough that even gin haters will like it and just familiar enough for gin lovers to embrace it as a new beginning in gin adventures.

Website: http://www.dryflydistilling.com  

Good simple web site easy navigation, simple and straightforward.