Style: New World Gin
Age: Unaged
Proof: 90 (45% ABV)
Region: Alameda, California
Founded in 1982, St. George Spirits has always done things a bit differently. From their early days of distilling eau-de-vie, to their single malt whiskeys, and their absinthe, the California-based distillery led by Master Distiller Lance Winters and Head Distiller Dave Smith has always defied easy categorization. Though they create a wide variety of spirits and liqueurs, St. George Spirits may be best known for its line of gins, all of which to some degree use locally sourced botanicals from California.
The distillery recently debuted a new addition to the family, Valley gin. Inspired by the citrus farms of California’s Central Valley, Valley Gin uses 25 different botanicals to try to capture the experience of walking through an orange grove while the blossoms are in full bloom. Let’s see how well Winters and Smith did this time.
Tasting notes
On the nose, the expected aroma of juniper is joined by notes of fresh orange zest, lemon, and a strong scent of orange blossoms. The predominantly floral character continues on the palate, where it meets more zippy notes of citrus along with cucumber, black pepper, and a background of vanilla-ish sweetness. The finish is surprisingly lingering with a fresh honey and vanilla-like sweetness.
Final thoughts
In a vertical tasting of the entire St. George Spirits portfolio a few years back (don’t worry, there was plenty of water and a long lunch break, )I was blown away by their Green Chile Vodka. I don’t tend to find vodka very interesting, flavored vodka even less so. But that bottle clearly evoked the specific aroma of a cutting board after chopping the ingredients for a salsa verde — fresh jalapeño peppers with tomatillos and cilantro. I was stunned.
The Valley Gin captures that same evocative and transportative effect that certain aromas can have. It’s not uncommon to taste a gin that has strong floral or citrus notes, but St. George Spirits managed to capture a specific freshness that reminds the drinker of walking through an orchard during the spring. Beyond that, it’s balanced, satisfying, and quite tasty. It’s probably too floral for a classic Martini or Negroni, but it’s perfectly suited for a Ramos Gin Fizz, a Gin and Tonic, or possibly split with Italicus as the base in a spritz. However you choose to mix with it, Valley Gin is a great companion for summer.
