12 Nights of Gin

Mireabeau Dry Rosé Gin - Provence, France

This is a perfect Vine Arts gin in the sense that it combines inspiration from top winemakers with talented distillers! This is also the perfect gin to enjoy while closing your eyes and pretending it's summer in the middle of an Alberta winter.

One thing that makes this gin unique is that it uses 100% grapes as the base rather than grain. This helps to give a wonderful roundness in texture and an inherint fruitiness in the gin that matches its lovely colour. The Mirabeau Dry Gin ueses lemon and coriander as the base (along with juniper of course), and layers on rose petals, lavender and jasmine to kick up the floral notes. The botanical blend is rounded out with bay leaves, thyme and rosemary to add a subtle herbaceous edge.

Try this with a high quality tonic such as Fever Tree or Thomas Henry, with a slice of lemon and a rosemary sprig for garnish. This is also perfect with soda, or try this in a riff on a classic French 75 cocktail - the rosé 75. Combine 1 oz Mirabeau gin, 1/2 oz lemon juice and 1/2 oz simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe or Champagne flute, and top with 3 oz sparkling rosé for a delicious cocktail!

Copper in the Clouds Marmalade Gin - England

Copper in the Clouds is making some of the best craft gins in the UK, and their marmalade gin was just too good not to include here. To make this gin they first craft their own marmalade on site, fresh for every batch with pink grapefruit, Seville orange and blood orange peels. They then layer on botanicals including juniper berries, corander seed, licorice root, angelica root, lemon peel and orange peel. The end result is a truly unique gin bursting with flavour!

If you like this sample and decide to go all in for a full bottle, try this in a "Breakfast Martini" by combining 1 tsp of a high quality marmalade jam, 1.75 oz Marmalade Gin, 0.5 oz Cointreau, 0.5 oz Lemon Juice in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and double strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass. Garnish with an lemon twist, and enjoy!

Hendrick's "Neptunia" Gin - Scotland

You likely know the classic Hendirck's gin that burst onto the scene many years ago with its refreshing combination of rose and cucumber. In recent years Hendrick's has branched out with a series of limited edition gins including this beauty which was inspired by the sea.

Neptunia still carries the classic combination of rose and cucumber that has made it famous, but adds in coastal botanicals including sea kelp and coastal thyme. But can you really taste the sea? You'll have to try for yourself to find out!

Ken Forrester Jackalberry Botanical Gin - South Africa

We wanted our sampler kit to capture examples from around the globe, and thought this gem from South Africa would be a great addition! This gin is crafted from the ripe fruit from the indigenous Jackalberry tree, which apparantly jackals are also fond of! The fruit is harvested once per year when perfectly ripe, and then used alongside classic gin botanicals to craft this beauty. It's amazing to see how a unique ingredient can really change the profile of a gin, and we hope you enjoy exploring this beauty!

Peddler's Barrel Aged Gin - China

Barrel aged gins were all the rage a few years ago, but we've seen the offerings for these drop off more recently. The cream rises to the top as they say, and Peddler's is still doing the category major justice having been named one of the best examples of barrel aged gin in the San Francisco World Spirits Awards. This is as far as I know the only gin we've seen from China, and it is made with a unique infusion of botanicals including Buddha's Hand citrus, Sichuan peppercorn and lotus root along with juniper and other classic gin botanicals. The barrel aged gin is then aged for 3 months in ex-Pinot Noir casks giving it a lovely colour and serious depth. This is a great gin to sip neat or enjoy on the rocks, and one of my favourite uses for barrel aged gin is to swap it in instead of whisky in a classic Manhattan recipe (with a touch of maraschino liqueur if you like).

Last Best "No Brainer" Collab Gin - Calgary

We couldn't have a gin sampler without our very own collab gin made with our friends at Proof Cocktail Bar and Last Best Distillery right here in Calgary! The idea for the No Brainer was a classic "freezer martini" - essentially, a ready to rock creation that you chill down in the freezer and enjoy in a very chilled glass without the need for mixing or fussing around (although we do like a twist of lemon in this freezer martini). For this recipe we added in a few subtle botanicals including juniper and wormwood, and the gin itself is actually infused with a small splash of dry Vermouth! Put it in the freezer, get it cold and enjoy.

Willibald Dry Gin - Ontario

We're keeping the Canadian content strong with this excellent dry gin from Willibald Farm Distillery in Ayr, Ontario. This is a true "grain to glass" gin using a combination of botanicals that Willibald describes as silky, fresh and fragrant. Look for notes of lemon, ginger and lavender, with the unique addition of mosaic hops adding an extra layer of punch aromatics. While this is great on its own, Willibald also suggests enjoying this in a Southside cocktail with their Dry Gin, fresh lime juice, siple syrup and fresh mint leaves.

Roku Sakura Bloom Gin - Japan

The Suntory Roku gin had already become a staple at Vine Arts, so when we saw this limited edition we had to jump on it. The Sakura Bloom utilizes a set of 6 Japanese botanicals, including the legendary cherry blossom along with yuzu, sencha, gyokuro tea and sansho pepper. This has a lovely texture and the sweetness of the cherry blossoms really shows through (although the gin itself is not sweet). Suntory suggests trying a "Hanami Fizz" by mixing 1 part Roku Sakura Bloom Gin with 3 parts sparkling lemonade. First muddle the gin with fresh raspberries and ginger in a glass. Fill with ice, and top with the sparkling lemonade. Delicious!

Valley of Mother of God Maplewood Smoked Juniper Gin - Ontario

One look at the label and name of this gin, and we just couldn't help but include it! This intriguing gin uses juniper that has been smoked over maplewood, giving it a unique woodsy flavour that we wouldn't describe as peated but more a subtle embery note. Like the gentle waft of a campfire in the distance while camping in the woods. The owners originally intended for this to be sipped neat, but it will also make a deadly martini!

Black Fox Sage Gin - Saskatchewan

Black Fox Distillery is based in Saskatoon, SK, and has risen through the ranks to become one of the top craft distilleries in Canada. All of their products are excellent, but we thought this limited edition sage gin was the perfect offering for the holidays. The sage definitely sings through although without being overpowering or obnoxious. Serve chilled as an aperitif to wake up the palate prior to turkey dinner, or Black Fox suggests trying this in a classic Corpse Reviver No. 2 or enjoyed with a high quality grapefruit soda for a Sage Gin Paloma.

Eau Claire Christmas Gin - Alberta

Last but not least, we have another great Alberta offering with the Eau Claire Christmas Gin! This gin goes straight to the story of the Three Wise Men with an infusion of 24k gold flakes, frankincense and myrrh. Wild stuff! This unique combination shows through in the gin, with exotic spice notes that provide an inviting warmth. This is a great option for any number of classic cocktails, but will also be perfect sipped slowly by the fire after a holiday feast. We hope you enjoy!