St. George Dry Rye Gin. Like all things produced by the lovely team at St. George Spirits in Alameda, CA, this gin is another unique high quality creation. Unlike most of the more mainstream gins on the market, this one is made from rye – yep, the same grain that goes into rye whiskies.

Unlike spirits like whiskies/rums/brandies which are made from particular starting materials (grains/sugarcane/fruits respectively), gin can be more varied, with most countries’ legal definition only requiring it to be made from a neutral spirit with a flavor profile led by juniper berries (the pine flavor most associate with gin).

Although the process of distillation to create a ‘neutral’ spirit (basically vodka) removes the strong flavors from the original substance, generally some characteristics are retained – in this case some nice warm maltiness from the rye. With unaged rye as the base spirit, only a few other botanicals/spices are added to really highlight the harmony between the juniper and rye – black peppercorn, caraway, coriander, grapefruit peel, and lime peel. For whiskey drinkers looking dive into the world of gin, this may be a great starting bottle.