Falcon Spirits Botanica Barrel Finished Gin. This is a fascinating and super unique take on a barrel-aged gin. Unlike distilleries that are barrel-aging their standard gin offerings, Falcon Spirits is taking a completely different approach, using a vastly different formulation for the gin in the barrel-aged expression that aims to recreate an ancient style that’s been lost in history.
The tradition of aging gin in barrels has historic roots, primarily as a utilitarian tool for storing and transporting spirits for maximum economic efficiency. In recent years, it’s gained popularity in conjunction with the craft cocktail movement to cater to the modern consumer affinity toward aged spirits like whiskies.
When I visited Falcon Spirits, I had a super inspired conversation with the founder and master distiller, Farid, who is a champion for experimentation. When he came across historical text mentioning the usage of juniper-infused wines (aka grape-based alcohols) in the centuries predating gins and their jenever predecessors, he sought to create a modern interpretation.
This barrel-aged gin is made with a base of California brandy (grape-based spirit) instead of the common neutral-grain spirit. The selection of botanicals used to flavor this gin is specifically chosen to complement the grape base, and the finished infusion is aged for 8 months to marry the flavors of the infused brandy in the new toasted French oak barrel.
I was super fortunate to get a taste of this straight from the barrel and witness the cutting process to bring it down to ~45% (using a hydrometer) by adding water. How cool is that? This is a seriously delicious creation for any gin fan.
