Gray Whale Dry Gin

A great things about gin is it can really capture the agriculture of a region.  One year I grew hops and, when it was time to harvest, I threw them in some neutral spirit along with corriander I also grew, and juniper.  While it's not something I could bottle and get other people excited about nessicarily, it is something that takes me back to those hot, dusty days of weeding and watering that were so rewarding, when I imbibe.

Grey Whale does indeed have more finesse going on than my garden experiments, but it also captures a region - the bounty of Northern California.  Using only organically grown or foraged juniper, mint, almonds, limes, kelp, and fir from between the Medocino coast to Santa Cruz, they created a gin redolent of California's craggy coastline.  There's body, touch of salt, and lingering sense of refreshment.  Goes both ways in a martini, with a twist or olive.

Also, they donate a portion of their profits to enviromental causes like Oceana, who focus on marine life conservation, and One Percent for the Planet.