Barrel-Finished Gin and Classic Cocktails

As the popularity of both gin and bespoke cocktails has soared in recent years, barrel-aged gins have become an important category. The gin most of us see as traditional, London dry, takes 99% of its character from the botanicals. Barrel-finished gin adds an additional, significant layer of flavor from oak.

Of course, oak can have a strong impact on flavor and aroma. It’s possible to simply add nuance to a base gin with it. But it’s also possible to make very oak-forward gin that’s more about barrel than base, wood than botanicals.

Though you may prefer one brand of London dry for martinis and another for your gin and tonic, that style of gin is pretty flexible. But the strength flavor and variety of profiles in barrel-finished gins means some are well-suited to certain types of drinks, but not at all for others. When you do find the right combination of barrel-finished gin and cocktail though, it can be magical.

Here are three barrel-finished gins I recommend—all made in the San Francisco Bay Area—and the classic cocktails in which I think they excel.

Falcon Spirits Distillery — Botanica Spiritus

I fell in love with the Botanica Spiritus Barrel-Finished Gin a year ago while judging spirits for the Good Food awards. I found it captivating, both pretty and endlessly complex. Since the tasting was blind, I had no idea which gin it was. I spent several weeks obsessively trying a plethora of barrel-finished gins to find it.

Botanica Spiritus Barrel Finished Gin is made by Falcon Spirits Distillery, a quality-focused, small-batch producer in Richmond, CA. They make two gins. One is traditional, made from a grain spirit distilled six times for neutrality, then given character with juniper and twelve other botanicals.

For their barrel-finished gin, Falcon Spirits Distillery takes a completely different approach. Instead starting with a neutral, grain-based spirit, they start with brandy distilled from Northern California wine. So, the base has complexity of its own. Then, botanicals are infused to double down on the complexity and make it gin. Finally, the gin ages for at least eight months in new, toasted French oak barrels, as if it were wine.

Botanica Spiritus Barrel-Finished Gin — 90 proof (45% alcohol) $45.50

It must have taken countless trials to come up with a combination that adds layers of complexity without any of the aromas or flavors masking or clashing with others. The final product is light gold in color with a very pretty, aromatic nose that includes sandalwood, yellow flowers, dried Meyer lemon, cinnamon, saffron, vanilla, and a lot more.

The palate is spice-forward and medium-bodied for a gin. Juniper is in the background, so this could be a good choice if you’re trying to ease someone into gin from brown spirits, vodka or wine. You might even drink it straight, as a digestif.

Of the three barrel-finished gins I’m covering here, Botanica Spiritus Barrel-Finished Gin is the best choice for a Martini. The gin’s intensity is moderated by the vermouth, but retains its character. That said, while tasty, the vibe isn’t classic Martini.

If you want a fantastic, classic cocktail that’s really elevated by this gin, opt for a Martinez. Here’s the recipe I arrived at:.

1.5 oz Botanica Spiritus Barrel Finished Gin
1.5 oz French vermouth (Vya)
1/2 tsp Dry Curacao (Pierre Ferrand)
3-4 drops orange bitters (Fee Brothers)
Stir it with ice. (Don’t shake it, as that leads cloudiness and more dilution)
Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora Martini glass, no garnish

Distillery No. 209

Distillery No. 209 resides at Pier 50 in San Francisco, midway between the Giants ballpark and the Warriors new arena. The distillery makes four gins (three barrel-aged) and one vodka. And they say they’re the only distillery in the world to have gin and vodka that is certified Kosher.

The gins all start with four-times distilled corn spirit. The botanicals and base are introduced in a hand-hammered, copper, alembic pot still they commissioned from Forthsyth’s. It’s designed is based on the stills of Glenmorangie in Scotland. And their master distiller, Arne Hillesland, apprenticed with a master distiller in Scotland. (Scotland produces some of the world’s best gins.)

Distillery No. 209 offers three barrel-aged gins. They all start out as No. 209 Gin, the distillery’s primary product. It’s fifth and final distillation marries the corn-base with eleven botanicals. The only difference in production between the three barrel-aged gins is the casks in which their finished. One gets Sauvignon Blanc barrels, one Chardonnay barrels, and one Cabernet Sauvignon barrels.

The two gins based on white wine barrels are quite different. The Sauvignon Blanc sings soprano. The Chardonnay is an alto—a rounder voice—and slightly darker in color. The Distillery No. 209 website has scads of cocktail recipes for each from a number of high-profile mixologists, designed specifically for these spirits.

I stuck to the classics. Below are my notes on the two gins and recipes for very good cocktails you can easily make at home.

Distillery No. 209 Sauvignon Blanc Barrel Reserve Gin 92 proof (46% alcohol) $40

Light gold in color with a nose of lemon peel, dried yellow flowers, orange peel, cinnamon, ginger snap, and frankincense. It’s medium-bodied and dry with very fine, tannic texture coming from the oak. Flavors include dried orange peel, Meyer lemon peel, dried ginger, and juniper, with a cinnamon-forward spice finish.

This is the more complex of the two white wine barrel gins. The complexity means you don’t need to add much too it. And it’s also more susceptible to dilution and being overwhelmed than the Chardonnay barrel gin.

I recommend treating it like a light, Japanese or Canadian whisky. The classic approach is a simple, refreshing, and delicious highball.

Pre-chill the gin, soda water, and glasses in the refrigerator.
Use 2.5 or 3 parts soda water to 1 part gin. I used Pellegrino, but Gerolsteiner would be great. Avoid club soda, which is salty.
If you use ice, go with the largest cubes that will fit in the glass, since they’ll melt more slowly.
Don’t stir
Don’t garnish

Distillery No. 209 Chardonnay Barrel Reserve Gin 92 proof (46% alcohol) $40

The nose offers medicinal lemon, candied orange, saffron, allspice, pine cone, and candied ginger. In the mouth, body is medium-plus with a rounder, more glycerine feel and less texture than the Sauvignon Blanc barrel gin. Flavors include orange pith, peach, spice, wood, medicinal herb, baked apples, and juniper.

I found the Chardonnay Barrel Reserve Gin better in a duet or trio than as a soloist. It has plenty of complexity, but, if diluted in a Martini or highball, it seems muted. Yet it adds weight, complexity, and depth in a two- or three-part cocktail. It works especially well as a substitute for light whiskey if you increase the ratio of spirit to mixer.

My favorite was a riff on the Manhattan. That’s normally a 2:1 drink. I changed that to 3:1 to ensure the gin had enough prominence.

1.5 ounces gin, pre-chilled
0.5 ounces Martini & Rossi Italian vermouth, pre-chilled
3 drops of Angostura bitters
Stir with ice
Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora, no garnish

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