Excerpt: Far from your average gin, I can't say this is my favorite. It's unique, and it's really interesting, but the profile doesn't really captivate me and it's sort of a bull in the china shop when it comes to cocktails.
Excerpt: On the nose, lime pops immediately — a gin & tonic sans the fizz. The juniper is restrained but present, though other aromas are elusive. The palate kicks off with a heavy earthiness — the kombu, perhaps, plus some of that juniper — before the lime returns.
Excerpt: Gray Whale Gin is a solid product that is more than a novelty— it’s a good gin in a distinctive bottle. Worthy of a try for fans of contemporary style, herbal gins.
Excerpt: Anise leads the mild aroma of this unusual gin made with “Californian botanicals,” including Baja limes, fir tree, sea kelp, mint and almonds. The palate is slick and slightly viscous, with a lemony, faintly saline note that winds into a brisk, cooling finish that suggests an ocean breeze.
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House Review
Intro:
As the ginvitational rages on, with just about a month left til end, this bottle comes hotly requested - Golden State Distillery's Gray Whale Gin. Sporting a blue bottle so electric it's impossible to miss on the shelf (I think the color is burned into my retinas), Gray Whale gin keeps the novelty alive as it includes some really fascinating botanicals and ingredients as well. Containing Big Sur Juniper, Limes, Fir, Kelp, Mint and Almonds, this should be a fun one. Let's dive in.
Nose:
Whoah, incredibly unique and complex here. Seaweed, celery salt, savory juniper and tons of zesty fruits and citrus. Unexpected but enticing.
Taste:
Bready, savory, really interesting. Initially it has strong notes of fresh baked bread, followed by the strange dichotomy of zesty citrus and nutty forest notes. Faint herbal note on the back palate.
Finish:
Long finish, zesty and savory.
Overall:
Far from your average gin, I can't say this is my favorite. It's unique, and it's really interesting, but the profile doesn't really captivate me and it's sort of a bull in the china shop when it comes to cocktails.
Score:
5
By t8ke
Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources