Flavor Profile
Master Distiller Danielle Leavell’s line of Astraea Gins are inspired by the Pacific Northwest and are executed in the exacting traditional London Dry style.
All botanicals are macerated at once— in the case of Astraea Meadow Gin, that means 15!— for 18-36 hours. The gin is then distilled in a single pass. It’s not that London Dry produces a better gin by process alone, but gins that are produced in this way stand out for the technical craftsmanship needed to distill in this way. In other words, in my humble opinion, they’re technically harder.
In many ways that makes the name more apt. Astraea is the Greek goddess of precision.
Tasting notes
Aroma: Bright and floral, it smells of a spring meadow. Hints of woodruff, neroli and bold powdery honeysuckle flowers. Citrus lends balance, with a lot of lemon zest, lemon oil and touch of bitter orange. Juniper contributes some pinene and a slight earthy myrcene note.
Bold and complex, the aroma is a delightful perfume-like experience.
Flavor: Sweet cardamom buns with a citrus icing, gradually layers in herbal floral notes. A hint of tonka bean eases into a complex floral heart— the honeyed florals of honeysuckle are evident here, but you’ll also get hints of woodruff and green sweet herbs, lemon verbena, lime thyme and a touch of geranium.
Finish: Moderate warmth, radiating pine, cardamom, and ghostly echoes of spring meadows.
💙 Astraea Meadow Gin is a radiant meadow during wildflower season in the mountains, where the cool breeze carries the aroma of firs and pines.
Cocktails and suggested serves
Astraea Meadow Gin is a beautiful floral forward gin, but mixing with it, I found that it worked not as a specialty gin, but instead as a workhorse.
Try it in a Dry Martini to highlight its herbal side. Garnish with a twist and seemingly those radiant florals and citrus take over.
Even in a Negroni the floral and citrus perfectly works together. It adds a pronounced citrus note, but not without a delicate juniper grounding.
In mixed drinks, it’s delightful in a gin and soda or gin and tonic. I might avoid flavored soda waters or flavored tonics, but that’s simply because this gin is so flavorful on its own.
Overall, Astraea Meadow Gin
Beautiful and complex, Astraea Meadow Gin is not only an accomplishment because it was executed in the London Dry style. It’s an accomplishment because it’s just that good.
Balancing several different flavor profiles, it manages to do a bit of it all, while still having a heart that is unmistakably gin.
For fans of floral gins, this is a must try. For fans of contemporary gins in general, there’s a lot to love here. Bartenders will find it a pleasure to mix with behind the bar.
Highly recommended.
Awards
