Flavor Profile
100 Mill St. has an annual tradition of developing and releasing some very limited editions of their flagship 100 Mill St. Gin, distilled from maple sap. For 100 Mill St. Spruce Tip Infused, the team foraged for spruce tips before macerating them in their flagship gin.
Tasting notes
Color: Very light sea foam green and perfectly transparent
Aroma: All of the gins in their lineup have a very distinctive nose— sweet lime, vanilla, lightly toasted corn, thyme and an unctuous honeyed floral note. There’s maybe a hint of pine blossom in here, but it’s delicate and subtle. The underlying gin’s unique botanical blend shines here.
Flavor: Silky smooth texture with lots of citrus— sweet lime and orange— early. Mid-palate, like a warm custard or flan, with hints of honey, vanilla and caramel.
While hints of pine blossom are present throughout, especially in the early citrus accord, it’s towards the end where the gin’s pepperiness comes through that the blossoms’ terpey brightness comes through. Delicate pine marries with honeyed vanilla and cardamom.
Finish: Delicate spice and low volume fresh pine needles. I find especially after a few sips neat, my breath begins to take on a distinctive Douglas Fir and spruce needle flavor. It’s not loud, but it is quite beautiful.
Cocktails and suggested serves
Mixed simple in a gin and soda the pine on the finish is given space to shine through. I find a gin and tonic, especially the quinine, can overwhelm the pine needles.
100 Mill St. Spruce Infused Gin has potential in a Martini, but only if exceptionally dry. The pine blossom’s subtlety is one reason that this gin never tastes like a Christmas Tree. However, its subtlety is one reason it’s hard to mix with— anything too loud and it tastes like 100 Mill St. Gin. That’s not a bad thing, but you’re better off not overpowering the addition that makes this gin unique.
I recommend this gin neat or on the rocks.
Overall, 100 Mill St. Spruce Infused Gin
It’s a nicely made gin that delicately layers spruce blossoms on top of an already excellent gin. While the signature botanical is evident throughout, it never deviates from balancing the source material with the new botanical.
It’s a delicate thing to take a botanical/flavor so closely tied with a season (Winter holidays) and to use it in a way that invokes a completely different vibe. 100 Mill St. Spruce Infused Gin reminds me more of spring.
Highly recommended.
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