Flavor Profile
Fox & Seeker’s Meridian Gin asks you to imagine the fleeting beauty of Texas Bluebonnets in full bloom. They’re the state flower of Texas and they herald the arrival of spring with their February through April blooming period.
While Fox & Seeker openly declares their mixed grain bill of corn and wheat, they’re a bit shy about their botanical bill beyond that. They go so far as to say that the hibiscus and rosemary are the smallest ingredients by weight, but give the largest impact on the flavor.
Tasting notes
Aroma: Complex and floral, with geranium, lemon leaf, hibiscus along with terpey pine and some hints of spice.
Despite the masterful job of capturing these aromas in the gin, some of them are highly volatile and dissipate quickly. As it sits, lemon oil and rosemary come through a bit more.
Flavor: Floral on the early and mid-palate. Hibiscus shines, but there’s facets of gardenia and violets here as well.
It’s on the back half of the palate where the rosemary really shines. It lends the juniper a resinous, heady pine note. Mild spice hovers on the edges— hints of cardamom mingle with coriander.
Finish: Relatively dry with breathy, musky florals alighting around a robust, lingering note of juniper/rosemary.
Cocktails
Meridian Gin is a floral-forward gin and bartenders should treat it more as a specialty gin behind the bar. It’s appeal is going to be fans of the style. While Meridian Gin’s juniper heart clearly identifies it as a gin, as the label says in clear letters, “light and floral” is what it’s about.
I enjoy it in simple spirit forward cocktails. Gin and soda, Gin and Tonic, or a gin-forward Martinis are some of its best applications. However, it is boldly flavored and the resinous rosemary will still be present in a Negroni or Martinez.
Overall, Meridian Gin
I enjoy a good strongly floral gin— and despite changes in consumer taste, floral remains a popular flavor. Meridian Gin achieves a pleasant, bright and strongly floral flavor while pairing it with a contrasting, herbal and juniper back half.
It’s fun, it’s distinctive and worth seeking out if you’re a fan of floral gins.
Recommended in its category.
Awards
