Flavor Profile
Pinckney Bend Gin began when Ralph, Jerry and Tom retired and began to turn their dream of brewing and distilling into a reality. Pinckney Bend Distillery opened in 2011 and their Pinckney Bend Gin was one of their first product launches.
Their gin includes nine botanicals, but each of them are treated separately. Some botanicals are best being macerated in spirit before distillation; others are best through vapor infusion. The distillates are blended to create the final 46.5% ABV Pinckney Bend Gin
Tasting Notes
The nose is bright. Lots of citrus— lime zest, licorice, a hint of juniper and a hefty hit of bitter orange. Pinckney Bend Gin is very contemporary at first nose.
The palate of Pinckney Bend Gin is delightfully citrus-forward on the palate as well. Relatively light in intensity, the base spirit has a nice viscosity to it that coats the tongue. Lemon comes on a bit early, but a strong lime/orange note comes on mid-palate.
That lime/orange note fades slowly, even combining with a slight earthy sweetness as it dissipates.
The mid-palate is almost jammy in its brightness. It gets a slight fruity note, before the denouement— piney juniper, with some vegetal hints of celery leaf, flamed orange oil and pine.
The finish of Pinckney Bend is moderate-to-long with a subtle lasting citrus impression.
Cocktails
Pinckney Bend is a delightful mixing gin. The 46.5 ABV lends it some assertiveness even in cocktails. While it makes for a good summery gin and tonic in its own right— pair it with a less sweet one like Fever Tree’s Naturally Light Tonic Water for a gentle lime and orange summer quaff. I’d be remiss to not mention that Pinckney Bend is perhaps the only distillery stateside that makes their own companion tonic syrup. And I’d also be remiss if I didn’t tell you— the two work excellently together.
If you’re a fan of Martinis— maybe you even like Bluecoat with a twist— you’ll love Pinckney Bend Gin. That’s my favorite way to enjoy this gin. Pair it with a nice herbaceous tonic and the citrus really sings.
Though Pinckney Bend Distillery has explored the way they can pair their gin with florals in their own right, their American gin is a great candidate for a Ramos Gin Fizz or Aviation as well.
Overall, Pinckney Bend Gin
I’ve been a fan of Pinckney Bend’s work for sometime, but their flagship Hand Crafted American Gin endures as a well made citrus-forward American alternative. If you’re a fan of New Amsterdam looking to upgrade; if you’re a Missourian fan of Bluecoat looking to support local; or if you’re just a person looking to buy American— Pinckney Bend is a well made contemporary gin worth a closer look.
Recommended in its category.
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