Flavor Profile
Still Austin Gin is distilled grain-to-glass in Austin, Texas by the Still Austin Whiskey Co.. The base spirit is made from locally grown Texas Rye, distilled on a custom 42 foot(!) column still named Nancy. The rye undergoes a second distillation with botanicals on a copper pot still named Queen.
Still Austin Gin features an eclectic mix of botanicals including elderflower, allspice, tarragon and two different kinds of true cinnamon.
Tasting Notes
To the nose, Still Austin Gin is botanically intense. Rich with oily, creamy citrus— grilled grapefruit flesh and preserved lemon. Muddled spices lay in the wings with creamy, floral elderflower leading the way. It’s generally floral leaning with jammy facets.
Sipped, the mouth feel immediately becomes evident. The attention to detail is present in the base spirit. It’s nearly perfectly neutral with only a slight creamy vanilla rye note.
The botanicals are bold and multi-faceted. Still Austin Gin unfolds on the palate for an exceptionally long time. Early, jammy citrus with hints of lemon marmalade. Very bright at first. Mid-palate is where the spices and begin to come through. Fiery cinnamon bark echoes with earthy facets. Allspice becomes loud mid-to-late palate.
Deep oily citrus notes hover in the background even through the finish. Although the spices come on strongly (and literally, you can taste the allspice), they never do so in isolation. Subtle hints of licorice and tarragon resonate the very long and quite warm finish.
The only thing missing? It’s rather light on the juniper.
Cocktails
I had expected Still Austin Gin to be a challenging cocktail ingredient based on its bold palate; however, I was pleasantly surprised. It pairs so well with fresh lemon juice that you could almost build an entire cocktail menu around it. Try it in a Bees Knees, French 75 or Martini with a Twist.
Overall, Still Austin Gin
This gin packs a lot of flavor into one bottle. The flavor is complex, yet balanced. The spirit is warming with a wonderful longevity and mouthfeel. Serious juniper fans may find it a bit light on the juniper; however, the overall presentation is quite good and will definitely appeal to fans of contemporary style gin.
Recommended within its category.
Awards
