Each May, Winterville, Georgia plays host to the Marigold Festival. The flower was chosen as the city’s emblem in the 1970’s because of its symbolism— hardiness, versatility, vigor, and a symbol of friendship all over the world. ASW Distillery honors this tradition with Winterville Gin, featuring marigold as its signature botanical.
Alongside the flower, Winterville Gin includes 12 other botanicals, including cucumber, hyssop, and four kinds of citrus. It’s built on a grain base and bottled at a cocktail-friendly 95 proof.
Tasting notes
Aroma: Citrus and green juniper with a touch of cucumber and ripe apple (yes, that’s a note of marigold, believe it or not). Some of the orange and musky marigold herbal notes quickly volatilize. As it sits for a moment, a hint of spicy pepper and warmth emerges in the background.
Flavor: Freshly peeled citrus greets the tip of your tongue—orange and lime, with a slight sweetness.
Then a hint of florals comes through, but only lingers for a moment. The spiced complexity of Winterville Gin soon follows: freshly opened cardamom pods, a suggestion of piquant ginger root, earthy juniper cones, and a touch of very dry coriander.
Finish: Quite long, with cracked black pepper, a touch of coriander, all set in a musky, dewy floral glow.
💙 While marigold plays a prominent role in the flavor of Winterville Gin, it does so in balance and harmony with the other botanicals. Juniper, cardamom, coriander, and citrus round the gin out—it’s a sum of its parts, not a single-botanical wonder.
Cocktails and suggested serves
Winterville Gin is a versatile mixer. While I enjoyed it in a Negroni especially (the 47.5% ABV does wonders here), I thought it’s best application might be in drinks like the Last Word or even the Saturn.
It doesn’t have the same flavors as classic style gins like Tanqueray or contemporary standbys like New Amsterdam— it mixes just as well. It straddles the line between classic and contemporary.
Overall, Winterville Gin
Like the marigold itself, Winterville Gin is versatile. It performs well behind the bar in both cocktails and mixed drinks. Most importantly, it celebrates marigold without letting it dominate—highlighting how the flower complements the other botanicals.
Winterville Gin is a well-crafted spirit that will appeal to fans of complex, contemporary-style gins with broad versatility in bartending.