Flavor Profile
Waypoint Spirits from Bloomfield, Connecticut launched their flagship Wintonbury Gin back in 2015. Not much detail in the process is available, except that “rose hips and juniper” are present, while their website says they use “locally sourced ingredients.” Finally they are also “Certified Craft” by the American Distilling Institute which indicates that Wintonbury Gin is distilled grain-to-glass in their Connecticut distillery.
Tasting Notes
The nose is a bit spicy. Coriander, cardamom, and ginger are suggested in the spice— but the dominant character is that of the base spirit. Plenty of malty notes. It reminds me a bit of Diep 9 Genever diluted a tad.
Wintonbury Gin to the palate is loud and botanically driven. Early on, rose and stewed Macintosh Apple. Then earthy cinnamon spice, deciduous forest floor, anise and Christmas cookies. The finish is where the juniper peaks through, adding a piney twinkle to Wintonbury Gin.
In terms of flavor, I could succinctly say that it’s a combination of base spirit and spices.
Cocktails
Like many gins with that are so botanically loud with a bit of base character, Waypoint Spirits Gin’ can be a challenging mixer in terms of expectation. The grain quality lends itself nice to a Negroni or the Improved Holland Gin Cocktail. For a historically accurate take on the Gin Fizz— there’s plenty of malt character coming through. But for those looking for a clean, neutral base, Wintonbury Gin may not satisfy.
Some of the standouts also include the way it mixes with olives and brine. Try it in a Gibson or Dirty Martini.
Overall, Wintonbury Gin
The issue with this gin for me isn’t that the base. It has a nice quality. Nor is it the botanicals they have chosen. For me, it’s really about balance. Wintonbury Gin is dark and feels cavernous. The botanicals taste a bit overcooked and sometimes stewed. What it really needs is a bit of brightness to lift it up.
Certainly the right cocktail can add that note— but as it stands on its own, for me it’s lost in a cluttered mass of spice-forward contemporary gins with bold base spirits.
Made possible through the New England Gin Exchange
Special thanks to John at Foodie Pilgrim. Since 2012, John has shared and sourced gins from New England and nearby that we at The Gin is In haven’t tried yet. This gin sample was shared by John, who is also a big fan of gin. So check out his New England Gin Reviews as well.