The Earth is currently in the midst of a mass extinction of various species, and humans are unsurprisingly the cause. If that seems like a strange first sentence to begin a gin review, then I can only apologize—but only briefly, as this is more than relevant. Among the species that are seeing historic die-offs in 2019? One of the ocean’s largest, in the form of the Gray Whale, which are being found dead on West Coast beaches at a rate not seen for 20 years, with climate change as the most likely culprit.
If you’re wondering what you can do to help, there are conservation organizations that would greatly appreciate your donation. Or, you know, you can just buy a bottle of Gray Whale Gin—that works too. The product of California’s Golden State Distillery, Gray Whale Gin is a “new western”-style American gin with a focus on sustainability, designed with such features as organic paint and a 100% biodegradable cork. The company also participates in the 1% for the Planet campaign, donating a portion of every bottle sold to the conservation organization Oceana. It’s all good stuff, and we applaud them for it. But now let’s talk about the gin itself.
Gray Whale Gin is a so-called “contemporary” or “new western” gin, typically noted for reducing the overall role of juniper in their botanical blends, and instead accentuating impressions of fruit and sweetness. In profile, however, Gray Whale doesn’t really go overboard—it stands as an approachable middle ground between gin styles. Perhaps this is thanks to its relatively smaller roster of California-sourced botanicals, which include juniper, kombu, almonds, limes, fir tree and mint. In an era when a lot of craft gins brag on having a dozen or more botanicals involved, a mere six seems notably focused.