Gin has a reputation for being bright, botanical, and juniper forward. Whiskey, on the other hand, is often associated with oak, vanilla, and the warmth and complexity that develop over time. But what happens when you let gin spend a little time in a whiskey barrel?
The idea of aging gin in a barrel isn’t entirely new. Throughout the American craft spirits movement, distillers around the country have experimented with aging gin in oak to create a richer whiskey-like body.
One spirit that caught the eye of End of Days’ Founder, Shane Faulkner, was Barr Hill Distillery’s Tom Cat Gin. This is a juniper forward gin from Vermont, finished with raw honey, then rested in new American oak barrels.
This idea fascinated Shane and inspired him to raise the question, “what can End of Days do with this idea?”
Questions like this are exactly what inspired me to enter the complex world of cocktails. There are infinite possibilities in what you can create, experiment with, and learn. At first, it felt overwhelming. There was so much to understand, and so much to learn if I wanted to truly perfect my craft.
Three years into this journey, I’ve realized I may never truly ‘perfect’ it. I think that’s part of what makes it so exciting. The more I learn, watch, and practice, the more I understand how much I’ve learned without even noticing it.
As corny as it sounds, the charm really is in the journey, not the destination.
It all started with the Port of Entry Gin, distilled with 14 botanicals. This gin is aged in a new American oak barrel, toasted with a #3 char, for 6-8 months. The char refers to how heavily the inside of the barrel is toasted before the spirit is introduced. A #3 char is considered a medium-heavy char, which helps draw out some of the natural compounds in the oak and contributes to the vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak notes that develop in the spirit as it rests.
Sometimes, we develop limiting beliefs about spirits and cocktails. Almost like a set of unwritten rules that we are meant to follow.
Gin is usually associated with bright, botanical, or dry cocktails, like a Gimlet or a French 75. Whiskey tends to veer towards spirit forward, bold, warm, slow-sipping cocktails like the Old Fashioned. Just because these spirits are typically enjoyed a certain way, doesn’t mean that it should never be enjoyed differently. Like most things, we tend to put spirits and cocktails into little categories. Over time, those categories can start to feel like rules. I think part of the fun of craft is questioning those rules, experimenting a little, and seeing what happens when you step outside of the box.
This was the thought process behind Barrel Rested Gin. Don’t stick to the status quo, what’s something new and interesting that inspires you. Next comes the best part, convincing other people to be excited about it, too. That’s where I come in.
The best way to understand why Barrel Rested Gin is so special is to put it somewhere you don’t expect gin at all. An Old Fashioned.
The Juniper Old Fashioned is a new take on the Old Fashioned cocktail we all know and love. This inventive take on a classic begins by adding Barrel Rested Gin and St. Germaine elderflower liqueur into a mixing glass. Fill the mixing glass with ice so that there’s more ice than liquid. This helps you control the dilution or amount of water that’s added into the cocktail when you stir. Stir gently, you simply want to chill and lightly incorporate the cocktail. You don’t want to stir so vigorously that you aerate it. Stirring lightly keeps the silky texture of the Barrel Rested Gin in tact. Gently pour on top of a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Peel an orange and express the oils and run it along the edges of the glass then drop it in. Finish with a spritz of orange blossom water for aromatics.
(Smoked rosemary is another great garnish choice.)
My dad who is a whiskey drinker through and through, and my mom, who almost exclusively drinks gin cocktails, both enjoyed the Juniper Old Fashioned when visiting End of Days Distillery. Now, they’re both a little more open to trying new cocktails and spirits. This merging of ideas opens you up to a different world of possibilities that you never thought you’d enjoy.
This month, the Castaway Series Barrel Rested Gin is on sale during the month of September, which makes this a great opportunity to explore this unique way to enjoy gin.
Pour it neat, serve it over a large cube, craft a juniper old fashioned. However you drink it, take your time to savor the moment. After all, that's what Barrel Rested Gin is all about.
