Maker: Two Birds, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
Distiller: Yahara Bay Distillers, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
ABV: 41%
Appearance: Clear but leaves big thick legs running down the side of the glass.
Nose: Dry. Big juniper, but complex underneath and never smells like wood cleaner. Meyer lemon, orange peel, grains of paradise, coriander, cumin, angelica.
On the palate: Full-bodied and floral. Juniper, boxwood, some citrus and white pepper.
Finish: Herbal and spicy with a bit of burn. Clean and dry.
Mixed: Makes an excellent dry martini but go very easy on the vermouth. Does well in a Tom Collins and with tonic, but a little wasted in those applications.
Parting words: Greyling is an excellent dry gin. It’s complex but never timid or confused. Juniper takes the lead here and everything else is harmonizing with it. Media coverage of the release of the gin emphasized the use of Michigan-grown lavender in the mix of botanicals, but I didn’t notice any when I was tasting for whatever reason. I would class this as a great martini gin or even for drinking neat. At just over $30 it’s priced reasonably for that sort of product.
Two Birds is not as a distillery yet, if it ever will be, but the distiller is printed clearly on the back label without any sort of weasel words or other obfuscation. That’s a breath of fresh air in a world flooded by micro-bottlers trying to pass themselves off as distillers. And why should they hide anything about this product? It speaks for itself. Greyling Gin is highly recommended.
Sipology 