Page 46 - Valley Table - Fall 2022

INFUSING THE CLASSIC SPIRIT WITH FRESH BOTANICALS, CREATING A FARM- TO-BOTTLE TREND THAT’S CLEARLY CATCHING ON.
GIN IS IN
by bill cary
spice notes,” says Cricchio. In other words, more interesting options than ever.
Juniper is what gives gin its distinctive scent and taste; it’s also an essential ingredient for gin to be, well, gin. But beyond crafting the spirit with juniper, distillers can layer on any botanicals they choose including flowers (such as hibiscus and chamomile), fruit peels (grapefruits, lemons, limes), vegetables (ramps, watercress), herbs (thyme, ginger), spices (cardamom, coriander)—even fungi, tree bark, and roots. “Literally any possible botanical that’s not poisonous is eligible, as long as it’s a plant,” says Joel LeVangia, co-founder and co-owner of newcomer Tenmile Distillery in Wassaic.
Hudson Valley distillers are taking full advantage of unusual options. “We try to use as much New York product as possible,” says Tenmile co-founder John Dyson. They use Germantown- grown wheat to distill their gin and flavor it with locally grown lemon balm and mint. “I wanted to create a taste profile that wasn’t as dependent on juniper,” says Dyson.
Spirits Lab in Newburgh is having fun developing uniquely flavored gin, too. “As a whiskey producer, I fell deep down the gin distillery route,” says Matt Frohman, a partner at Spirits Lab. “I absolutely love distilling gin and was surprised by it. Having a food background and experienced palate is very helpful when figuring out what works well together.”
44 THE VALLEY TABLE SEPT – OCT 2022
YOU MAY THINK YOU KNOW GIN. And you may assume there’s not much to know about it, aside from being an ingredient in a martini or a Tom Collins. But, according to local liquor pros and a passionate, ever-growing group of HV distillers, you’d be wrong.
Joe Cricchio, the beverage director at Cosimo’s and Hudson Taco in Newburgh and owner of The Wine Store in Marlboro, has seen the excitement surrounding the local gin scene first- hand, and says classic English or European gin that relies heavily on juniper berries for its flavor is being nudged aside. “There’s
DISTILLERS ARE a New American style of gin that has more citrus and floral or
HUDSON VALLEY