As craft distilling continues to grow nationwide, the fight for shelf space and recognition only gets tougher. And if you’re a Missouri or Illinois distiller, you may even face an unfair bias due to the fact that some people aren’t educated to what great spirits are coming out of the Midwest.
So with that in mind, we have some great news to report. One of Missouri’s best distillery’s, Pinckney Bend and its Hibiscus Gin have received some well earned recognition recently. In April, the Gin was awarded a silver medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, one of the most influential competitions of its kind.
This award comes two months after it earned a bronze medal at theginisin.com, one of the most respected gin-specific sites on the internet. The website’s tasting notes:
The spirit itself is a pinkish violet, when poured that is a rose/lavender in its appearance. The spirit is completely clear, with no evidence of sediment.
The nose has a signature, faintly tart, but clearly Hibiscus note. I get suggestions of green angelica stalk, herbaceous, slightly waxy juniper, and citrus zest.
The palate, while predominantly Hibiscus is not entirely without some more traditional gin-like character. From the beginning, lavender, quickly moves to a mid body dominated by orange peels, piquant juniper with a pine note. Later, more notes of Hibiscus blossom tea with a creamy, lemon and licorice note.
The finish is fairly long, and generally floral (but never sweet). The Hibiscus note is nicely integrated with the rest of the palate. Although a signature botanical, it neither overwhelms or dominates. Instead of Pinckney Bend’s Handcrafted American Hibiscus Gin balances the floral with some of the other botanicals and creates a pleasant floral-forward middle ground that occupies a nice space as a floral-forward contemporary gin moreso than just a Hibiscus product.
And, who doesn’t love a shout-out now and then. Recently, Hibiscus Gin, made a list on liquor.com, of prominent spirits that readers must try.
