A “modern,” “contemporary,” or “new western” Gin, Distillery No. 209’s flagship spirit is vastly different from the juniper-heavy Gins of the past. It uses eleven botanicals sourced from four continents, including Calabrian juniper, bergamot orange peel, lemon peel, cardamom pods, cassia bark, angelica root, coriander seed, bitter orange and more.
No. 209 Gin is distilled in San Francisco and it’s the City by the Bay’s attitude that the Distillery No. 209 Gin is looking to embody. According to the company, the Gin shares with S.F. “a reverence for tradition and history, but also a confident push-the-boundaries attitude that encourages risk-taking and daring innovation.” The location of the distillery also plays a big part into the creation of their products, due to the natural cooling properties of 13 feet of San Francisco Bay water beneath the pier that keep the air temperature in the distillery ideal for distilling year round.
No. 209 Gin opens with an aromatic nose dominated by citrus alongside floral notes and a hint of spiciness. Those citrus flavors are the first to hit the palate and are followed by those previously mentioned floral notes, along with coriander. Pepper begins to blend with cardamom and juniper in the mid plate along with flecks of mint. On the finish, warm spices linger alongside cassia. Standing at 46 percent ABV, there is also definitely some fire when it comes to the Gin.
After seemingly decades in the dark, Gin has quickly buoyed back as one of the most popular base spirits on cocktail menus. No. 209 Gin’s citrusy nose, floral notes, and spiciness make it perfect for mixing in cocktails of all types. It can stand alone in a dry martini, but also blends beautifully with other liquids. We recommend trying it in a Lavender 75 or Presidio Punch, if you’re really feeling the Bay Area spirit.
Distillery No. 209 also makes a variety of other Spirits, including Vodka and various Gins aged in wine barrels.