Counter Gin, Batch 206 - trying to create a new style

Here's another Washington gin that's just come out,  though it's distilled in Portland, Oregon rather than in Washington. They're attempting to redesign the typical English dry gin and move away from juniper to other botanical flavors such as verbena, tarragon, lavender, cucumber and orange peel (the other ingredients in the gin). The "counter" in the title stands for them being counter to other gins, which is why, I guess, they have superimposed an image of a corsett on a Victorian gentleman on their label. That could make for an interesting marketing campaign: Counter Gin - the cross-dresser of gins.

Unfortunately, sometimes when you actively try to work against an established style, you're reminded more of what's missing rather than feeling like you're trying something new. Counter Gin tastes at first like a somewhat bland gin that needs more juniper. Subsequent tastings (and reading what the disillery's intentions were for creating this gin) helped me appreciate this gin a little more, but usually I just ended up with a hankering after a Broker's or other English gin.

Counter Gin is available at select liquor stores in the greater Seattle area, while Broker's Gin (a current favorite) is available state-wide.

Update: I just tried a cocktail at a local restaurant which used Counter Gin in a version of a Negroni which featured Aperol and amaro rather than vermouth and Campari. Unfortunately, Counter Gin was too mild and got lost in the mix. I tried the same recipe at home with Broker's (1 ounce of each spirit) and found the cocktail much improved, with the juniper in Broker's adding some additional complexity to the drink. Counter Gin is probably best in drinks that don't feature strong ingredients or as simply a sipping gin.

Dry Fly Washington Gin

Now here's a liquor that's actually distilled in Washington State. Not only that, but Dry Fly was one of the primary instigators to changing the distillery laws in Washington in 2008, helping launch a tidal wave of new liquors. Well, it's not quite a tidal wave yet, but there are dozens of distilleries in line to get the new craft distillery licenses, so we should be seeing many more products in the next few years. Most of the new ventures so far have focused on fairly traditional liquors such as gin, vodka, whiskey, with a few outliers making grappa and absinthe. The craft distillery license is inexpensive and allows distilleries to have tastings and sell their product from their tasting rooms, though it does require that any spirit have 51% of its ingredients come from Washington. 

So how does this pioneering alcohol taste? Certainly different than most traditional gins. While Dry Fly uses juniper, there are also dried Washington apples, mint and hops added to the mix. The juniper is primarily evident in the nose and then fades into a complementary flavor when tasting. There are also notes of coriander and other spices, making for a complex and interesting gin. It is quite good for sipping, and would probably make an excellent dry martini as well as other gin-based cocktails. Here's a classic martini recipe adapted from The Martini Book.

Martini

6 parts gin

1 part dry vermouth

Olive or pickled asparagus as garnish

Dry Fly is found everywhere in Washington, even in the tiny town of Tekoa with its 800 inhabitants amid the wheat fields of eastern Washington.