Skip to main content

What You Need to Know about American Gin

Aviation American Gin
Image used with permission by copyright holder
For most, gin is probably just gin (or Pine-sol, for those that are maybe new to the category). But, once you dive into the wonderful world of gin, you quickly realize there is much, much more there.

Not only do you have the London Dry Gin (which is what you’ve more than likely had if you’ve ever been out at a bar and ordered a gin and tonic with, well, gin), but there is Plymouth Gin (what is seen as the base for the original Martini cocktail), Old Tom Gin (the base for the original Tom Collins), Sloe Gin (which is a liqueur, not actually gin), and Dutch Genever (which can often have a palate very similar to whisky due to how it is produced and aged).

Aviation American Gin
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Lately, though, another style of gin has been popping up—American Gin. Made exactly where you think, American gins are the product of the vibrant craft distilling scene across the country. To find out more about the style as a whole, we sat down with Aviation Gin’s Brand Ambassador, Travis Tober, who gave us the ginny (yeah, we went there) on the style. 

Recommended Videos

Overall, the biggest thing you’ll notice about American-style gins is that they are not as Juniper forward as their cousins from across the pond. There is still juniper in it (it wouldn’t be gin, otherwise), but the palate is more balanced and there is more on the back palate than you might find in a typical London Dry gin. 

For Aviation, the botanical recipe was based off the classic Aviation cocktail (also where they got the name from). Christian Krogstad, who created Aviation at House Spirits Distillery in Portland, had wanted to make a “summer gin” and after a number of trials, decided on the recipe that would become Aviation—a recipe that recreates the botanical profile of the cocktail. 

Aviation American Gin Cocktail
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Making a gin that is deemed American-style—in America—just makes sense when you think about it.

“Celebrating American originals is in our blood, so it’s no surprise that the rise of craft distilleries has increased the visibility and availability of American Gin across the U.S. When Aviation was first being made, there was less then 100 craft spirit producers. In March of 2016 that number increased to 1200,” Tober said.

Aviation, while recognized by Wine Enthusiast as the highest-rated gin, is not alone in the American Gin category. New York Distilling Company’s Dorothy Parker American Gin, FEW American Gin, and Leopold Brothers Leopold’s American Small Batch Gin are all great examples of this newest style of gin.

Sam Slaughter
Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…
5 Emerging West Coast Wineries You Need to Know
Suzor Wines

Chasing what’s cool can be fleeting — futile even. Hip new eateries and breweries can be gone or bought and changed into something else entirely almost as fast as they received that first batch of kind press in the first place.
With wine, things move a bit more slowly. It's an industry of patient delays, after all. But don’t get me wrong, the cool factor exists here too. Instead of simply anointing a few producers the dubious title of “next best thing,” we’ve decided to let a few vintages speak for themselves, then pile on the praise.
Along the West Coast, there’s no shortage of winemaking talent. From British Columbia to Baja, the land is vast and the wines scenes are vibrant. Within that deep, wine-filled well, there are a few standouts currently coming-of-age and worth paying attention to.

Maloof Wines
Oregon

Read more
Why You Need to Care About Wine Tariffs (and What People Are Doing About It)
wine tariff glass money

It’s been a particularly jittery couple of months for the American wine realm. Anxious remarks have been made by all, through social media avenues, on podcasts, and among themselves, all in the still-looming shadow of significant tariffs.

To be clear, this isn’t the healthy kind of anxiety that envelopes producers before, say, their wines are scored by a big publication. This is the kind of unfair and unjust treatment that’s put an entire industry in jeopardy. As countless voices within wine (and this very much extends into the larger galaxy of food and drinks) arena have already suggested, so much is on the potential chopping block. As in tens of thousands of American jobs and ocean-spanning relationships between wineries and distributors — relationships that can take years to forge.

Read more
What You Need to Know About Serbian Wine
serbian wine guide

Wine and the locals who enjoy it have endured quite a bit in what is now Serbia. After a troubled past — both in terms of wine production and general conflict — the country is looking to make a name for itself. Not bad for a young Balkan nation born in 2006, in the ashes of a lengthy spell with communism.
In the era of Yugoslavia, this part of Eastern Europe was known well for its wines. Larger producers made enough of the stuff that it made its way around the continent. By the 1970s, the area was operating at peak scale, making something to the tune 600 million liters per year. It was among the top ten wine-producing countries on the planet, not entirely surprising given that the Former Yugoslavia was quite large, geographically, consisting of not only modern Serbia, but Montenegro, Kosovo, Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Macedonia.
About a decade later, the region began to fragment and the ripple effect eventually consumed much of the wine industry. However, as of the 2000s, the Serbian wine scene has shown solid signs of recovery, with smaller, artisanal-minded producers joining some of the larger-scale dinosaurs of old that managed to weather the storm. With little going head-to-head with very large, there’s a fascinating mix of good, interesting wines as well as some poorly made, commercial wines coming out of Serbia.
About 65% of what’s planted are white grapes, the rest red. The Romans kickstarted the region’s viticultural campaign long ago. Today, a few intriguing native varieties remain, like Smederevka (white) which got its start along the famed Danube River. There’s also Prokupac, often turned into a rosé, but known increasingly as an intriguing medium-bodied red. Wine critics believe this variety may have the best chance of becoming Serbia’s calling card for imbibers. And there’s Mézes Fehér, a sweeter white that can also be made into an interesting orange wine. More recognizable varieties like Chardonnay, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Blanc live here, too.
There are quite a few growing areas within Serbia’s borders but the three major regions include Central Serbia, Kosovo, and Vojvodina. It’s a cool and fairly mountainous country, with many suitable slopes and protected growing areas. Smaller operations especially are looking to share uniquely Serbian flavors through carefully crafted wines.
While the industry expands, important trade gatherings like the Beo Wine Fair in Belgrade continue to turn the international wine community’s head toward Serbia. Look for more options to pop up at your local boutique bottle shop or wine-loving restaurant.
Ready to dig into Serbian wine? Here are a few to try:

Vino Budimir 2015 Tamjanika Zupska

Read more