Death's Door Gin

Death's Door is the treacherous strait between Wisconsin's Door County peninsula and Washington Island, named for the ships it claimed — and the gin is named for the island, where the wheat in the bottle is grown. Death's Door Spirits was founded to give Washington Island's farmers a market for their grain after the island's last commercial crop disappeared, and the gin tells that story with an almost defiant simplicity: a base spirit distilled from Washington Island wheat and Wisconsin malted barley, flavored with just three botanicals — wild juniper harvested on the island, coriander, and fennel. Nothing else. Bottled at 47% ABV. The Gin Is In, on its third tasting, admitted it gets better every time: the base is the foundation, surprisingly creamy and rich with vanilla, buttered bread, malt, and hay, and the three botanicals build on it — juniper and a myrtle-orange note initially, a finish with a touch of citrus fading to a long fennel-and-Campari blend, nicely balanced. In a Martini, cream and juniper on the nose, then cinnamon-like sweetness and coriander spice mingling with the vermouth — recommended. Expect bold, fresh juniper, a soft licorice-sweet lift from the fennel, coriander's lemony spice, and a creamy, malty texture that most neutral-base gins can't offer, finishing long and clean. Honest note: it's a gin of mids and lows, not high floral notes — a savory, grounding gin. Superb in a Martini, a Negroni, or a Gimlet. Three botanicals, one island.

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