The future of gin is complex and locally-inspired.
Gin has long been celebrated for its distinctive botanical profiles, typically centered around the sharp, piney taste of juniper.
However, a new trend is emerging in the gin industry as distillers push the boundaries of tradition, incorporating complex and locally-sourced botanicals that offer fresh and innovative flavor experiences. This movement is not just about diversifying taste but also about creating a deeper connection to the land and the communities where these botanicals are grown.
“Any chance we get, we are trying to delve into lesser-known or used botanicals and working to highlight the profile they add,” says Brett Connors, head blender and brand ambassador for Castle & Key Distillery.
While long in the shadow of whiskey, tequila and vodka sales in the United States, gin sales are expected to boom soon stateside, with some forecasts predicting the category to grow by as much as 18% by 2026. And a great deal of this growth is expected to come from artisanal distillers driving innovation in the market and drawing new consumers to gin.
Located in Kentucky—a state synonymous with bourbon whiskey more than gin—Castle & Key Distillery has taken a unique approach to gin-making by exploring alternative botanicals sourced directly from local gardens.
“Our first step on that path is to trial botanicals by themselves as isolates to get a sense of what they are going to provide on the nose and palate,” Connors says. “If it isn’t to our liking as an isolate, we usually move on from the botanical.”
Connors explains that during the distillery’s initial gin development, the team sought to move beyond the usual citrus elements, working with various alternatives like lemon verbena, lime basil and pineapple sage. The team eventually settled on lemon verbena for the Roots of Ruin gin thanks to its vibrant floral notes and citrus tones.
However, this journey hasn't been without challenges. Sourcing locally-grown botanicals, such as lemon verbena and rosemary, proved difficult due to the limitations of regional growing cycles.
“Initially, we wanted to use botanicals that could be grown in our area even if they were not necessarily native,” Connors says. “We found out quickly that due to our regionality, we really couldn’t keep up with the demand needed for production. The cycle of planning, planting, harvesting and storing was a big obstacle for us, especially starting as a smaller distillery. From there, we decided to transition into sourcing the highest quality ingredients to be utilized in our gins."
Nevertheless, the distillery's commitment to innovation is evident in their seasonal offerings, where botanicals like calamondin—a small citrus fruit also known as Philippine lime—and sumac have played starring roles. These choices have allowed Castle & Key to craft gins with unique flavor profiles, such as a bright, tangy lemon-lime note paired with lemongrass and coconut, or a funky citrus tone achieved through careful handling of sumac during production.
“Recipes don’t always scale exactly how we would hope or expect, but we build in a week of trials on any new gins to dial in the ratios for botanicals and figure out if there is anything unique to working with specific ingredients,” Connors says. “Consistency for us is built out of all of the steps that come before ever getting to the still, and by doing that, we can be confident that what we made in ideation is what winds up in bottles we send out."
On the West Coast, Hotaling & Co., based at Pier 50 in San Francisco, has also embraced the trend of garden-sourced botanicals.
Kevin Aslan, innovation distiller at Hotaling, describes how the idea for the Junipero smoked rosemary gin was born out of a desire to create something bold and versatile for the cocktail scene.
“As a forward thinking company, we saw that smoked martinis were becoming a staple in the cocktail world, and the idea for a smoked gin sparked,” Aslan tells Forbes. “After that first ideation meeting, I had a clear idea of what to do for the flavor based on previous experimentation with lapsang tea. The smokey flavor is clean and has a certain warmth to it and adding rosemary was meant to bring a savory balance.”
This smoked rosemary gin represents a significant departure from traditional gin profiles, which typically focus on pine or citrus-based flavors. By replacing the water used in the gin-making process with a custom tea blend, Hotaling & Co. crafted a spirit that is meant to be noticed, whether sipped neat or mixed into a cocktail.
“From batch to batch, there will always be small differences, especially because the gin is made by hand,” Aslan says. “We taste each distillation as it is being made and it is up to the distiller to make the cuts—the point in the distillation where you start and stop. This is part of the trust between the producer and the consumer, that each batch will meet our taste standards and be the best product it can be.”
Aslan also highlights the challenges of sourcing botanicals, noting that while they strive to use local ingredients, flavor profiles are the ultimate priority.
“It can be challenging to source any botanical, especially when looking for locally grown,” Aslan says. “We do our best to source locally, but we are looking for certain flavors more than anything else. The difference in taste of botanicals from region to region is amazing. Sometimes local doesn’t fit the taste profile we are looking for, so we spend a lot of time sourcing and testing flavors from all over the world.”
As the gin industry evolves, the trend toward using more complex and unique botanicals shows no signs of slowing down. For bartenders, these experimental gins open up new possibilities for creating elevated cocktails that surprise and delight. And for consumers, they offer a chance to experience gin in ways they never have before.
“The influence of the culinary world and flavor paired with gin is always one to watch,” Connors says. “While not an innovation technically, I hope to see more mindful practices around ethical sourcing of botanicals."