Death's Door Gin

From Washington Island, Wisconsin, in June 2012, during my first camping trip with my girlfriend of about six months, who is now my wife. We stayed in a small cabin at a campground on the island. We spent our days exploring the hidden beaches and a disused lighthouse, and our evenings by a campfire, as it remains quite cool in the evenings in the northern parts of the Great Lakes Midwest. It was a truly memorable time, a perfect moment of calm before she began her third year of medical school and I started my several months of unemployment before being called to serve my first church after seminary. To reach this paradise on Lake Michigan, we had to take a ferry from the northern end of the Door Peninsula to the island across the Porte des Morts strait. Although the distillery is in Middleton, a suburb of Madison, the raw materials are transported back to the mainland across that dangerous channel. Washington Island wheat is used for the mash, along with three botanicals: juniper, coriander, and fennel. That's all. It's as straightforward as a gin gets – no plants that would require you to dig out your old Herbology textbooks from your time at Hogwarts, no exotic spices from faraway lands, and no surprising elements. Much like how the finest Italian cuisine relies on a simple combination of a few high-quality ingredients at their peak, this gin is more than the sum of its limited components. The spirit itself is almost creamy, possessing that same smooth, luxurious texture found in a wheated bourbon or a single-grain whiskey made with wheat, with all rough edges polished away like the stones on Schoolhouse Beach on the island. The juniper provides a sense of freshness, but it's the fennel that truly stands out – not overly resembling licorice or Italian sausage, but in a spicy balance with the juniper. One could potentially mix this in a cocktail, but honestly, it's delightful enough on its own, and I'd regret losing its distinct character. It's worth searching for, much like Washington Island itself.

Despite only having three botanicals, this offers a satisfying punch, making one question the necessity of the numerous botanicals found on other brands. However, its body is a bit too thin, and it has a slightly too acrid burn for it to score highly in my humble opinion. Then again, what do I know? Nothing. I possess no knowledge. I'm not trying to be modest or downplay myself. My belief is that the less you know, the smarter you are. So yes, all I'm aware of is my lack of knowledge. Yet, I'm still apparently smarter than 67.88% of the population. Kudos to the CDC for tracking this data.

An outstanding, versatile American Gin. It's more subtle and less of a citrus bomb than many new gins, which is a pleasant change. It emphasizes the fundamentals, allowing the juniper to stand out. It's also a "gentle" gin, working exceptionally well in mixed drinks. After sampling numerous gins, this has become my go-to for high-quality cocktails, with the understanding that the larger 1.75L bottles offer better value than the 750ml ones. Highly recommended.

Initially smells like chemicals, a very unusual tingle on the mid-front tongue. Herbal, definitely, not too spicy. Like exhaling from a garden on the finish. Slight tongue numbness at the end with a lingering effect.

Juniper, anise, and some spice are present, but it's quite restrained in a pleasant way, particularly for mixing. The body and mouthfeel are light. It's not a floral, citrus-forward New American style gin.

The botanicals are very pronounced, yet it's incredibly flavorful. While I wouldn't typically enjoy fennel in a standard dish, its presence in this crisp gin is successful.