Maritime Gin

Cape Fear Maritime "Gin" Why "Gin" in quotes? Continue reading to find out... APPEARANCE: Let's start here. This possesses a very pale light blue hue. It's intended to evoke the ocean in look, scent, and flavor. NOSE: With no details provided on the botanicals used, I'm proceeding without specific knowledge. The base spirit is very prominent here. Sweet. It smells of buttercream icing, sugar cookie dough, KIX Cereal, lavender, and a hint of agave. As advertised, there's a touch of salt air and sea spray. The absence of juniper places this firmly in the Modern category. The aroma from the empty glass eventually shifts to "sea air." If that was an intentional effect, they did a good job. NEAT: Sampled chilled. The sweetness carries through. It tastes of buttercream, sugar cookie, light citrus, lavender, and just a whisper of juniper. Present, but barely noticeable. The finish leaves a flavor like Amaretto. Once that "almond" note is detected, you begin to perceive it in the nose as well. At 80 Proof, it goes down extremely smoothly. COCKTAILS: This is completely lost in a G&T. Perhaps a specific type of Martini could work with this? I could also envision using it as a vodka substitute in certain drinks. Maybe that will be one of my summer projects. VERDICT: Another spirit from the local area. This is, by far, the least gin-like Gin I have ever encountered. If they were to slightly amplify the botanicals, I think they might have a winner. That being said, I can certainly see this being enjoyed on its own in a coastal setting. It's just not what I typically seek in a gin.

This Gin was fantastic. A wonderful discovery. It has a subtle vanilla essence.