It’s pretty impressive when one new spirit can reverse a lifetime of avoidance with a single sip. Let me introduce you to Spirit Works Distillery Sloe Gin. All these years I have had an unstinting dislike of sloe gin. I have avoided it whenever possible, and when...
Northern California’s distillers are rebelling against the entrenched vinocracy. Prior to Prohibition, many of Sonoma’s wineries produced brandies and grappa. After the 18th Amendment was repealed by the 21st, the wineries quickly recovered and multiplied. But hard liquor took nearly a century to find its way back...
SpiritWorks introduces barrel-aged gin Bandit knows the drill. When Timo and Ashby Marshall lead a tour of their Sebastopol distillery, their Boston terrier trots alongside, pausing for an explanation of the grain milling process with an expression of utter concentration, before dutifully moving on to the...
Spirit Works Gin This tiny distillery is located in the heart of downtown Sebastopol, where owners Ashby and Timo Marshall make their own base spirit from California-grown organic red winter wheat. The wheat gives the gin a particularly full, smooth sweetness, which they complement with an...
In California's wine country, known for its rolling hills blanketed with grape vines, tourists come to visit the wine tasting fantasy land that is Napa and Sonoma, yet rarely venture off the beaten path to the places where locals go to enjoy its incredible bounty. Tucked...
We identify which of the 500 or so new bottles are worth your time (and palate). BY CAMPER ENGLISH In the last few years, hundreds of new gins have hit the market, each featuring an esoteric botanical selection, standalone appeal ("so good you don't need a mixer"), a sense of...
After a day of tasting wine is there anything more welcoming than an ice-filled gin and tonic? Not a chance. But it’s worth investigating. The gin and tonic, liquid legacy of British colonialism widely adopted by spirit lovers around the world, is an essential part of...
In the scheme of quality spirits, each of these is fantastic. Even better, they're all made locally from Sonoma to Mountain View. After all, we live in the region that pioneered the craft distilling movement back in the early '80s at Germain-Robin (home of the first Cognac-quality brandies...