Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/126443
BLUECOAT GIN Robert J. Cassell also includes the talents of Malte Barnekow and Kris Roth—offers a competitively priced, super-quality lineup of a rum label, a tequila and a vodka, it was the gin in particular that was a point of pride for Ford. Called Fords Gin (not his idea, but an appropriate choice), it was developed with the palates of bartenders in mind, and the formula was tested with some of the biggest names in the industry. The result is a nine-botanical gin that's beautifully loral and aromatic with popping tons of coriander and lemon lime citrus. CREDIT: PHOTO: ANNE WATSON Robert Cassell began his career, not in spirits, but in a beer brewery. In fact, he established and implemented an aggressive quality-assurance department when he was with Victory Brewing Company. His resumé also includes working for the Harpoon Brewery and the River City Ale Works, being a member of the Master Brewers Association of America and the American Society of Brewing Chemists, as well as the Institute of Brewing and Distilling. While he's passionate about hops, his real talents have come to lourish in the loral tons of American gin with his label, Bluecoat. Fivetimes distilled using organic juniper and a blend of organic American citrus peels, the result is a dry-yetintense spirit that's a deinite player on the nation's new gin market. DEATH'S DOOR GIN – Brian Ellison Brian Ellison might be the guy behind Death's Door Gin, but he's quick to tell you that his background is in economic development and not spirits. The background of the spirit certainly relects this path. His passion for iscal rejuvenation is what initially drew him to the dormant farming community of Wisconsin's Washington Island in 2005. Conversely, his inexperience in libations may explain why gin wasn't part of his initial plan once he got here, despite the land's abundance of wild juniper berries. "We started out by making bread with the island's wheat, " says Ellison, who is now President of Death's Door Spirits. "But after a year, we realized that we weren't going to turn the local economy around by hosting a bake sale. " After successfully transitioning into beer and vodka production, Ellison and his team inally began harvesting the island's juniper, snapped up coriander and fennel seeds sourced from the state, and began to produce a gin that Brian Ellison, President of hauled in plaudits and awards Death's Door Spirits. shortly after it hit the shelves in 2008. According to Ellison, some of this praise for the Washington Island product hails from an island of much greater size and inluence. "Death's Door has become known as 'America's Gin' in the U.K., which is a big honor because it's such a huge gin market, he states. " More importantly, Death's Door Gin has also helped Ellison achieve his goal of economic growth for Washington Island; its farmland alone has increased from ive acres to nearly 1,200 since his quest began. And as the popularity of the spirit continues to expand, Ellison is making sure that the product's connection with the island stays at the forefront. "We're a partner of this community, Ellison says,"so it's " important for us to make sure that the gin relects who we are and what this land is all about. —Rich Manning " Italian Bubble Bath created by Gabrielle Dion, Bar Manager at Broadway by Amar Santana in Laguna Beach, CA ◗ 1½ oz. Death's Door Gin ◗ ½ oz. Aperol ◗ ½ oz. Strega Liqueur ◗ ½ oz. fresh grapefruit juice ◗ ½ oz. honey syrup 2:1 ◗ ¼ oz. fresh lemon juice ◗ Combine ingredients and shake with ice. Double-strain into a cocktail glass. Top with a splash of sparkling rosé and a grapefruit peel garnish. may 2013 / the tasting panel / 107