Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/977771
may 2018 / the tasting panel / 1 1 1 Uncle Val's Botanical Gin ($39) Tangerine, lemon blossoms, and blue flowers sing the praises of gin in this wonderful product from 3 Badge Beverage. Named for August Sebastiani's uncle, the botanicals chosen are the same that Uncle Val used in his cooking: lemon, juniper, cucumber, sage, and lavender. We also picked up a lovely weight and a syrup of white-peppered marshmallow that made this all the more appealing. 96 —M.M. Uncle Val's Restorative Gin ($39) Juniper and coriander may take the initial lead for the wake-me-up character of this American- made gin, but the nose of this handcrafted new expression soon takes flight to melting violets and dried mandarin orange peel. Exquisitely positioned, the violets take the front line on the palate with the first sip and are then surrounded by cucumbers and a garden of roses. Pinched by a parade of black pepper and tea tannins, this is indeed a restorative for the senses! 94 —M.M. Uncle Val's Peppered Gin ($39) Combine green olives, pimento, and a dash of white pepper; add in some spicy red and yellow peppers; then just add gin. Without it being a "flavored" expression, this spirit's components—inspired by homegrown peppers in Uncle Val's Tuscan garden—are so naturally infused that they should be regarded as some of the most unique botanicals used for this category. As it sits in the glass, the perfume on the nose transforms, offering up licorice, apricot, lavender, and vanilla spice. 96 —M.M. Garden to Glass: Uncle Val''s Inspiration for spirits can come in all forms, so when your fam- ily has been in the wine business for four generations, it makes sense that the driving force of your business can be found in the people closest to you. For his line of gins, 3 Badge Beverage President August Sebastiani and his team decided to use botani- cals that his uncle Dr. Valerio Cecchetti used in his home garden in Lucca, Italy. Uncle Val, as he was affectionately known, had an undeniable zeal for life that permeated his beloved hobbies of cooking and gardening. Beyond its juniper base, Uncle Val's Botanical Gin contains ingredients that could often be found in Uncle Val's homemade dishes. Cucumber adds a touch of freshness and lemon bestows a hint of zest as sage offers a calming aroma; lavender also imparts lovely floral notes. The label's bright Restorative Gin introduces coriander and rose petals on top of the cucumber and juniper, while the Peppered Gin utilizes red bell peppers for smokiness, black pepper for a pop of flavor, and pimento for a savory quality (the latter can be enjoyed both neat or as a distinctive base to a cocktail). Every ingredient in the gin trio is all-natural and organic: a standard Uncle Val would have proudly supported. Through June, 3 Badge Beverage encourages consumers to enter their own Uncle Val's cocktail in its Shake Up the Classics Contest. The entry that creates the best twist on a classic gin cocktail using Uncle Val's Botanical Gin will win a bar cart stocked with essential bar tools. For details, visit 3badge.com/unclevals/contest. 3 BADGE BEVERAGE CORPORATION