The Tasting Panel magazine

January 2013

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UP Up Front with Farmer's Gin by Lana Bortolot / photos by Doug Young Though the category has seen a few upstarts in the past decade, Farmer's comes to market with a new approach: a 100 percent U.S.D.A. Certified Organic gin with a sophisticated blend of botanicals. Leveraging its juniper profile, the spirit is also distinguished by its elderflower and lemongrass flavor profiles—a combination that Joseph J. Magliocco, President of Chatham Imports, says "really sings." "We conservatively tried 30 different mixes of botanicals," he tells THE TASTING PANEL. "There are some botanicals that we keep secret but we found this mix— really good juniper, elderflower and lemongrass together— gave us extra dimensions and an especially flavorful and a unique flavor signature." Launched in the U.S. in May 2010, the gin has been gaining ground so much that the company ran out of product this year. The spirit is in all major American markets and launched this year in Hong Kong. Magliocco, an Ivy-educated lawyer who has spent his career in the spirits industry, says once they're back up to volume, they'll look at international expansion. For now, though, Farmer's is happy to be a high-quality small batch gin made in America and for the national market. And that is best seen in its all-American roots. Farmer's Gin sources its grains from four privately owned organic growers on the plains of Minnesota, the same ones from which Chatham Imports sources grains for its line of organic Crop Harvest Earth Vodkas. The entire production— from the soils to the botanicals and the cleaners used on the bottling line—are certified organic, an approval process that took years. But, Magliocco says, it was worth it. Being organic is a philosophical fit with the niche producer and consumers, but also helps differentiate the gin in taste. "There were precious few organic gins when we came out," he says. "Organic farming is better for the environment and sustainability, but additionally, we think the organic distillate is a really clean palate for botanicals and an especially clean palate for adding fruit or vegetable infusions." "You get a different note on it every time you taste it," said Jacob Hadjigeorgis of Jacob's Pickles in New York City. "Picking up on that faint lavender bouquet is what inspired our most popular drink, a twist on a very classic cocktail." Magliocco says they wanted to ensure the gin would work with both classic and new recipes. Who's drinking it? Magliocco says they see the same 6 / the tasting panel / january 2013 sort of drinkers—those who initiated the resurgence in brown spirits and American whiskies—flocking to this "new generation gin." For that reason the brand has focused on-premise because, without a formal brand ambassador, Magliocco says that bar chefs are increasingly important for building brands. But at the same time, he's noticed an uptick in retail sales where fine wines are found along side high-quality spirits. "There are a lot of fabulous gins out there," Magliocco concludes, "and instead of copying something that was another style, we developed our own style." TASTING NOTE Farmer's Gin (SRP $32/750 ml.) An extraordinarily clean spirit, the botanicals really pop in this gin. It's aromatic and floral without the resin you expect in a British gin. The juniper is combined with a heartwarming sweetness from the elderflower, giving it a soft quality, and then punched up with the citrus from the lemongrass. Layers of angelica root and coriander thread through to the finish. —L. B.

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