Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/76623
August Sebastiani has a keen sense of style when it comes to the top-notch spirits making their way into his portfolio at 35 Maple Street. A s the spirits business continues to attract California wine producers with higher margins and relative ease of entry, August Sebastiani's 35 Maple Street, the spirits division of his Sonoma-based négociant firm, The Other Guys, leads the charge. The company's fast-growing portfolio of stylish spirits offerings—the most recent of which is Uncle Val's Botanical Gin— continues to build brand equity for the company. Sebastiani clearly has a knack for brand development. His first release—Masterson's Straight Rye—was created specifically to address a shortage in that category, one that has distillers scrambling for inventory and bartend- ers and retailers eager for his easy drinking, over-proof product. Joining this authentically- conceived brand is Uncle Val's Botanical Gin, a tribute to one of Sebastiani's favorite uncles, Valerio Cecchetti. Uncle Val, Sebastiani's great uncle on his mother's side, is a retired doctor who lives in Lucca, Italy. Cecchetti spends most of his time these days gardening, and both his profession and his garden provided the inspiration for the brand. "My uncle Val is a fantastic cook and he grows the botanicals that inspired the unique flavor profile for our gin," says Sebastiani, who serves as President of 35 Maple Street. After delving in to the history of gin and its creator, Dutch physician Franciscus Sylvius, who developed the spirit as a tonic for stomach disorders as early as 1650, Sebastiani quickly made the connection to his maternal uncle. By 1680, the Dutch were exporting ten million gallons of juniper-infused spirits a year, and gin had become a commercial product. "A success story for a product that started life as a medicine, and one that we can only hope to emulate," Sebastiani observes. In terms of flavor, gin has not strayed very far since the 17th century, but modern flavor profiles—often referred to as "American" in style—have emerged and are attracting new consumers to the fold. "Uncle Val's has a con- temporary flavor profile that showcases a floral lemon aroma, with sage, juniper and cucumber as complementary elements, and lavender forming a spicy note on the back of the palate," says Sebastiani. Retailing at $35, Uncle Val's is 90 proof but can be sipped thanks to its softer, slightly sweeter finish. "We're very excited about how well Uncle Val's has been received," Sebastiani notes. "While the market for gin is significantly smaller than that for vodka, it's larger than rye, and we're definitely seeing a renaissance in this category. We are also excited to be pursuing flavored line extensions in the early part of 2013." Known primarily for its irreverent wine brands, including Plungerhead and Hey Mambo, 35 Maple Street is using social media tie-ins to connect consumers with their parade of new spirits brands. The company recently launched a user-submitted database of cocktail recipes and photos via applications such as Instagram. The momentum generated by social media not only helps the company build brand equity and brand-loyal consumers, it will pave the way for a late fall release of two new products, an aged Dominican rum and a small-batch bourbon. www.35maplestreet.com august 2012 / the tasting panel / 53