Tamworth Garden Blooms with New Small Batch Spirit: Summer Solstice Gin

After creating the Hendrick’s Gin brand, marketing maven Steven Grasse continued his journey towards building his own experimental “Gin Palace” nestled at the foothills of New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Tamworth Distilling, tucked between dense foliage and banked up to the ultrapure Swift River, embodies Grasse’s obsession with the art form of gin and provides him a laboratory for experimenting with barrier-breaking, truly never-before-ventured ginnovations all made using flora and fauna sourced from the distillery’s backyard (or just beyond). Introducing Tamworth Garden Summer Solstice Gin ($85), a limited-edition spirit available for pre-sale now -- ahead of the Summer Solstice – and, back by popular demand, Tamworth Garden Watermelon Gin ($55), crafted with 100% real, fresh watermelon juice.

 

With a reverence for botanicals, Tamworth Distilling is seamlessly intertwining the age-old romanticism of gin with new-age vacuum distillation and a scratch-made ethos.  This approach sees distillers foraging for hand-picked botanicals and capturing their essence via a chemical grade chem lab grade rotary evaporator vacuum still. All Tamworth Garden Gins celebrate the flora of the region, with distillers meticulously selecting and harvesting the best-tasting ingredients at their peak; yielding a truly unique range of flavors that reflects their dedication to quality and drive towards innovation. 

 

“I am obsessed with the art of gin-making, and our distilling team is obsessed with pushing barriers with each new spirit we create – pushing our own barriers, because there’s no one who can do exactly what we do,” commented Grasse. “Our distillers actually walks outside, see what plants are in season and flourishing in our garden, and then formulate recipes that highlight the freshest ingredients at their natural peak. We are quite literally capturing the essence of wild New England in every bottle.”

Tamworth Garden rejoices with the limited-edition release of Tamworth Garden Summer Solstice Gin (60 proof, 750 ml). This liquid, made with a vibrant tapestry of flavor resulting from vacuum still distillation in small batches followed by the addition of peach puree, features botonicals such as juniper, angelica root, lemon, dandelion, sweet woodruff, blackberry bark, and coriander. With a floral-driven palate of peach, carrot top, and hint of graham cracker, this 90-proof gin evokes the sun-drenched days and balmy nights of midsummer.  

 

After bottling the solstice-inspired gin, the distillers drop clippings of sweet woodruff, a plant found right in Tamworth Distilling’s backyard, directly into the liquid. When picked, sweet woodruff has no smell, but when added to alcohol, it brings about aromas of peach, vanilla, and cinnamon – reminiscent of a freshly baked summer peach pie. Over time, colors from the flower’s leaves dissolve into the liquid, creating an off-white, skeletonized flower that resembles an anatomical curiosity.

 

Additionally, the distillery is pleased to announce the seasonal return of Tamworth Garden Watermelon Flavored Gin, a refreshing and aromatic member of the line of innovative gins from Tamworth Distilling, available to ship direct to consumer in 40+ states online beginning June 29 and for purchase on-site at Tamworth Distilling, for $55 (60 proof, 750 ml). 

Tamworth Garden Watermelon Flavored Gin is made with fresh watermelon juice with zero preservatives, captures the essence of summer and presents in a low-proof gin with gentle acidity and sweetness and is best enjoyed fresh. The base is juicy watermelon and cucumber, and is then blended with grains of paradise, hibiscus, and fresh mint. The end result is big flavors of melon, lime, and mint overlaid on gentler notes of dry coconut, hibiscus tea, and fresh, zesty juniper.  The gin rings in at 60-proof, making it the perfect base for a summer cocktail, and is even better sipped on its own over ice with a sprig of fresh plucked mint from the garden. Made with natural ingredients and zero added sugar, it is a refreshing flavor, perfect for lazy days in the sun or sultry summer nights.

 

Under Grasse’s creative direction, Tamworth Distilling has developed one-of-a-kind spirits that are inspired by, and created in accordance with the land, not in opposition to it, includingTamworth Garden Sylvan Mist, the world’s first functional perfume gin, Damson Plum Gin, Apiary Gin, Flora Gin, and more. The distillery’s signature Tamworth Garden White Mountain Gin, presented in a one-of-a-kind hexagonal floral bottle, combines traditional gin botanicals with a blend of Centennial Citra and Amarillo hops for notes of citrus and pine resulting in a bright fresh flavor, and the Tamworth Garden Backyard Gin series are distilled and infused with fruit, produce, and herbs handpicked directly from the distillery’s “backyard” garden.

“Rooted in tradition yet ever-evolving, Tamworth Garden is our test-kitchen for innovation,” noted Distiller Matt Power. “We are constantly exploring new ways to craft spirits that harmonize nature's bounty with human ingenuity.”

These spirits and more are available at the idyllic New Hampshire distillery as well as online for nationwide shipping. Keep up with Tamworth Distilling on Instagram at @tamworth_distilling and stay in touch with Tamworth Garden at @tamworthgarden. For more information on the limited-edition releases, please see below: