American Craft Gin Pioneer Junipero Gin Celebrates 25th Anniversary

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — As America’s first craft gin since Prohibition, Junipero Gin is celebrating 25 years of being the bold, award-winning gin whose convention-breaking style pioneered the premium craft gin category in the U.S. Established in 1996, Junipero Gin’s mission remains the same today as it was a quarter century ago – to be bold, challenge established norms and to live life unfiltered. Using the same recipe as the inaugural batch, Junipero elevates gin’s traditional juniper and citrus flavors by combining the world’s most expressive botanicals in a small copper pot still and bottling at an unfiltered 98.6 proof.

Junipero Gin is still made by hand in San Francisco by Hotaling & Co.’s Master Distiller, Bruce Joseph – a member of the original founding team responsible for developing the final Junipero liquid back in the mid-90’s. Referred to only as ‘The Water Committee,’ Joseph and his colleagues were assigned to a covert project commissioned by Anchor Distilling Company visionary and former owner, Fritz Maytag whose success in the craft beer industry inspired him to secretly explore the lost art of pot distilling gin and whiskey in the U.S.

“For the gin, we were striving for a robust, juniper-forward, mouth coating spirit with a bold personality that would shine as the lead in cocktails,” said Joseph, “In addition to finding the optimal botanical combination that delivered both distinct flavor and balanced character expression, we discovered that the copper pot still was critical to achieving that bigger, more well-rounded and complex profile that we were going after.”

Maytag and ‘The Water Committee’ spent more than two years “testing the waters” and tinkering with the botanical blend behind closed doors. In addition to experimenting with copper pot still distillation, they also removed the step of chill-filtering to create a crisper, bolder palate. By September 1996, the final recipe for Junipero Gin was born and so too was the dawn of modern-day American craft gin.

“Junipero Gin exists today because Fritz Maytag and ‘The Water Committee’ dared to challenge the status quo,” said Dan Leese, President and CEO of Hotaling & Co., Junipero Gin owner and producer. “As we celebrate Junipero’s 25th Anniversary, we also celebrate other changemakers who break with convention to pursue an original path and we continue to proudly support forward-thinking organizations like In the Weeds and the Harvey Milk Foundation who advocate for positive change in our communities.”

A testament to the staying power of this groundbreaking craft gin, the Junipero production process and botanical blend remains unchanged since the brand’s inception. The 12 botanicals found in Junipero are juniper, coriander, cubeb, grains of paradise, lemon peel, orange peel, orris root, cassia bark, cardamom, bitter orange peel, aniseed, and angelica root.

On the nose, a strong juniper core is accompanied by a crisp and clean aroma with bright citrus notes and herbal complexity. The palate features big structure with juniper at the forefront and reveals its bold personality in the finish with notes of lemon peel, cardamom, and lemongrass.

After 25 years, Junipero Gin continues to receive multiple awards for its uncompromising juniper-forward profile that stands up in any gin cocktail. The most recent accolades include:

  • 95 Points, “Top 50 Spirits of 2021,” 2021 Bartender Spirits Awards
  • 94 Points, 2020 Ultimate Spirits Challenge
  • Gold, 2020 SIP Awards
  • Best American London Dry Gin, 2018 World Gin Awards

Owned and produced by Hotaling & Co. (formerly Anchor Distilling Company) at Pier 50 in San Francisco, Junipero Gin is distributed nationally and is available for purchase online at JuniperoGin.com. The suggested retail price for a 750ml bottle of Junipero Gin is $34.99.

About Junipero Gin

Based in San Francisco, Junipero Gin fearlessly led the birth of American craft gin in 1996. Junipero is Spanish for juniper berry, the main botanical in gin. Each batch of Junipero in made by hand in a small copper pot still and is bottled at an unfiltered 98.6 proof. For more information on Junipero, visit JuniperoGin.com.

About Hotaling & Co.

Hotaling & Co., the leading San Francisco importer & distiller, offers the finest curated portfolio of premium artisanal spirits. Hotaling & Co., originally named Anchor Distilling Company, was established in 1993 and is credited with releasing America’s first craft whiskey (Old Potrero) and American craft gin (Junipero Gin) after Prohibition. In 2010, Anchor Distilling Company was sold to a business partnership that included Tony Foglio and London’s oldest wine and spirit merchant, Berry Bros. & Rudd and began expanding to incorporate a collection of super-premium artisanal spirits imported from around the world. In 2017, Anchor Distilling became Hotaling & Co. The new name is a nod to one of Anchor Distilling’s most beloved small batch whiskies (Old Potrero Hotaling’s Whiskey) and to the San Francisco legend A.P. Hotaling, who came out West during the Gold Rush and quickly became one of the most reputable spirits dealers in the country. Today, Hotaling & Co. celebrates exciting growth and achievements; marking its 26th year of distilling and its 10th year of commercially uniting artisan distillers from around the world and sharing their stories to discerning consumers.

Hotaling & Co.’s portfolio includes Luxardo Liqueurs & Cherries, Nikka Whisky, Junipero Gin, No.3 Gin, HINE Cognac, Lot 40 Rye Whisky, Convite Mezcal, Kavalan Whisky, Denizen Rum, HIRSCH Selected Whiskeys, Writers’ Tears Whiskey, Old Pulteney Whisky, Speyburn Whisky, Balblair Whisky, Arran Whisky, Old Potrero Rye Whiskey, and more. Visit HotalingandCo.com for a full list of brands.

For More Information:
http://www.juniperogin.com/