Drink of the Week: St. George Valley Gin

Right about the time July crests and begins descending into August, summer’s novelty starts to wear off. Sure, I’m still delighted each morning to step outside in shorts and a linen shirt, feeling the mix of sunny warmth and ideally a cooling breeze on my skin. But summer gets serious right about now, requiring the heavy hitters of refreshment to be broken out for service. This year, there’s a new spirit on the block that’s proving itself up to the task: St. George Valley Gin.

Most gin drinkers are already familiar with the lineup from St. George Spirits, based in Alameda, California. There’s the emphatic herbaceous quality of their Botanivore Gin, the spicy esoterica of their Dry Rye Gin, and the aptly named Terroir Gin, which transports the evocative aromas of Northern California into the cocktail glass. Valley Gin helps round out this portfolio, and it does so in a bright and vivid way. Turning to the citrus orchards of California’s Central Valley, the distillers at St. George tap the fragrances of blossoming fruit trees and a panoply of 25 botanicals to create a gin that manages to be both light and lively, and flavorfully complex.

Orange blossoms mingle with those of lemon and orange peel on the nose. And cucumber, juniper, and pepper aromas follow. Take a sip and the full spice box and herb garden come into play. Dill, fennel seed, and fresh ginger support the citrus stars of lime, lemon, bergamot, grapefruit, and Seville and Valencia oranges.

Mix a Martini or a Gin & Tonic with St. George Valley Gin. Your evening will be the better for it. Or break out the citrus squeezer and lean into the gin’s Central Valley character with an essential classic like a Southside or a Collins. Take that, summer heat. $35, stgeorgespirits.com