Drink Spirits Review

Solidly Recommended

2010

Dry Fly Gin – (80 proof) As with their vodka, Dry Fly has taken a big risk with their gin, leaving our panel trying to figure exactly what to do with it. The nose on the Dry Fly Gin is huge green apple, strawberry, confectioner’s sugar and honeysuckle flowers, and back – way, way back in the background – is just a hint of pine. The taste is apple, pepper, peach, vanilla, wheat, nectarine and lime peel. The finish is pretty quick and leaves your mouth very cool and clean. On the one hand, we enjoyed the taste of the Dry Fly Gin because it’s sweet and clean and extremely well distilled. On the other hand, we had a hard time calling it gin as there are hardly any juniper notes in it. We enjoyed Dry Fly Gin neat, on ice, and in a few cocktails. The flavor got lost in some of the heftier cocktails but was very pleasant neat or over ice. While we respect the distilling here, the gin misses its mark as a true gin. This may not be a bad thing for some drinkers who are looking for a white spirit that doesn’t have heavy juniper notes, so we’re giving it:
Dry Fly Gin Rating:
 Solidly Recommended - not really a classic gin but some won’t care and all will appreciate the expert distillation.

Boozenicks

2010

Nose: Dry Fly is a nice, light gin. There’s a slight sweetness and flowery note to the nose, with traces of citrus and coriander and some other mineraly scent I can’t quite place.

Taste: It’s a smooth, sweet, and floral to the taste. Some citrus peel and some astringency, but only mildly so. It does taste a bit like the wheat from which it’s made. I’m tempted to say it has some rye taste to it, but perhaps that’s some caraway in the botanicals suggesting the rye bread. It’s only 80 proof, so it goes down easier than many other gins, and there’s no real warmth let alone burn. It has a soft, silky, almost soapy feel in the mouth like soft water or cilantro tastes sometimes cause.

Finish: The finish is mostly clean and very smooth, with some mineraliness and a little bit of a resiny taste that lingers.

Notes: This would be a very good gin for a hot day out in the sun, and would make a very nice gin & tonic, and not a bad martini with a twist of citrus. It’s a very easy drinking gin and one that is easy for those who aren’t used to drinking gin to adopt.

Dry Fly Gin, (Dry Fly Distillery, Spokane, Washington), 80 proof, $28.95 at Oregon Liquor Stores

Beverage Experts Review

**** Exceptional

2010

Crystal clear. The nose is quite floral and herbal with accents of coriander, juniper, citrus, and cumin the palate is lush and crisp with citrus and spice notes. It’s quite fruity with complimenting zest and spice flavors that roll on for minutes. Wonderfully complex and beautifully proportioned. A rising star on the new American Gin frontier. **** / EXCEPTIONAL !!!!

About.com

2011

Much like Dry Fly Vodka, the gin is distilled from Eastern Washington soft winter wheat, which brings a sweetness aspect to the spirit. The flavorings are also locally sourced and include juniper, dried Washington apple, mint, and hops.

The overall profile is soft and this is perfect for those who enjoy the softer side of gins, especially those who typically prefer vodka. The mint gives this gin a refreshing taste even though it is barely noticeable and the apple brings in a hint of fruit that is a nice change of pace from gins that typically use dried orange. The odd thing, which is not necessarily a drawback, is that the juniper is rather transparent, making its strongest appearance in the finish.

Dry Fly Gin is certainly a modern-style gin and one that some may say is crossing that fine line between gin and flavored vodka. I have tasted others that have violated the distinction to a greater degree and there are noticeable aspects of traditional gin in this one, which is nice to see. However, if you’re seeking a gin for a classically flavored Martini this is not it, instead you will get a softer Martini. Where I think this gin can really shine is in an Aviation, Pegu Club, Chartreuse Martini, or any drink with a soft fruit and botanical flavor balance.

Tasting Notes: 
The nose is a sweet juniper and apple mix with the slightest hint of refreshing mint. The palate is soft, vibrant, and filled with a delicate balance of botanicals and apple. It finishes as gently as it began in a short, clean, and invigorating manner.

Spirits Review by Chris Carlsson

5 Olives: Top Rating

2009

Notes: This is a different style of gin from the much more common London Dry style (click on above for info on Styles/Definitions of Gin). It is made in by a small company in Spokane, Washington which uses one of the more unique blends of botanicals for gin I have heard of, and trust me that is saying a lot ! 

They start out with their excellent vodka as a base and then use a blend of the usual suspects of juniper and coriander, with lavender (I’ve seen that before in a couple), along with mint, dried Fuji apples, and hops – which is something no else we know of has attempted.

Appearance: Clear, bright,a touch of oiliness/viscosity to the body, good long legs. When it is chilled it takes on a wonderful thick glasslike appearance even when shaken.

First Impression: Juniper and lavender bouquet in the nose with a hint of coriander, but this is all overlaid with a intriguing blanket of apple and hops, giving it somewhat genever like aromas with the slight bite and tang of a nice mint.

Taste: Tastes more like a genever with citrus, lavender, and apples than a London Dry. Very complex, aromatic and wonderful. The taste was balancing act between the aromatic start, a very herbal / earthy middle and a dry finish with mint tones that make you look forward to more. Warming end but no burn. Delicious!

Drinks: We tried the gin in martinis, gin and tonics and a few more. It is wonderful as a martini with a twist of lemon or an olive. Which is somewhat unusual as many gins are very much one or the other. Almost all you need for an Opera, Maidens Prayer, etc. It has a wonderful delicacy and base notes that would work for a number of classic gin cocktails including ones calling for genever (but with much more spice) and I think it will inspire a number of mixologists to create new drinks with it.

Bottle: Distinctive, short cylindrical bright clear glass with sharp shoulders, and NO frosting unlike the sea of others. Simple graphics silk screened or printed directly onto the glass. Nice heft to the bottle and a good grade of clear glass with nice decanter base so it is solid and hard to knock over. 

Shows the vodka to excellent effect. Each bottle is also hand sealed with a notation as to batch number and bottle number within the batch – a nice touch. Bottle is from France – where they seem to make a much better grade of glass and this makes the bottle shine and create a nice presentation.

Final Thoughts: An intensely interesting gin in a that is a refreshing departure from the usual. Skillfully made, with a very creative blending of spices and flawless execution in distillation. This is a top notch gin – better than some that cost a good bit more and is cheaper than many in the premium category. Different enough that even gin haters will like it and just familiar enough for gin lovers to embrace it as a new beginning in gin adventures.