Smoke is probably among the more exotic but divisive flavors out there, in the spirits world. Few consumers are so-so on smoky spirits or smoke-infused cocktails: They tend to fall into the “hate it” or “love it” camps. For years, I was actually in the former–my palate is fairly sensitive to smoke in particular, so many smoked beers or spirits with intense smoky characteristics such as Islay scotch or mezcal had a tendency to be clumsy or immediately overpowering to me. Over time, however, I managed to train my palate to dig beneath the smoky veneer, to get at the more delicate flavors present in many of these spirits, and I began to enjoy overtly smoky spirits and cocktails in the process. But smoke-infused gin? That’s another frontier to be explored, and the new Junipero Smoked Rosemary is happy to plant its flag in the territory.
Junipero is of course a classic of the American craft spirits and cocktail world–it’s been around since 1996 and was one of the original American “craft gins” that got the ball rolling on the redevelopment of the category in the U.S., at a time when gin was inexorably associated with the U.K. Since then, lord only knows how many small craft distilleries have launched with gin (which is quick to make) as one of their initial flagships, but few of them have maintained the backbone or brash strength of the 49.3% ABV (98.6 proof) Junipero. It was clearly a spirit designed with bold cocktail applications in mind.
That profile only becomes that much bolder when you go and add smoke as a major flavor component. Specifically, this is called Junipero Smoked Rosemary Gin, though oddly enough the name isn’t meant to specifically imply “we smoked some rosemary and used it in the gin.” Rather, this version of Junipero incorporates dried rosemary and Lapsang souchong tea, which is famously dried over a smoky fire. It’s that tea element that contributes the smoke characteristic for the gin, which I believe otherwise uses the classic Junipero slate of botanicals, including citrus and various herbs/spices. Notably, this carries the same $35 MSRP as the original Junipero, so you’re still getting good smoky bang for your buck, especially given the advanced proof.
So with that said, let’s get to tasting Junipero Smoked Rosemary Gin and see how this has evolved from the base expression.
On the nose, the initial, surprising first note I have is that there really isn’t much “smoke” to speak of here. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing in my mind, as the worst outcome here would be if the spirit had been totally and entirely overwhelmed by the need to appease the theme. But certainly I was expecting smoke to be prominent, but it seems difficult to find. Instead, the heavy juniper aromatics you expect to get in the brand are certainly happy to remain in the spotlight, with big resinous juniper and hints of dark berries, pine sap, lemon peel, florals and potpourri, supported by rosemary herbaceousness. I’m also getting a little distinctly cardamom-like spice, which I always enjoy in Junipero. But smoke? Surprisingly subdued.
On the palate … ah, well there’s the smoke. Here it oddly shows up immediately on the first sip, coating the tongue in something evoking mesquite BBQ. I cannot lie, this was a bit disconcerting to me at first blush, because the last thing you’re expecting to get in a gin is a flavor reminder of BBQ potato chips. In truth though, the smoke presence isn’t all that assertive once the mind incorporates it into the wider Junipero flavor profile, which segues into pine resin, florals, lemon citrus and mild sweetness, with a mild hop-like bitterness as well. It certainly still has the punchy juniper flavor and solid heat of the original; you certainly shouldn’t forget that this is 98.6 proof. As in the original, this is absolutely for gin fans who crave that strong juniper backbone, albeit this time with an unusual x factor.
At the end of the day, my natural inclination is to think that the smoke flavor here is a little incongruous with what I personally want from a bottle of gin, but I have to note that this is largely a matter of personal taste. If anything, I’m impressed by how subtly Junipero approached the whole thing, as it could certainly be a lot more smoke-dominated than this. Regardless, I have a feeling I’m not truly the target demographic on this bottle, but that it will be divisive all the same. Those who gel with the combination of smoke and resin/juniper/rosemary are going to delight in this stuff as a cocktail mixer, but others are just going to be flummoxed. And ultimately, that’s okay. Junipero has never been about appealing to every palate anyway.
Distillery: Hotaling & Co.
City: San Francisco, CA
Style: American gin
ABV: 49.3% (98.6 proof)
Availability: 750 ml bottles, $35 MSRP
Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident liquor and spirits geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.