Dry January is well in the rearview mirror and Sober October is months away, and for many that means it’s time to bring on the whiskey. But many others—including a significantly growing number of younger people—are giving up alcohol completely, or at least just being more mindful about it and drinking less. With that in mind, two highly esteemed bartenders and beverage industry figures just launched a new low-ABV gin, and we’re happy to report that, unlike some in this category, it’s actually pretty good.
Nick Strangeway and Leo Robitschek are the two of the founders of Second Sip Gin. Strangeway is a bartender of note and a cofounder of Hepple Spirits, a British gin brand that is supposed to capture the flavors of England’s moors. Robitschek won a James Beard Award for writing The NoMad Cocktail Book, and was one of the people responsible for the excellent bar program at NoMad NYC. They worked with Sharelle Kraus, founder and CEO of Dry Soda Co., to create this new low-ABV gin, which clocks in at a very civilized 40 proof or 20 percent ABV (compare that to the minimum 80 proof at which gin must be bottled here in the U.S.).
According to the brand, Second Sip is made with “precise use of organic juniper CO2 extracts and a carefully calibrated blend of botanical extraction, enhanced by a touch of Maldon sea salt for perfect balance.” It was distilled at New York Distilling in Brooklyn, the home to whiskeys like Jaywalk Rye and Dorothy Parker Gin. The exact botanical makeup is as follows: juniper, orris root, coriander, almond, licorice root, angelica seed, angelica root, bergamot, and lemon. If that sounds similar to what you might find in a classic London dry gin, that’s because that is indeed the flavor profile the team was looking for. We had a chance to taste the gin and try it in several cocktails, and it certainly delivers even without the potent hit of alcohol that you’ll find in regular gin. The mouthfeel is a bit thin and watery when sipped neat, but the flavors really pop and you don’t miss the booze in cocktails like a Negroni (martini fans may not be totally satisfied, but that’s a very subjective and opinionated crowd).
There are a lot of NA spirits available at the moment, and while some stand out many are sort of weak facsimiles of the real thing with weird textures and flavors that don’t quite add up. Low-ABV is another story, and this new spirit proves that you can cut the alcohol (by half in this case) without sacrificing character. Second Sip will arrive in stores in a few months, so we will update you when it’s available. In the meantime, ReserveBar has various other low and no-ABV spirits that you can purchase now.
