Beehive Distilling, Decade Dry Gin

From the bottle: "A decade has passed since the inception of our inaugural gin [Beehive Jackrabbit Gin], and now, we proudly unveil the next chapter in our journey: Decade Dry. This meticulously crafted gin seamlessly marries the classic juniper notes with the exotic allure of makrut lime leaves, the warmth of sichuan peppercorn, and the zesty brightness of orange peel. The result is Decade Dry, a gin that pays homage to its roots while embracing an innovative Asian-inspired profile. 100% neutral spirit distilled from grain." Beehive's Jackrabbit Gin has a lovely profile of juniper, sage, dry mountain forests, and a hint of rose, distilled and bottled in Utah. So I've been excited to try this variation. This is from Batch 2. Tasting neat, room temp. The gin is clear with strong coating legs in the glass. The nose is strong juniper, with a hint of dried lime and an herbal sweetness. Pepper spiciness shows up in the background. On the palette, a kind of muddy profile of juniper and bitter lime peel, with a kick of ethanol and pepper in the back. The mouthfeel is oily, coating, with a little heat and pepper tingle as it turns to the finish. Finish is herbal and sweet, trending toward a clearer lime flavor and sweetness the longer you wait. That pepper spiciness lingers as well. It's a long finish, quite pleasant. Cooling this gin with an ice chip flattens the juniper nose as well as the lime peel bitterness and pepper on the palette, shortening the finish. It's going to work nicely in a cocktail. As a fan of Beehive gin, I'm a bit disappointed by the muddy pallete, but then I prefer a classic crisp London Dry profile to modern American (or, in this case, Asian) style gins. There's room for all of them, hence a more generous rating given the distiller's intent. I'm going to experiment with this one in a Martini, a Negroni, and a Corpse Reviver #2, see how it does. More to follow.