Chanterelles, Douglas fir tips, salal berries and nettles shape Freeland Forest Gin. Freeland Spirits distils it in Portland, Oregon, only a few blocks from Forest Park, and bottles it at 45% ABV. The four confirmed ingredients come from the region's wooded landscape. They are vacuum-distilled in a rotary evaporator, a low-temperature method chosen to preserve aromas that ordinary heat could flatten.

Each ingredient brings a different part of the forest into the glass. Douglas fir tips provide a bright evergreen note, while nettles add the freshness of crushed green leaves. Chanterelles contribute earth and a subtle savoury depth rather than an obvious mushroom taste. Salal berries introduce dark fruit and mild tartness. Together they create a profile that moves between needles, damp ground, undergrowth and berry skin without becoming heavy.

The aroma recalls fresh greenery and a forest floor after rain. On the palate, fir and nettle arrive first with a clean, piney lift. Chanterelle gives the middle more depth, then salal berry adds a quiet fruit note before the finish turns dry and earthy. The 45% strength keeps these delicate rotovap distillates vivid. Floral traces and dark berry emerge with a little dilution, while the savoury component remains controlled and elegant.

Serve 4 cl with 10 cl of Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water over large clear ice. Add one narrow lemon peel, expressed lightly and placed at the edge of the glass. Lemon is not presented as a botanical in the gin; here it acts only as a bright garnish that opens the fir and green notes. A neutral tonic is essential, as elderflower or strongly flavoured mixers would blur the contrast between mushroom, evergreen, nettle and berry.