Bixby Dry Gin

A spring hike through Big Sur gave Bixby Dry GinDry ginGin with no perceptible sweetness: in the European Union, the word "dry" allows at most 0.1 g of sugar per litre.GlossarySee Dry gin gins its direction. Lloyd Distillery makes it in Gonzales, California, on a hand-built still heated by direct fire. Each 92-proof micro-batch carries its number on the label. California bay gathered in the coastal mountains joins juniper, elderflower, sage, rosemary, rose hips, orange peel, coriander, orris and chamomile. The nose moves from pine and orange oils to meadow flowers and aromatic herbs. Bay and sage lend a dry, savoury middle, while chamomile and elderflower soften the edges without adding sugary weight. Direct heat gives the distiller a vivid, characterful spirit rather than a polished neutral profile. Gold medals at the San Francisco competition in 2020 and again in 2026 underline that balance of intensity and precision.

Citrus · Dry · Floral · Herbal

The ten named botanicals make the tasting sequence easy to follow. Resin arrives first, flowers and herbs widen the middle, and citrus restores definition before the finish. At 46% vol., the spirit has enough structure to remain articulate after dilutionDilutionThe water added by melting ice. In the right amount it opens the aromas and softens the alcohol; too much flattens the drink.Glossary. Bay and rosemary deserve attention because they carry Big Sur into the recipe without reducing it to a scenic reference.

Pour 4 cl over hard ice and add 10 cl of dry Indian tonicIndian tonicThe classic tonic: sparkling water, bitter quinine and sugar. The name recalls colonial India, where quinine warded off malaria.Glossary. Put orange peel and a short rosemary sprig among the cubes, with a second curl of peel and rosemary beside the glass. The orange repeats the bright top notes while rosemary follows the gin rather than covering its bay and sage.

The bay is more than a reference to Big Sur: its green oils can be followed from the aroma into the dry finish, where rosemary and chamomile keep the profile balanced.