Journeyman Bilberry Black Hearts Gin

Journeyman Bilberry Black Hearts Gin takes its name from the bilberry, a dark berry related to blueberry and huckleberry. The distillery in Three Oaks, Michigan, makes it from 100% organic Michigan wheat and lists nine botanicals: juniper, bilberry, lemon, bitter orange, cinnamon, coriander, anise, angelica and orris root. Bottled at 45% ABV, it combines the berry's fruit character with a distinctly botanical gin base.

Citrus · Spicy · Fruity

Bilberry gives the nose a ripe, dark-fruit note, while lemon and bitter orange lift it with a clean citrus edge. Juniper anchors the palate, followed by berry and a measured baking-spice warmth from cinnamon, coriander and anise. Angelica and orris root contribute a drier, earthy quality that keeps the fruit from reading as jam or liqueur. The finish brings the citrus and spice back into focus. The result is full-flavoured but not sugary, with the darker berry remaining identifiable alongside the classic gin botanicals.

The producer calls Bilberry Black Hearts one of its best gins for tonic. A berry-led serve suits that recommendation: add 4 cl gin to a balloon glassCopa glassA large stemmed balloon glass, popularised by the Spanish gin and tonic: it stays cold for longer and gathers the aromas above the drink.Glossary full of ice, top with 10 cl of &T Blueberry Tonic Water, then garnish with fresh bilberries and a lemon twistTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary. The blueberry tonic extends the dark-fruit note, while lemon keeps the finish lively and the aromatic botanicals legible. Stir once, gently, so the drink stays bright and the tonic retains its sparkle.

At 45%, the gin also has enough definition for stirred cocktails. It works in a NegroniNegroniAn Italian cocktail of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and red bitter (Campari), served over ice with orange peel. Born in Florence in 1919.Glossary, where citrus and spice stand up to bitter aperitif and vermouthVermouthAn aromatised, fortified wine flavoured with herbs and barks; its name comes from the German Wermut, wormwood. Dry vermouth goes into a Martini, sweet red into a Negroni.Glossary, or in a MartinezMartinezThe presumed ancestor of the Martini: gin (often Old Tom), sweet vermouth, maraschino and bitters, stirred over ice and served straight up.Glossary-style drink with a softer, aromatic profile. Try a small pour neat before mixing: the contrast between berry, juniper and root botanicals is clearest without dilution, while a few drops of water bring the citrus forward. Journeyman's grain-to-glass approach and organic Michigan wheat give the recipe a strong local anchor without obscuring the bilberry itself.