Wild Life Barrel-Aged Gin

Wild Life Barrel-AgedBarrel-aged ginGin rested for a while in wooden casks. It picks up a golden colour and notes of vanilla, spice or the wine that filled the cask before.GlossarySee Barrel-aged gin gins Gin begins with the distillery's Classic Gin and spends time in ex-bourbon barrels. At 47.2% ABV, it keeps a clear juniper backbone while the American white oak brings a different set of aromas and a warmer colour. The ageing is the defining change: rather than adding fruit or sugar, it lets the barrel soften the spirit and bring vanilla, oak and bourbon-like notes into the existing gin.

Citrus · Woody · Spicy

The nose combines gentle bourbon sweetness with citrus and juniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary. On the palate, candied orange and spice build around the botanical base; the texture feels rounder than the unaged gin, with soft oak through the middle. The finish is long, marked by spice, cassia and a note reminiscent of whisky. Each sip changes slightly as it warms, moving from orange and juniper toward the deeper barrel character.

The distillery received a Judges Selection at the 2025 Alberta Beverage Awards and suggests several ways to use the gin, including an Old Fashioned, a Sour and 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. The Old Fashioned is especially suited to the barrel-aged profile: a small measure of Demerara syrup smooths the oak, and blood orange bittersBittersHighly concentrated bitters (Angostura, orange…), added in dashes to season a cocktail.Glossary add a bright aromatic edge. This is a spirit for a short, slow drink rather than a tall tonic-led serve.

For the distillery's Old Fashioned, stir 60 ml gin, 7.5 ml of 1:1 Demerara syrup and one dash of Wild Life Blood Orange Bitters with ice for 10 seconds. Strain over one large cube in a rocks glassRocks glassA short, heavy glass (tumbler) for a spirit over a large ice cube or a short cocktail.Glossary and express an orange twistTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary above the surface. The peel's oils bring the citrus forward; place it in the drink and serve the same twist on a small plate beside the glass. No tonic is needed: the dilution, oak and bitters supply the balance.