Introducing Cold River Gin - The Only Ground To Glass Gin In The World

Partners at Maine Distilleries, artisan producers of Maine-made Cold River Vodka and Cold River Blueberry Vodka (www.mainedistilleries.com), today announced the addition of an upscale new spirit, Cold River Gin, to its award-winning product line. Two years in the making, the gin joins Cold River Vodkas as the only all-natural, ground-to-glass, gluten-free gin and vodka products in the world.

Like Cold River Vodka, Cold River Gin is handcrafted and batch-distilled in a copper pot still in Freeport, Maine. All of the potatoes used to make the gin come from Maine Distilleries partner Donnie Thibodeau's family-owned Green Thumb Farms in Fryeburg, Maine, while the gin's water is sourced from western Maine's Cold River Aquifer, through which the Cold River runs. The gin's distillation process yields a very high-proof alcohol, which, when blended with the same water that is used in the vodka blending, results in an exceptional, ultra-smooth, traditional-style gin.

Cold River Gin is based on a 400-year-old traditional gin recipe, and is made to be sipped and savored as a stand-alone beverage, yet mixes well to create cocktails like the classic Gin and Tonic. Cold River Gin uses juniper as a pallet or base on which to create a rich, balanced flavor profile.

"We use seven traditional botanicals in Cold River Gin," noted Chris Dowe, head distiller at Maine Distilleries. "In addition to Juniper Berries, Coriander, and Lemon and Orange Peel, we're incorporating Orris Root, Angelica Root and Cardamom. While Juniper is the most dominant of the spices, it is not overpowering. It's quickly followed by lemon and orange and just a bit of cardamom to give a very smooth, warm and savory finish."

In terms of tasting notes, the gin's nose is juniper-forward, resinous, bracing, and fresh, according to Dowe, who added that supporting the juniper are citrus and coriander, followed by an appropriately floral earthiness. The taste perfectly balances juniper and bitter lemon with sweet orange and aromatic coriander. Juniper flavors deepen in the mid-palate and are complemented by the rich bitterness of angelica root and cardamom. The finish is long, warm, and dry, full of clean juniper flavor, earthy bitterness, and cardamom spice.

Cold River Gin is sold in 750-ml bottles with a suggested retail price of $25.99. The groundbreaking gin is available at all major retailers, and at a growing number of restaurants and bars throughout Maine. The traditional gin also is hitting shelves this summer in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland, Georgia, and Washington D.C., with additional expansion plans underway.

Bob Harkins, director of sales and marketing at Maine Distilleries, said: "Cold River Gin is very closely related to our super-premium potato vodkas, in that it offers the same quality and same level of attention to detail. We're convinced that these factors make a distinct difference in our finished products."

Indeed, since its launch in 2005, the expanding company's Cold River Vodka and Cold River Blueberry Vodka have earned an impressive variety of accolades, awards, and coverage from outlets ranging from Wine Enthusiast, CNN.com, DRAFT magazine and The Washington Post, to TIME magazine, The Boston Globe, The World Spirits Competition, and History Channel's "Modern Marvels."

"Seeing the resurgence of the craft gin market, we felt it made sense to utilize our super-premium vodka experience and apply it in a different category," Harkins added. "All of us expect Cold River Gin will be a welcome addition to the gin market."


About Maine Distilleries, LLC (www.mainedistilleries.com)
Founded in 2005, Maine Distilleries, located in Freeport,