Tuthilltown Honors Henry Hudson's Adventurous Spirit

TUTHILLTOWN SPIRITS FARM DISTILLERY, New York State's first whiskey distiller since Prohibition and makers of renowned HUDSON brand whiskeys, announced the impending release of its latest homage to Henry Hudson and his adventurous spirit, HALF MOON GIN, named for the vessel upon which Hudson explored the New York river that now bears his name.

In what is becoming their signature approach to innovating in the once staid world of spirits, Tuthiltown once again uses tradition not as a restriction, but as a springboard to modern possibilities. HALF MOON GIN breaks new ground by going beyond gin makers' typical approach of flavoring neutral spirit with a blend of botanicals, to actually innovate in the base spirit itself.

The distillers have created a new base of near neutral spirit from both Wheat and the Hudson Valley's ubiquitous Apples. "We're in the heart of the American apple industry so it's natural for us to turn to apples to create an original New York gin".

The distinctive subtleties of the apple blend in the base spirit create a smoother and rounder gin, more drinkable than the standard grain neutral spirit base used in other gins.

Tuthilltown's Chief Distiller Joel Elder notes the break from tradition: "Gin has become a battle of the botanicals, with more and more complicated recipes making use of obscure flavors that get lost in the mix. We chose to keep our botanical bill small and focus attention on the base spirit which makes up most of the gin, using the botanicals to compliment and enhance the delicate flavors inherent in the base."

The spirit is aimed at Bartenders, inviting them to explore new cocktails without the overbearing emphasis on botanicals. The new gin will be introduced regionally this Spring. "It's a great local product people can take home as a reminder of their visit to the Hudson Valley".

The base spirit for the first variant is created with Finger Lakes Wheat, and Apple Neutral Spirit, produced at TUTHILLTOWN SPIRITS DISTILLERY. Visitors to the distillery in Gardiner, NY, 90 minutes north of Manhattan, will be the first to sample the
initial HALF MOON GIN variant release, the recipe called ORCHARD GIN with its signature wheat-apple base, at the TUTHILLTOWN SPIRITS tasting room and shop.

Following close behind will be a line of additional varieties for the gin lover to explore, each crafted by Tuthilltown with its own unique signature base of local grains and fruits, and perfect complementary botanicals.