The 5 Best Gins We Tasted in March 2023

As March comes to a close, we here at Gin Raiders would like to fondly look back and reflect on the many great gins we’ve tried this month. Out of all the gins we sampled in March 2023, these five were our favorites!

Bluegrass Alchemy Gin

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Created in small batches by Heartfield & Company Distillery, a producer of bourbon, whiskey and rye, this Kentucky Dry Gin starts its life as a distillate made from 48% wheat, 31% malted barley and 21% rye. Then, juniper, clove, and cardamom are steeped for two weeks and triple-distilled with additional, undisclosed botanicals.

Bluegrass Alchemy Gin is funky, sweet and fruity, with plenty of juniper to support a bounty of spicy cinnamon and pepper notes. Try this 40%-ABV gin in a number of your cocktail favorites, such as a classic gin and tonic or dry martini.

Bluegrass Alchemy Gin is priced at about $40 and can be purchased at select online retailers. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, plan a trip to Heartfield & Company Distillery to sample the gin right where it’s made.

New Riff Kentucky Wild Bourbon Barreled Gin

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This barrel-aged beauty is distilled by New Riff Distilling in Kentucky, another producer of great bourbon. Accordingly, it makes sense that this gin takes full advantage of local wild-foraged Kentucky botanicals and the distillery’s once-used New Riff Bourbon barrels.

Aged for five to seven months in these barrels, New Riff Kentucky Wild Bourbon Barreled Gin takes on rich notes of cedar, vanilla cream and hints of honey. On the palate are smacks of cinnamon, white pepper, coriander, orange peel and juniper. We suggest trying this complex spirit in an Old Fashioned, a sultry barrel-aged Negroni or Martinez.

This 47%-ABV gin is priced under $40 and can be easily found for sale at many online retailers.

Himbrimi Old Tom Gin

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Straight from Iceland, this Old Tom gin combines locally sourced wild arctic thyme and angelica flowers with sweet mountain honey. This rich spirit is made by Himbrimi Distillery based on early 18th-century gin recipes and rests at 40% ABV.

Read More: What Is Old Tom Gin? The Spirited Bridge Between the Original Gin and London Dry

Himbrimi Old Tom Gin is bold and extremely juniper forward on the nose, with a touch of maple and light pepper. There’s moderate viscosity on the palate, joined with notes of clover and light lemon. Juniper and honey are present throughout the entire sipping experience. According to Gin Raiders spirits critic Jay West, this gin “drinks like a toddy in a glass with a hit of juniper and light oak. It’s pleasant, unique and full of delicious character.”

Himbrimi Old Tom Gin retails for an average of $70 and is a touch tricky to find for sale in the U.S. Consider shipping it in directly from its producer to get a taste of this dreamy Old Tom expression.

Junipero Gin

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Junipero Gin is produced in San Francisco, California, by Hotaling & Co. and has a lot to offer to both fans of London dry and modern expressions. With an ABV 49.3%, Junipero Gin is moderately vicious in texture. The higher proof also intensifies its flavors, as bold citrus, cinnamon, juniper and black pepper take your tastebuds for a ride.

“A lovely gin, my only regret is that I’ve not heard of Junipero sooner,” West wrote in his review. “Whether cocktailing or enjoying neat on the rock, you’re in for a treat.”

Junipero Gin is priced at a reasonable $32 and can be found just about anywhere spirits are sold.

Castle & Key The Woolgatherer Gin

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Described as an “experimental barrel finished gin” by Kentucky-based Castle & Key Distillery, The Woolgatherer features punchy florals, bright citrus, warm pepper, vanilla and black tea. On the palate, vanilla strikes again, joined with lemon curd, rich barrel char and a whisper butterscotch.

“Incredible gin, and a reinforcement that while Castle & Key sits in bourbon country, and also attempts to make their own house bourbon, their strong suit is the gin, and they know how to crush it,” West wrote in his review.

Since it’s currently not yet released, the price of this gin is undisclosed. Keep an eye on Castle & Key’s online shop to find out when this barrel-finished gin is officially launched. In the meantime, Castle & Key offers a range of great seasonally inspired gins, so you have plenty of creative spirits to tide you over while you wait for The Woolgatherer to drop.

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Here at Gin Raiders, we do more than write about current events in gin and spirits. We are the only media property reviewing gins and aggregating the scores and reviews of other significant voices in the gin world in one place. If you’re interested in getting a shot of gin in your morning email, sign up for our Deal of the Day newsletter.