Raise a Glass to International Women’s Day With These 5 Women-Owned Gin Brands

Established as Women’s History Month, and with International Women’s Day observed on the 8th, March serves as a momentous occasion to commemorate the accomplishments and impact of women worldwide. In this context of celebration, let’s shift our focus to the women who are trailblazing and making significant strides in the traditionally male-dominated distilling industry. Their backgrounds and achievements not only challenge historical norms but also contribute to a more diverse and inclusive landscape, marking a significant shift in the industry’s narrative.

As we raise our glasses in honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, join us in highlighting five remarkable women-owned gin brands that deserve recognition not only now but all year round!

Stray Dog Wild Gin

Stray Dog Wild Gin was co-founded by spirits industry professional Adriana Soley Livanos in 2020. Originating from Barcelona, her journey began in restaurants, eventually leading her to become a renowned bartender in Spain and winning international cocktail competitions. Moving to NYC in 2013, she excelled in brand development and collaborated with esteemed companies. Recognized for her outstanding skills, she received the “Aliens with extraordinary abilities” visa twice. Livanos additionally mentors women in the spirits industry and has earned a spot as a Tory Burch Foundation Fellow.

Livanos’ extensive experience culminated in the creation of Stray Dog Wild Gin, produced in Greece with wild botanicals, and a commitment to supporting animal shelters. Partnering with local organizations, the brand donates a portion of sales to animal shelters that provide veterinary care and homes for stray animals in Greece. Inspired by Mediterranean flavors, Stray Dog Wild Gin delivers a blend of sage, bay leaf, rosemary, cardamom, lemon, orange, mastiha, fennel seed, coriander and juniper.

Stray Dog Wild Gin has earned numerous awards, including a Double Gold Medal at the SF World Spirits Competition and both a Gold Medal and Greece Gin of the Year accolade at the NY International Spirits Competition.

Love, Katie Distilling Gin

Established in 2023 by Katie Sirianni, Love, Katie Distilling stands as Pennsylvania’s first LGBTQ-owned distillery. Building on her success with Sips Mobile Bar Co., Sirianni transitioned from running an outdoor portable bar to distillation, marking a spirited leap into a new chapter. Located in Sharpsburg, Love, Katie Distilling presents a distinctive mix of gin, rum and vodka within a speakeasy-style setting that is dedicated to championing inclusivity.

From Love, Katie Distilling comes Love, Querida Gin, a 45%-ABV London dry crafted as a Valentine’s Day gift for Sirianni’s girlfriend, Jen. The silky spirit features a sweet citrus aroma, gentle hibiscus notes, zesty orange and a tingly pepper finish. The brand also offers Love, Barrel Reserve Gin, a gin that has been aged for one year in oak barrels to offer notes of soft spice, vanilla, cardamom and sweet and bitter orange peel.

Inspired by her relationship with Jen, Sirianni’s distillery and each of its products stand as a love letter, promoting authenticity, inclusivity and pursuing dreams

“This brand represents love, and on the back of every bottle is a love letter,” Sirianni explained. “Although it is my love letter to Jen, I want it to be anyone’s love letter to their loved one.”

Harmony Gin

Officially launched in September 2023, Holistic Spirits Co. emerged under the guidance of health and wellness entrepreneur Amy Holmwood and American actor Woody Harrelson. The brand’s flagship products, Harmony Gin and Origen Specialty Vodka, were formulated with a desire to “give consumers a better way to drink.”

Holmwood, a proponent of holistic health solutions, found inspiration in her personal encounters with health challenges and a family history deeply rooted in both the beer industry and industrial engineering. Armed with a BBA in International Business, a Nutrition Science Certification from the Stanford Center for Health Education and a Master’s Degree in Biotechnology Enterprise from John Hopkins University, Holmwood’s educational journey has solidified her standing as an industry veteran in the realm of wellness.

Holistic Spirits Company’s offerings showcase a unique blend of artichoke leaves, elderberries, green tea leaves and muscadine grapes. Harmony Gin further incorporates juniper berries, coriander seed, hyssop, lemon peel, lime peel, angelica root and orris root. Both spirits promise imbibers a drinking experience free of artificial flavors, artificial colors and GMOs.

Silks Irish Dry Gin

Sally Anne Cooney and her mother, Marie, introduced Silks Irish Dry Gin in 2021. The gin, named after the vibrant silks worn by jockeys at Bellewstown Racecourse, is a creation born from the duo’s unique roles. They stand out not only as one of the few mother-and-daughter apiary teams in Ireland but also as integral members of the family-run Boann Distillery.

Silks Gin is crafted in small batches using a 500-liter custom copper pot still, employing 14 distinct botanicals sourced from the family orchards, including apple blossom, honey, elderflower and hawthorn blossom. The gin’s botanicals undergo a 24-hour maceration process before slow distillation with a vapor infusion in a custom copper “Bennett” pot still.

The inspiration for Silks Gin was sparked when the Cooneys captured thousands of bees that had settled on a neighbor’s farm gate. Marie Cooney, in search of a swarm to pollinate her family’s 6,500 apple trees, got a call from a neighbor who had noticed one on his gate. The swarm, once carefully transported to establish the Sunshine Apiary, has long departed, yet the hives persist, serving as a honey source for Silks Gin.

Freeland Spirits Gin

Freeland Spirits, based in Portland, Oregon, was founded by Jill Kuehler in 2017. Inspired by her grandmother’s fierce independence and love of agriculture, Kuehler’s gins are crafted with locally sourced grains and produce. Further challenging the male-dominated industry, every role at Freeland Spirits, from Master Distiller to grain-growing farmers, is filled by women.

Freeland Spirits’ range currently features three distinct gins, various canned cocktails and an Oregon Pinot Noir oak barrel-rested bourbon. Freeland Gin offers tasting notes of zesty citrus, garden herbs and warm spice, while the brand’s Navy Strength expression, Freeland Dry Gin, is bottled at 57% ABV because “strong women deserve strong gin.” Joining the permanent collection in June 2023, Forest Gin features locally sourced ingredients from the distillery’s surrounding woods, including chanterelle mushrooms, Douglas fir tips, salal berries and nettles.

Notably, Freeland Spirits Gin won a prestigious double gold medal at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

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