Juniper Grove Atrium Gin

Juniper Grove Atrium Gin is another award-winning spirit from the Bently Heritage Estate Distillery in Nevada.

I recently reviewed Bently Heritage’s vodka that had been aged in sherry casks and found it to be one of the best spirits I’d ever tasted. This estate distillery based on a ranch in Nevada, and using almost exclusively grains and other produce grown on the ranch, has a growing range of spirit, including three gins, though one is only available at the distillery..

Bently Heritage Gins

As well as their classic American Dry Gin, which has been getting glowing reviews, they do an Alpine Gin, which uses 100% grain grown on the ranch and a piñon pine resin to create that alpine flavor.

Juniper Grove Atrium Gin Awards

Their new Juniper Grove Atrium Gin has quickly picked up some awards, including a Gold Medal at the 2020 San Diego Wine and Spirits Challenge and 92 points at the 2020 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

Juniper Grove Atrium Gin

Juniper Grove Atrium Gin begins as a neutral spirit made from a blend of oats and wheat that are 100% grown on their ranch. It’s triple-distilled in copper pot stills and made in small batches. It uses ten botanicals: juniper, angelica, gentian, lavender, chamomile, orange peel, orris root, cardamom, grapefruit, and lemon balm.

Right away you notice that it’s quite strong on the citrus, with all that orange peel, grapefruit, and lemon balm. The botanicals are macerated overnight to draw out the flavors before the final distillation and bottling at 46% ABV. The name Atrium is a nod to their greenhouse where they plan to grow as many of their own botanicals as possible.

Tasting Juniper Grove Atrium Gin

The bottle is solid and chunky using pale green glass, a color popular with gin brands. It certainly sits handsomely in the liquor cabinet.

A bottle of Juniper Grove Atrium Gin — Juniper Grove Atrium Gin

Because of the name Juniper Grove I expected the juniper to leap out and hit me on the nose. In fact that’s more the case with their American Dry Gin, which only uses five botanicals. With the Atrium Gin there are more aromas competing for your attention, and very pleasant they are. The juniper is evident but not overpowering, and for me there was a strong orange warmth to the aroma, along with spiciness from the cardamom, and big floral notes from the gentian, lavender, and chamomile.

And what you smell is what you get on the palate. The juniper steps forward a little more strongly, but the orange flavor backed by the other citrus remains dominant, and some light spice and floral notes in the background. That slightly bigger alcohol kick is certainly noticeable too, and the flavors are very full in the mouth, with a smooth citrus finish.

This isn’t probably a gin I would sip, as for me gin is one of the hardest spirits to enjoy neat, but it was ace with a Fever Tree Tonic and the citrus is so strong there’s no need to add anything. Garnish this with an orange slice and your friends will be impressed, especially with that extra alcohol kicking in.