Still Austin's The Naturalist American Gin and The Outdoor Type

Nature shines through the work of the distillers at Still Austin. Fresh, locally sourced ingredients are carefully distilled by hand in small batches to create well-balanced whiskeys and gins that are distinctive in their flavor and bouquet, including their latest creation: The Naturalist American Gin.

The Naturalist is an American gin made from Brasetto rye and white corn grown in Texas. The spirit is produced in 100-gallon batches and infused with 12 botanicals, including coriander, allspice, cinnamon, elderflower, grapefruit, lemon, and orange.

An American gin is less juniper-forward than a London Dry. Indeed, rye is the star of The Naturalist. You immediately smell the rye when tasting the gin, though the white corn gives the gin a sweet smoothness that's pleasant to the palette. The citrus flavors come through at the end, especially the grapefruit.

The Naturalist is a perfect base for classic gin cocktails, such as an Aviation, Bee’s Knees or Negroni. Don’t be surprised, though, if your Negroni tastes closer to a Boulevardier, as the rye and corn remind at least one of us more of whiskey than gin.

Juniper Rating:

We're both partial to The Outdoor Type, a cocktail specially created by Jehudiel Barba that highlights the gin's grapefruit notes. Fresh grapefruit and lime juice bring out the citrus ingredients, and the simple syrup strikes a perfect balance among tartness, sweetness, and herbalness. The end result is a perfect cocktail for Sunday brunch with family or friends.

The Outdoor Type

Ingredients 1.5 oz The Naturalist Still Austin American Gin 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice ½ oz fresh lime juice ¾ oz simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain with fine mesh strainer into a coupe and garnish with a wedge of grapefruit.