Fort Worth, Texas-based Ke Spirits’ Ke Gin “is going to change how people think about gin,” at least according to the company. Made from a purported 500-year-old recipe, the goal is to make a gin with softer juniper notes and less evergreen character — “a rich, smooth, and refreshing experience,” as the founder puts it.

The complete botanical bill isn’t disclosed, but in addition to juniper, Sicilian lemon, bitter orange, cardamom, and coriander, there are four other ingredients in the mix.

Sure enough, it is a citrus-forward spirit, and as soft as Ke promises. The nose offers bergamot notes and a dusting of marshmallow, very gentle and almost innocuous. The body takes that citrus and runs full bore with it. Orange and lemon notes hit hard and build; after a time, some lightly earthy/herbal notes come into the fold and offer some added nuance. The finish is clean and rather short.

What’s missing here? Juniper is all but absent in this gin, but that shouldn’t be surprising, really — Ke tells you at the start that it’s trying to temper the arboreal notes in this gin, and that’s where they’ve succeeded admirably.

If your tastes run to oranges over evergreens, give Ke a shot.

80 proof.

B+ / $28

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