Gin for breakfast? Well, brunch anyway.

With Breakfast Gin, Few Spirits is targeting some specific cocktails — including the Ramos Gin Fizz and the French 75, which are a little more appropriate before noon than, say, a Manhattan. Botanicals include juniper, lemon, and Earl Grey tea (among others).

Launched in Chicago in summer 2015, the gin was a local hit and is rolling out nationally now.

Thoughts follow.

The gin is light on its feet, at first a bit woody on the nose, but in time revealing more of the herbal notes driven by the tea element. On the palate, the gin is gentle at first, with uncomplicated juniper notes up front. These give way to more of those tea-driven notes, heavy on orange peel and grapefruit peel notes, before finishing with a brighter burst of citrus.

It’s got less going on than you might expect based on the unusual addition of tea in the botanical bill, but it’s definitely worth trying out in the above mentioned cocktails, or in one of the ones below.

84 proof.

B+ / $40 / fewspirits.com  [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS] [BUY IT NOW FROM DRIZLY]

And now, some recipes…

Madteani
by Sara McDaniel, MAD Social, Chicago
3 oz. Few Breakfast Gin
.5 oz. brewed Earl Grey tea
.5 oz. honey syrup (1 part honey, 1 part water)
3 dashes Bar Keep Lavender Bitters

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a Martini or coupe glass. Garnish with an edible flower.

White Lady
by Todd Elkis, Adele’s Front Room, La Grange, Ill.
1.75 oz. Few Breakfast Gin
1.25 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. lemon juice

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

The Spell
by Ergys Dizdari, SIP, Chicago
1.5 oz. Few Breakfast Gin
.5 oz. elderflower liqueur (such as St. Germain)
.75 oz. lemon juice
.75 oz. Rose-Lavender Syrup*

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with a spritz of rosewater and a rose petal.

*Rose-Lavender Syrup
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup dried rose petals
.5 cup dried lavender

Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and let stand until cool. Fine-strain and store in the refrigerator.

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