I'm always excited about collaborative projects. This one is special; we've looked forward to it for a long time. I was introduced to Wonderbird a few years ago and fell in love with their gin and craft approach to making it. After winning Garden & Gun's "Made In The South" awards, we began discussing collaboration ideas. A barrel swap seemed like the perfect opportunity! But the hard part, what barrel? Last year, after lots of brainstorming and idea sharing, we sent an empty barrel. This was a toasted French oak from Seelbach's Private Reserve, Batch 007. Finally, our friends at Wonderbird were off and running.
Wonderbird gin is a field-to-bottle gin distilled in Mississippi. They ferment Mississippi Delta rice to make the base spirit. Their method, inspired by traditional sake making, creates a clean base. This allows for the addition of subtly complex flavors and aromas. Their flagship Gin No. 61 is a special blend of ten botanicals. They harvest the pine needles and red clover right from their distillery grounds. That No. 61 was then aged in one of our toasted French oak barrels for 224 days. The result is a wonderfully smooth gin. It has strong bourbon hints of caramel, clove, and spice from the barrel. You'll also find lingering creamy notes of Fruity Pebbles and Lemonhead candy.
