It is a bit hard to rationalize disliking when people put the words ‘farm crafted’ and ‘organic’ on something we review when we ourselves are the brand of hipster that hates some new burger joint charging 19 for their creation yet still visits a farmer’s market every week because it’s between the butcher and weed store and potatoes are required for a meal this week. In short, we don’t buy into this malarkey, but we at least respect it well enough.
If you are not a fan of some herbs (no not that kind) then this gin is likely not for you. Actually, that’s a lie because it’s quite sneaky in a Gin and Tonic so if that’s your bag then you’re golden. As for the discerning gin drinker – this isn’t something competing with the big names, but by its nature it can’t be simply discounted as a ‘well gin’
What they Say: “Our story begins with organic family farmers who work hard to keep their fields free from harmful pesticides.
The result is an award-winning organic gin with bursts of herbs, sage, juniper, and exotic spices, which complement a refreshing mouth feel with a long, delicate finish.
Crafted for those who appreciate hard work and all that it yields.”
Taste: 5.0 – This tastes more like an herbal tea than a gin made with tea, and while that does make one curious for the unique mix of that elusive martini – we’re not there yet and this while tasty, isn’t tasty. (Lots to taste, but not all great)
Aftertaste: 6.5 – Here it mellows a bit and you got some sweetness along with the typical juniper and it’s overall a better experience.
Burn/Smooth: 7.0 – Now while it’s a bit odd making it less smooth, this is by now means on the scale of gins a barn-burning sonuvabitch. It’s quite mild and does have some tail-end warmth as well.
Aroma: 4.5 – Not sure why organic means rosemary, but damned if this isn’t just a mix of juniper and rosemary/sage with honestly a bit too much of the latter. Don’t get us wrong we like rosemary, but we’re not cooking a chicken in this. (Wait should we?)
Honesty: 4.0 – Minus points for organic, it’s either already organic by nature, or you’ve gone out of your way to make what is essentially a low-killing poison organic and what’s the fucken point of that. Now we do appreciate the hard work of those who grow things, but it’s hard to say you appreciate them when you’ve used their higher quality, higher selling materials in something distilled and seeped to the point where it might not matter if it’s organic. Not saying you shouldn’t use high-end materials, if it’s right it’s right, but you don’t happen to pick things and realize you’ve gone organic that’s a lifestyle choice and not one we jive with when it comes to something in a glass with tonic. That being said – they are honest about what they’re doing, and not superfluous about it – in the end, more of a moral quandary.
Mixability: 5.5
Gin and Tonic: 5.0 – You can gladly make this a much stronger G&T than usual to get the desired effect (of the flavor combination, not the drunkenness), It is in a word – serviceable.
Martini: 6.0 – There is a tipping point here. Too much vermouth and the gin is lost, and too much the other way and it’s as if it’s not there. Even making minute adjustments you can think you’ve achieved balanced, but really it’s mostly gin until you go just too far and it’s not. Why all the dithering? Well to explain that this gin on the rocks is okay, it stands out, but it does not make an ‘Excellent’ martini.
Value: 6.5 – No here’s where we get to the good news. The good news being that this fairly average gin with no real major crimes is thankfully ‘dear god’ not some crazy add 27 or 38 dollars, but a respectable 18 with a 1.75L for only a few dollars more. Is this going to replace our well gin of New Amsterdam? No, but it could be yours.
Google Shop Average: $18
Website: https://www.prairieorganicspirits.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 6.0
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Metric Score: 39/70 |+| Metric Average: 5.57 |+| Reviewer Average: 6.0
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Final Thoughts: I had a score in my mind nearly the entire time of this review which was ‘yeah this gin is about a 6’ it’s not horrific, it’s actually quite smooth, and mixes okay so it gets a 6. Does it stand out – no? Does it excel – no. Is it mediocre – not entirely. This gin is slightly above the average swill you’re likely to find and or buy, and in doing so you will not be led astray.
