Product Reviews and Awards

Our products have won a variety of prestigious awards and great reviews - here are some recent comments and tasting notes.

Distiller's Gin No. 6

• 95 pts Gold Medal/Exceptional Rating - Beverage Testing Institute, 2008
  Highest rating given to any American-made gin
Tasting notes: "Clear with a platinum cast. Vibrant aromas of fresh herbs and spices, piney juniper, and twisted lemon peels jump from the glass. A silky entry leads to a fruity-yet-dry medium-full body of bold cracked juniper berry, pink peppercorns, lemon curd, clove, and pastry frosting flavors. Finishes with a long interplay of resiny juniper, sweet citrus and brown spices. A superb gin that virtually bristles with fresh, 3-D flavors. Very impressive!"
• Highly Recommended - "[E]arthy, floral, citrusy and spicy in a way I have never encountered before in a gin before. Bravo! " by Spirits Review, July 2008
• Best-rated among a variety of artisan gins by Time Out Chicago - "This floral spirit is rife with unusual (and unusually delicious) flavors for a gin, like lavender." Feb 2008
• "A modern-style gin ... smooth and refined" - New York Times, Nov 2007
• Rated Best Gin by Chicago Magazine over Bombay Sapphire, Hendrick's and Tanqueray 10, Jan 2007 (.pdf)
• Gold Medal/Exceptional Rating - Beverage Testing Institute, 2006
Tasting notes: "Clear. Lime peel, cinnamon stick, and herbal juniper aromas are intense. A round, vibrant entry leads to a dryish full-bodied palate with robust juniper, cinnamon bark, sweet lemon peels, cloves, and peppery spice. Finishes with a lingering fade of sweet herbs and a touch of minerals and honey. Super fresh, three-dimensional juniper, cinnamon bark, and spice character really jumps out at you. Wow!"
• Bronze Medal, 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
• 4.5 out of 5, a "damn good gin" - Gin Reviews Blog, Dec 2007

Distiller's Gin No. 11

• 94 pts Gold Medal/Exceptional Rating - Beverage Testing Institute, 2008
Tasting notes: "Clear. Dense, compacted aromas of honeycomb, lime soufflé, peppery juniper, and sweet spices. A soft, silky entry leads to a fruity medium-full of citrus custard pasty, pink peppercorns, fresh herbs, and honeyed juniper berries. Finishes with an long interplay of flavor with a touch of eucalyptus and minerals. A lovely, deeply flavorful, and elegantly styled gin that will be sensational in vintage cocktails."

North Shore Vodka

• Imbibe Magazine said "Chicago’s own micro-distillery crafts this lightly sweet vodka with notes of fresh flowers and citrus. Smooth and balanced." - Mar/Apr 2010 issue
• Highly rated among a variety of artisan vodkas by Time Out Chicago - "Straight from Lake Bluff, this beauty drinks clean and finishes cleaner, remaining cool and alcohol-free (at least in flavor) all the way down." Feb 2008
• "[A]n admirable job... smooth and elegant and would make an excellent martini." - New York Times, Nov 2007
• 5 Stars - Backlit Vodka Lounge, online spirits rating site, April 2007
• "Amazingly smooth, crisp and clean... great straight out of the freezer" - Epicurious.com, August 2006

Aquavit Private Reserve

• 95 points, Exceptional Rating - Beverage Testing Institute, 2008
  Highest Rated Aquavit
  
  Tasting notes: "Yellow straw color with a chartreuse cast. vibrant and stimulating aromas of pink peppercorns, cardamom, lemongrass, medicinal roots and herbs, and sandalwood follow through on a silky entry to a dryish medium-to-full body with a touch of tilled earth a long, spicy fade. Excellent flavor, purity and depth."
• Gold Medal, 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
• 9 out of 10 ... "Spicy, light, aromatic, the three c's (caraway,cumin and coriander) blend in a balletic display of the possible." and "Incredibly smooth and seductively aromatic - especially for an aquavit. " - Spirits Review, July 2008
• “Crisp and smooth... the flavors were complex and well-balanced. I highly recommend North Shore Aquavit." - Pro Bono Baker Blog, March 2007