The distillery ghosts at Boone County Distilling in Boone County, Kentucky have dug up a bit more local history with the launch of a seasonal spirits line starting with Ruckers & Gaines American Dry Gin Spring release.
Boone County is best known for their bourbon and whiskey so this new line of spirits lets the distillers get out of their comfort zone and do some experimentation. Josh Quinn, Boone County Distilling Company Co-founder said, “The most notable piece of the process really is experimentation and alchemy of mixing botanicals until the team found a flavor profile that we and our customers would enjoy. It’s trial and error…not too much of this, or too little of that…the trick is to get it just right.”
The spirit was placed in their 500 gallon copper pot still to allow it to interact directly with the botanicals where the oils and flavors are released, distilled and re-condensed into what eventually becomes the final product. And something not too many distillers highlight, Quinn added, “The botanicals are of course all Kosher certified by the OU, so there is no question of quality.”
Who are Ruckers and Gaines?
The name comes from a piece of local history as pulled from the Lewis Loder Diary. It was back in 1859 when Loder makes a reference to a turnpike between Rucker’s and Gaines (two property owners.) According to local historian, retired Judge Tony Frolich he thinks the entry to the Loder Diary could mean many things. Frolich writes, “Some turnpikes were built by private citizens and tolls were paid. He could have been paying on a bond as one of original constructers. Some roads were public and managed by surveyors and people living on it worked on repairs or paid an assessment. I have a lot of the Rucker and Gaines photographs in my collection. The road through Gainesville was called the Gaines crossroads because so many roads came through Gainesville connecting parts of the county. An important tollgate.”
“The gin is a purposeful intersection of botanicals, so we thought using the names of the central paths that the men crossed was fitting,” stated Quinn.
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From grain to glass, this spirited gin is born from shifting of the season. The company says their gins is distilled by hand with a clean yet robust blend of botanicals to get a balanced union of crisp juniper and fresh citrus. The mélange of spices also includes grapefruit, lemon peel, coriander, angelica root and lemongrass. Bright citrus, warm spices, and juniper blend together with a smooth and dry finish with zesty lemon notes.
“We are excited to bring this new spirit to our line-up. We have many customers who love our approach to bourbon and want to see our same approach in other spirits” stated Quinn.
Boone County Distilling plans on doing more experiments at the beginning of each fall and spring season to produce a new, limited release of seasonally-inspired gin. The Ruckers & Gaines American Dry Gin releases will only be available at the distillery and select Northern Kentucky retailers.
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Learn more about The B-Line – Northern Kentucky’s Bourbon Tour.
Ruckers & Gaines American Dry Gin Spring Release
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