In this feature, we are taking a look at Modern Love Gin, Craft Gin Club’s February 2023 Gin of the Month, and the incredible Palm Springs-based distillery behind it.
We’ll be diving into the process and inspiration behind the making of this amazing Californian craft gin and we’ll be answering questions about what Modern Love Gin tastes like, the inspiration behind its name and the perfect way to serve it.
And that’s not all, here, we’ll also be taking you through some of the other tasty tipples available from The Palm Springs Spirits Co., including another stunning Palm Springs gin.
Modern Love Gin
Distilled in California, USA
40% ABV
How is The Palm Springs Spirits Co.’s Morden Love Gin made?
The Palm Springs Distilling Co., founders Tony Hazell and Milena Hazell
Modern Love Gin is made by The Palm Springs Spirits Co., which was founded by husband-and-wife team Milena and Tony Hazell, inspired by Palm Spring’s iconic mid-century modern architecture and the fantastic cocktail culture in the area.
They worked with master distiller Brandy Pieper to create the recipe for Modern Love Gin, which celebrates its California home by using local citrus fruit.
“Citrus plays a big part in the final liquid. We used lemons from the trees in our own garden as well as oranges and grapefruits, also grown right here in the desert. That might sound surprising, but with the right irrigation, citrus fruits can thrive in this climate, and you’ll find them growing all over Palm Springs.”
To complement those citrus flavours, they add floral notes to the gin using lavender.
For this, they took their inspiration from Temecula, a Californian town that’s famous for its wineries, hot air balloon festival and its vivid lavender fields.
To balance those beautiful Californian botanicals, Tony and Milena decided to add one ingredient that pays homage to British Columbia, where they first met and fell in love: blackcurrants.
“We decided to use blackcurrant, which only grows in wetter climates, like British Columbia. They’re actually quite a rare ingredient here in the US, and we wanted to introduce more people to them.”
As well as introducing a tart-yet-sweet fruity flavour to the gin, the blackcurrants also give the tipple a gorgeous lilac colour when poured over ice.
“When we poured the liquid from the first batch over ice, we immediately noticed that it ‘louches’, meaning the gin develops this very subtle purple haze. It’s a visual reflection of the concentration of botanical oils in the gin, with the light lilac colour derived from blackcurrant and lavender.”
These, along with other London dry botanicals are distilled and bottled to give us the remarkable gin in Craft Gin Club’s February 2023 Gin of the Month box.
The full list of Modern Love Gin botanicals can be found here: juniper, grapefruit, orange, lemon, dried blackcurrants, lime, orris, coriander and lavender.
Why is Modern Love Gin called “Modern Love Gin”?
Tony and Milena named Modern Love Gin after a painting they bought from a local artist in Palm Springs and hung in their mid-century modern home. The painting is called “Modern Love”.
“One day we looked at it and thought: that’s the perfect description for our gin. It’s an expression of our love of mid-century modernism, which is so much more than a style of architecture. Modernism is an attitude, a belief in looking forward as opposed to looking back. That’s a belief that’s informed every aspect of making this gin. Plus, we like that the name Modern Love also has other connotations. Everyone has their own perspective on love and what it means, whether you’re talking about romantic love or friendship or passion, and we wanted a name for the gin that people could read their own meanings into.”
Where is Modern Love Gin made?
Modern Love Gin is made in Palm Springs, California, USA.
What does Modern Love Gin taste like?
A modern American gin, Modern Love Gin has bright citrus tones on the nose, which are joined by hints of dark berry and floral touches.
On the palate, sumptuous notes of blackcurrant and lavender come together with that symphony of citrus aromas along with fragrant pink grapefruit and earthy juniper.
The finish is long and moreish and completely delicious.
How do you serve Modern Love Gin?
We recommend mixing Modern Love Gin with Mulberry Creek Tonic and a garnish of juniper berries and lime. With its balanced mix of citrus and bitter quinine, Mulberry Creek Tonic is the perfect match for the citrus, berry and floral tones of the gin. The garnishes then take those citrus aromas to the next level. Find the full recipe here:
Modern Love Gin is also brilliant in gin cocktails like Craft Gin Club’s Gin Crush, our February 2023 Cocktail of the Month. This fabulous serve combines the floral, citrus and berry palate of Modern Love Gin with Flawsome! Strawberry & Apple Sparkling Water and Craft Gin Club’s bespoke Gin Crush Cocktail Syrup. Find the full recipe at this link!
What other spirits does The Palm Springs Spirits Co. make?
Modern Love Reserve Gin
This unique, distinctive craft gin is made by ageing The Palm Springs Spirits Co.’s Modern Love Gin in select French and American oak barrels that once held Pinot Noir red wine in California’s famed Napa Valley wine region. The result is a gin with remarkable depth and complexity that no gin fan will want to miss.
What does Modern Love Reserve Gin taste like? The nose is an invitingly heady mix of spiced citrusy, woody tones and rich juniper, all fragranced by touches of sweet plum and caramel. They all continue onto the palate, where they are met by mouthwatering pink peppercorn and grapefruit flavours. The finish is long, with hints of fennel and lots of luscious kisses of orange.
How do you serve Modern Love Reserve Gin? We recommend serving Modern Love Reserve Gin in cocktails like a Bee’s Knees or darker serves like a Negroni or Hanky-Panky. It’s also fantastic simply served over ice in a Rocks glass.
Image: The Palm Springs Spirits Co.
Modern Love Vodka
A Gold-winner at the World Vodka Awards 2021, this marvellous tipple has an ultra-smooth, sumptuously soft mouthfeel and is brilliantly clean and crystal clear. With its delectably complex flavour profile, it’s a must-try for any vodka aficionado out there.
What does Modern Love Vodka taste like? Modern Love Vodka has a nose brimming with clean citrus, spice and herb tones, all atop a deliciously earthy grain base. On the palate, you can find a creamy texture and hints of vanilla, cocoa and lemon, which all last long into the aromatic finish, where hints of pear and mint can be found.
How do you serve Modern Love Vodka? Modern Love Vodka makes an excellent martini and is just as good simply served over ice.
Can you visit The Palm Spring Spirits Co. distillery?
This year (2023), The Palm Spring Spirits Co. will open its doors to visitors for the very first time so that you can enjoy a drink in their distillery tasting room, which they hope to make the most eco-friendly in North America by becoming wholly run on solar energy and using only hyper-local ingredients at the bar.
In this innovative, sun-dappled bar, guests will be introduced to new members of the Modern Love family – from an ultra-smooth vodka to whiskey aged in ex-cabernet sauvignon barrels, their shelves will be lined with all sorts of cutting-edge creations.
Modern Love Tequila, used in cocktails like Margaritas and Palomas, will also be a guest of honour at the bar. By law, all tequilas must be made in certain regions of Mexico – just like Champagne must be made in the Champagne region of France. So Milena and Tony, who grow agave in their own garden and have long loved agave-based spirits, teamed up with a distillery in the town of Tequila in Mexico to make this authentic spirit.
Where can you buy Modern Love Gin?
Modern Love Gin is available to buy in the Craft Gin Club online shop here and it is also available in the UK as part of Craft Gin Club’s February 2023 Gin of the Month box while stocks last.
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