Local Ingredients Balance Out The Foragers Gin

By Katie Coakley

Since opening in August 2018, Mythology Distillery has been making a name for itself in the Denver spirits scene. Now, the travel-and-adventure-inspired distillery offers imbibers a blended American whisky, rye vodka, silver rum and dry gin on the regular menu; a Syrah-finished whiskey was the first specialty release. But one of their latest specialty releases is a uniquely Denver collaboration.

This fall, Mythology released The Foragers Gin, a special botanical gin produced with chamomile, lemon verbena and elderflower harvested from the Denver Botanic Gardens.

“My good friend Blake Burger has been a horticulturist at the Denver Botanic Gardens for over a decade,” said Scott Yeates, founder and president of Mythology Distillery. “We were discussing bitters, making them with botanicals from the Gardens and the idea popped up that we could make a gin using botanicals harvested from the Gardens.”

Take a stroll around the 24 acres of the Denver Botanic Gardens on York Street in Denver and you’ll find gardens full of a diverse array of plants from around the world. Many of the gardens showcase native and adapted plants that thrive in our challenging high-altitude climate, including the ingredients that are used in The Foragers Botanical Gin.

“There are thousands of botanicals to choose from and we ended up selecting lemon verbena, elder flower and chamomile from the Botanic Gardens based on their fragrance and taste properties,” Yeates said. “These botanicals complement the Italian juniper, coriander seed and orris root that form the base of The Foragers Gin. The goal for The Foragers is to produce a dry gin that’s juniper forward and has aromatic complementary botanicals to balance the juniper.”

The resulting gin provides lemon zest, soft juniper and fresh cut flowers on the nose before transitioning to warm chamomile tea, fresh pine, pink peppercorn spice and candied citrus rind on the palate. It finishes with lasting green cardamom, flower petals and orange blossom water.

“What I love about this collaboration is that we’re able to use botanicals that are enjoyed by thousands for their visual beauty and fragrance and use those same fragrant properties and tastes to produce a product that’s local, community oriented and supports giving back to the Gardens,” Yeates said. “Part of the partnership is that we donate some of the proceeds from each bottle sale to the Gardens to further support the community benefit the organization provides.”

Gin is growing in popularity in the United States and the response to this second gin option (the first is Needle Pig, a dry modern gin) from Mythology has been “overwhelming,” Yeates said.

“We have produced just shy of 3,000 bottles that will primarily be sold at retail accounts and to restaurant/bar partners,” he continued. “The remaining will be sold at Mythology Distillery and served in cocktails while supplies last.”

Though sipping The Foragers straight is a fine idea, why not try one of these cocktail concoctions from Mythology bar manager Kelsie Berry.

Pass the Pepper

Combine:

2 oz Foragers Gin
3⁄4 oz Lime juice
1⁄2 oz simple syrup over ice.
Top with soda and black pepper.

Gin Toddy

Combine:

2 oz Foragers Gin
3⁄4 oz spiced apple cider syrup
1⁄2 oz lemon juice
Add hot water and garnish with an orange, cloves and a cinnamon stick

If you go: Mythology Distillery is located at 3622 Tejon St. in Denver and is open Tues.–Thurs. 4 – 10 p.m.; Fri. 4 p.m. – midnight; Sat. 2 p.m.- midnight and Sun. 2 – 10 p.m.