Mythology Wander Mountain Botanical Gin

From the Mountains of Colorado: an Asian Inspired Gin

Made in: Steamboat Springs, Colorado by Mythology Distillery.

Base: ? 

Method: Maceration and vapor infusion distilled in a pot still.

 45% alcohol/90 proof

Botanicals (7): Juniper, Coriander, Oris Root, Lemongrass, Kampot Pepper, Lime Leaf, and Thai Basil.

Style: Modern Gin

As you may have guessed from reading some of my other reviews I tend to travel a bit, and one of the places I regularly end up in is Colorado when we go to visit family. And while that is always fun, one of the great joys is getting to pick up and try gins that are new to me. 

I have to admit there is a plethora of gins that just aren’t available to me back home in New York, and with so many choices, sometimes I overlook gins that I probably shouldn’t have. For that I owe an apology to Mythology Distilling, as I’ve seen their gins at my usual liquor shop in Denver for years, but somehow I’ve managed to never pick up a bottle - until now.

Mythology makes three different gins, as well as a number of other spirits, and since I couldn’t (or shouldn’t) taste them all, a bottle of Mythology’s Wander Mountain Botanical Gin did come home with me. Why this one as opposed to their flagship Needle Pig, or Foragers Gin? Well I couldn’t pass up on a gin designed to go with Southeast Asian flavors - especially in Denver where the Vietnamese and Thai food is so good.

So what’s in the bottle? Let’s find out.

Tasting notes

Sipping: The initial taste neat is lovely. Light and floral with basil on the palate at the fore and black pepper coming behind it. It tastes like an exotic juniper medley. This is a gin I actually preferred neat, rather than with ice.

Nose: Powerful floral and citrus notes with notes of juniper and pepper. Trace of coriander and basil bringing up the rear.

Taste: Strong perfumed essence with a heavy black pepper and citrus backbone accenting good notes of juniper and coriander. The strong flavors and heat of Thai basil, lemongrass and pepper create some not overwhelming heat. Adds beautifully to the juniper. Bite is pleasant but strongly spicy.

Mouthfeel: Thin and light, coating the tongue then quickly evaporating. It’s pleasant. One’s mouth feels a bit dry after it’s gone, but leaves a nice flavor profile on the palate.

Mixability:

I believe there are only two key drinks where gin is really the star, and I weigh those categories heavily. First and foremost is the martini: a more classic drink where the flavors of the gin can shine though without having to fight their way through the flavors of other ingredients.

For this one I mixed a very dry Martini with a 10:1 ratio of Wander Mountain to Dolin dry vermouth. Shaken, not stirred was the name of the game tonight since I wanted the gin well aerated and ice cold when poured. The gin did not disappoint. This is a fantastic martini gin - crisp, sharp, and flavorful. Lime leaf and Thai basil added lovely notes to the juniper here, almost strengthening it, and creating a delightful balance that, while not traditional, is classic enough for just about any martini drinker. High marks.

I had to give a big nod as well to the other classic, the far more accessible gin and tonic. Due to my aversion to overly sugared tonics I stuck with a classic and mixed with the Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic, both for myself and for my family and according to the board this was a home run. While definitely not a London dry, there is enough here with the juniper that the drink is distinctly a G&T just with added nuances, and a touch of spice.

For something a bit more complex I went for a Bees Knees made with wildflower honey syrup. Very solid, with nice complex notes. This is a gin that cuts through strong flavors to shout “I’m still here!” You won’t confuse this with a run of the (gin) mill gin. This is a gin that doesn’t get buried instead coming through like a champion. I think this one will stand up to just about anything you throw it into. I have to admit I think it might not mesh well with something like a French 75, but give it a Bijou, Martinez, Aviation, or Smash and I think it will add something nice to the mix.

Overall:

This is a damn good gin - and a good multi-tasker which can be sipped neat, it drinks well even without ice, and maybe because of the strong Asian botanicals cuts a neat swath through the strong flavors of potent cocktails, complimenting them rather than overwhelming them.

It’s a marvelous gin despite being on the pricier side; still I’d buy this one again, and I definitely will.

Flavor profile.

Spice: 5 of 5

Herbal: 2 of 5

Juniper: 3 of 5

Floral: 3 of 5

Citrus; 3 of 5

Heat: 1 of 5

Rating (Sipping): 90 - a lovely sipping gin.

Rating (Mixing): 96 - One of the best non-London Dry mixing gins I’ve had the pleasure of trying.

Overall rating: 93. A top level gin bordering on the elite. This one is a keeper

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What you need to know about my reviews: All my reviews are my honest opinions based upon my own personal tasting. I am NOT a paid reviewer, and no compensation was given, or expected. I may from time to time choose to do a second review and amend my opinion of a product, should I feel like it and find my review criteria has evolved, or that I’ve found it different at a later date. That said, as I’m unlikely to repurchase anything I thought was less than very good to excellent, it would be by chance or at the request of a distiller who thought I rated them very unfairly - BUT even then, whatever you get will always be my honest opinion.