Think of everything you know about that most traditional of spirits: the citrusy goodness of a G&T on a summer day. The juniper scent of an icy martini. Now sip rose-scented Victoria from Vancouver Island or fiery 98-proof Junipero from San Francisco. And forget everything you thought you knew.
Western distillers are reinventing gin, both the London dry (crisp and refreshing) and old-fashioned Dutch genever (spicy and smooth) styles. New York cocktail guru David Wondrich has dubbed the result "new Western dry gin." Ask for these at your favourite local lounge or liquor store.

Victoria Gin
Barking Dog Vineyard, Vancouver Island
What’s in it Ten organic or wild-gathered botanicals (like orris root, cubeb berries, rose petal), some local. Recipe co-creator (with Brian Murray) Ken Winchester says: "The secret ingredient is love."
How it’s made Winchester honed his distilling skills at Scotland’s Bruichladdich to create this "gin by a whisky lover." (The current distiller is Peter Hunt.)
Tasting notes Smooth, sweetish and dry (thanks to the herb angelica), with a soft, floral and perfumey nose and lots of citrus punch. If you like Hendrick’s Scottish gin, try this with Q organic tonic for a fresh spin.
Available from B.C. liquor stores, victoriagin.com

Phrog Gin
Island Spirits Distillery, Hornby Island
What’s in it Fourteen berries, seeds, roots and spices (like angelica, lemongrass and licorice). Distiller John Grayson says it is distinct for its creation from fruit (not grain) sugars.
How it’s made Vancouver Island glacier spring water is trucked to the distillery. The aim is to source all ingredients from the two islands. Grayson and business partners (including Peter Kimmerly, captain of the island ferry) spent four years tweaking the recipe.
Tasting notes Silky smooth. Lightly distributed botanicals give the gin an aromatic character. If you like Straight vodka, drink this neat or with just a splash of spring water.-J.N.
islandspritis.ca

Dry Fly Gin
Dry Fly Distillery, Spokane, Wash.
What’s in it Only botanicals that are grown nearby (an unusual blend of dried juniper, mint, hops, Fuji apples coriander and lavender), for a truly regional-flavoured spirit.
How it’s made In true artisan distillery fashion, Dry Fly starts with the fermentation of one-tonne sacks of soft winter-white wheat and ends with hand-signed bottles. But contrary to the name, this is not a traditional London dry-style drink but a full-flavoured one that, blind-tasted, might just pass for a brown spirit. You can even learn to make it from head distiller Don Poffenroth at an on-site distilling course.
Tasting notes A soft evergreen and lavender nose, a butterscotch roundness on the palate and the zing of tart apple. If you like French 75 champagne cocktails, this aromatic but spicy gin is the one to use. Available in B.C. and Alberta, dryfly.com

Aviation Gin
House Spirits, Portland
What’s in it Seven botanicals. "You can taste each one in the finished product," says House Spirits partner Christian Krogstad.
How it’s made Distiller Lee Medoff was inspired by the soft, aromatic style of Dutch genever. He steeps the botanicals for at least a day, deeply infusing the raw spirit with their flavours. Unusually, he starts with a rye-based raw spirit. The classic pre-Prohibition drink for which this spirit was named was one of the benchmarks used in this gin’s development. As made today by Portland’s best bartenders, Aviation gin rocks the Aviation cocktail.
If you like Rye or bourbon Manhattans, try this for a delicious variation.
aviationgin.com

No. 209 Gin
209 Distillery, San Francisco
What’s in it The world’s finest spices (juniper berries from Tuscany, bergamot from Calabria, cardamom from Guatemala), purchased through a venerable broker in London and prepared on-site at the distillery.
How it’s made With extreme care by Arne Hilleland, a distiller with a background in chemicals, on San Francisco’s Pier 50.  (Look for an old-school Dutch glass guild mark on the bottom of the bottle.) The brand name dates back to a still that operated in the Napa Valley circa 1889, discovered on the property of owner and Napa wine legend Leslie Rudd. 
Tasting notes Fresh citrus flavours, with a sweetish taste (Hilleland starts with a corn-based raw spirit) and a warm cookie-spice finish.
If you like Plymouth, the round and juicy flavour of 209 will thrill.
209gin.com

Junipero Gin
Anchor Distilling, San Francisco
What’s in it More than a dozen fruit, herb, spice and plant ingredients.
How it’s made Making the seasonal Christmas beer at Anchor Brewing Company led production manager Mark Carpenter and Anchor’s legendary owner Fritz Maytag to play with spices. It’s "a London-style gin, American style," says Maytag. "In America we have the cultural freedom to reinvent. There isn’t the rigid sense of doing things the traditional way, as
in Europe."
Tasting notes Full-flavoured, balanced, with enough character to hold up in a martini. If you like Tanqueray 10, Junipero makes a velvet hammer of a martini, or a great negroni.
anchorbrewing.com

Spruce Gin
Rogue Spirits, Portland, Oregon
What’s in it Twelve botanicals, including spruce essential oil and fresh cucumber.
How it’s made In a copper pot still nicknamed Tracy by distiller John Couchot in Newport, Oregon. Using spruce along with the traditional juniper gives this gin a Pacific Northwest twist. The renegade Rogue distillers have experimented with Pink Gin, tinged by pinot noir casks.
Tasting notes A real mouthful: an intensely evergreen and floral nose and a smooth cucumber finish, with a big citrus burst and tingling spice.
If you like Martin Miller’s Reformed London Dry Gin, this packs a similar wallop.
roguespirits.com

More to try
Cascade Mountain Gin (Bend, Oregon) uses wild Oregon juniper for a unique, golden-tinted gin. bendistillery.com
12 Bridges (Portland) is a hybrid of dry and genever styles that will challenge your palate. integrityspirits.com
Cricket Club (Portland) is a refreshing, London dry-style gin. indiospirits.com

Gin Rummy
Find more of our favourite mixology labs at westernliving.ca.
Victoria Bard & Banker Public House 1022 Government St., 205-953-9993, bardandbanker.com. The Bengal Lounge Fairmont Empress, 721 Government St., 250-384-8111, fairmont.com. Stage 1307 Gladstone Ave., 250-388-4222,
stagewinebar.com.
Vancouver Cascade Room 2616 Main St., 604-709-8650, thecascade.ca. George Ultra Lounge 1137 Hamilton St., 604-628-5555, georgelounge.com. Voya The Loden, 1177 Melville St., 604-639-VOYA, voya
restaurant.com. Yew Four Seasons, 791 W Georgia St., 604-692-4939, fourseasons
.com. Market Shangri-La, 1128 W Georgia St., 604-695-1115, shangri-la.com.

Gin Rummy
Some of our favourite mixology labs.
Victoria
Bard & Banker Public House 1022 Government St., 205-953-9993, bardandbanker.com
The Bengal Lounge at the Fairmont Empress, 721 Government St., 250-384-8111, fairmont.com/empress
Canoe Brewpub 450 Swift St., 250-361-1940, canoebrewpub.com
Paprika Bistro 2524 Estevan Ave., 250-592-7424, paprika-bistro.com
Stage 1307 Gladstone Ave., Victoria, 250-388-4222, stagewinebar.com
Vancouver
The Cascade Room 2616 Main St., 604-709-8650, thecascade.ca
George Ultra Lounge 1137 Hamilton St., 604-628-5555, georgelounge.com
Voya at the Loden Hotel, 1177 Melville St., 604-639-VOYA, voyarestaurant.com
Yew at the Four Seasons, 791 West Georgia St., 604-692-4939, fourseasons.com/vancouver
Calgary
The Mercury Lounge 1530 15th St. SW, 403-229-0222, themercury.ca
Raw Bar at Hotel Arts 119 12th Ave. SW, 403-206-9565, hotelarts.ca
Red Door Bistro 607 11th Ave. SW, 403-233-2433, reddoorbistro.com
Portland
Teardrop Lounge 1015 NW Everett St., 503-445-8109, teardroplounge.com
Clyde Common 1014 SW Stark St., 503-228-3333, clydecommon.com
San Francisco
Boulevard 1 Mission St., 415-543-6084, boulevardrestaurant.com
Bourbon & Branch 501 Jones St., 415-346-1735, bourbonandbranch.com
The Huntington Hotel 1075 California St., 415-474-5400, huntingtonhotel.com