What Is Botanical Gin?
Botanical gin is a distilled spirit flavored with juniper berries and a range of plant-based ingredients—known as botanicals—including herbs, flowers, citrus peels, and roots.
While juniper defines gin, it’s the botanicals that shape its character. From floral and citrus-forward to earthy and herbaceous, botanical gin is one of the most expressive spirits in the world.
🌱 The Early History of Gin
The history of gin begins with botanicals.
As early as the 11th century, European monks and herbalists were distilling alcohol with plants and roots for medicinal purposes. Juniper berries were believed to have healing properties, making them a staple in early botanical distillations.
Over time, these remedies evolved into something more refined—laying the foundation for modern gin.
🇳🇱 From Genever to Modern Gin
Modern gin traces back to the Netherlands, where genever was first produced—a malt-based spirit infused with juniper and other botanicals.
British soldiers brought genever back to England in the 16th century, where it became known as “Dutch Courage.” Gin quickly grew in popularity, eventually leading to the Gin Craze of the 1700s.
Despite its turbulent rise, one thing remained consistent: gin was always defined by its botanicals.
🌸 The Evolution of Botanical Gin
As distillation improved, so did gin.
The emergence of London Dry Gin introduced a cleaner, more balanced style where juniper leads and botanicals support. But in recent years, botanical gin has evolved even further.
🌼 What Botanicals Are Used in Gin?
Gin botanicals can include:
• Juniper berries
• Citrus peels
• Herbs like rosemary and thyme
• Flowers like chamomile, lavender, and elderflower
• Roots such as angelica and orris
Each botanical contributes to aroma, flavor, and texture—making gin one of the most complex and customizable spirits.
🌱 A Modern Expression of Botanical Gin
At Mythology Distillery, this philosophy is at the heart of how we approach gin.
Each year, we craft The Foragers Gin using botanicals harvested directly from the Denver Botanic Gardens—bringing a true garden-to-glass experience into every bottle.
Working alongside our friends at The Gardens, we source ingredients in the Fall during harvest, capturing flavors that are fresh, local, and inherently tied to Colorado. Botanicals like chamomile, lemon verbena, and elderflower are not just selected—they’re grown, gathered, and distilled with purpose.
The result is a botanical gin that reflects:
• The landscape it comes from
• The season it was created in
• And the ongoing partnership between distilling and cultivation
