Letherbee Distillers Vernal Gin

Letherbee Vernal Gin is a seasonal, limited-release variation on Letherbee’s flagship gin — the handmade 11-botanical base infused with fresh horseradish for a spicy, wasabi-like heat that mellows to a round, vegetal earthiness when diluted or mixed.

Letherbee is a Chicago distillery known for its hands-on, small-batch production. Vernal is its springtime release: each year the team hand-cuts and processes several hundred pounds of fresh horseradish root into the batch. Straight from the bottle the heat is intense and mustard-like, tickling the nose and palate; in a cocktail it settles into a savory, earthy character. The base gin spearheads juniper through a mélange of coriander, cardamom, and cinnamon, with cubeb berries lending pepper and a hint of ginger on the finish, and lemon and orange peel rounding out subtle licorice and almond notes.

Tasting Notes

• Neat: Intense, spicy wasabi-like horseradish heat with mustard-like pungency
• Diluted / mixed: Mellows to a round, vegetal earthiness
• Base profile: Juniper, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cubeb pepper, citrus peel

Specs

• Distillery: Letherbee Distillers, Chicago, Illinois
• Style: Seasonal Horseradish Gin (limited release) — 11-botanical base
• Proof: 96 (48% ABV)
• Production: Neutral grain base; pot-still maceration; un-chill filtered
• Size: 750ml

Browse all gin at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Vernal Gin different?

It is Letherbee’s seasonal release infused with fresh horseradish, giving a spicy, wasabi-like heat on top of the flagship 11-botanical gin base.

What does it taste like?

Neat, it has an intense mustard-like horseradish pungency; diluted or mixed, it mellows into a round, vegetal earthiness over a juniper-and-spice gin backbone.

How should I drink it?

It shines in savory cocktails — a Red Snapper (a Bloody Mary made with gin) or a Dirty Martini variation.