BETHEL, NY — Catskill Distilling Company (www.catskilldistilling.com), one of the first farm distilleries in the State of New York to be legally licensed, won a gold medal for its production of Curious Gin as recognized by The Fifty Best, the international authority and unbiased guide to fine wine and spirits.

The Fifty Best held a blind tasting of 62 gins with a panel of 18 judges.

“We are thrilled to be recognized for our Curious Gin by The Fifty Best, and this honor lends more credence to the popularity we are seeing this spirit enjoy as more people try it,” said Dr. Monte Sachs, founder and master distiller, Catskill Distilling Company. “We decided to craft a gin for a whole new group of people who could never tolerate ‘biting into a Christmas tree.’ It’s a low-proof gin that is not as intense as many on the market, so it’s a very easy gin to drink, even straight up.”

Curious Gin is distilled from select local grains in traditional copper-pot stills with 14 expertly selected and exotic botanicals. The gin is not charcoal filtered, allowing all of the botanicals to express themselves. All of the grains used to make Curious Gin are locally grown except for the malted barley.

The Fifty Best tasting notes

Nose: Tangerine, clementine, citrus, lemon peel, lemon verbena, vanilla, celery, celery salt, grass, anise, very subtle.

Palate: Orange, citrus, lemon zest, melon, prickly pear, plum, vanilla, cream, spice cake, floral, light herbs, lemongrass, juniper, bell pepper, clove, licorice, pink peppercorn, pine, chalk, balanced botanicals, well-balanced to intrigue and refresh, gentle.

Finish: Orange, bergamot, Juicy Fruit gum, custard, floral, herb, saffron, spice, clove, peppery, grain, talc, resin, creamy, smooth.