Seaweed Gin

If there’s one spirit that is internationally paired with salt, it’s tequila. One day, however, while walking along the shores of Clarke’s Beach in Newfoundland, Peter Wilkins had a very different idea. “We were walking along and saw the seaweed washed up on shore. The smell of the ocean, the seaweed, and the brininess hit me, and I thought this would be a great way to create a savory Newfoundland gin. And so we did.”

Newfoundland Distillery Company’s Seaweed Gin captures the sensation that Wilkins describes—walking along a rocky beach on Canada’s eastern coastline. It should: It’s made using dulse seaweed harvested from the Grand Banks off Newfoundland’s southeast coast. When you take a sip, the classic notes of juniper and savory flavors are there, but there is a soft salinity that floats through. Like a well-seasoned dish, the saltiness makes the rest of the flavors pop, rather than crystallizing as a flavor itself. The resulting balanced booze even earned a double gold award at the prestigious San Francisco Spirits Competition in 2018. The gin

Seaweed Gin pairs perfectly with, well, things from the sea. Oysters and clam chowder are favorites, but some also suggest sushi. To double down on the seaweed theme, rim the glass with seaweed salt, and drink chilled neat or on the rocks.