Gins by Empire Spirits Project at Tribeca’s Bâtard

We were able to try unique gins by Empire Spirits Project at a fundraiser event for City Harvest at Bâtard in Tribeca on June 2, 2019.

Jake Sawabini, Co-Founder and Master Distiller of Empire Spirits Project, made interesting cocktails along with tasting his three gins straight. He’d spent a decade in fine dining as a chef before moving to wd~50, where he worked the front of the house. We talked about the gin market and how he felt he needed to bring out new and different products.

We enjoyed the three-piece band along with delicious food stations, fine wines, champagnes, and craft beer from New York City. We were greeted with a lavish seafood tasting consisting of jumbo shrimps, cerviche, mussels, clams, and lobster tails at the bar. There was more food in their kitchen, including lobster roll with caviar, tuna tartare, spicy oxtail and pork taco, Anejole sausage, and more. To finish the great food, we had a lavish desserts station. The bitter sweet chocolate truffles hit the spot along with the mini carrot cake and others.

Gin is the ideal seasonal companion, thanks to its citrus and juniper backbone that mixes well with bubbly tonic, light mixers or just a glass of ice. The juniper and other botanicals make the gin even smoother and more flowery.

Empire Spirits Gin does not have juniper as the dominant flavor. Their American Beauty, a 42 percent ABV floral gin, has coriander, cinnamon, and ginger notes.

Many really enjoyed the Smoked Gin, which uses applewood smoke along with hints of caraway seeds and peppercorn. This is the only smoked gin on the market and was rich and smooth.

Also, one would enjoy the amber-colored Noho Gin and its healthy portion of saffron and aromas of subtle sweet spices like cardamom and orange and juniper.

Empire Spirits Projects is based in Manhattan and distill in Yonkers. You can buy these fine gins online at www.empirespiritsproject.com.