Gray Whale Dry Gin
Gray Whale Dry Gin is an 86-proof (43% ABV) California craft gin distilled at Golden State Distillery in Sebastopol from six botanicals foraged along the Pacific gray whale's 12,000-mile migration route — Big Sur juniper, Santa Cruz mint, Temecula and Baja lime, Sonoma fir needles, Mendocino kombu sea kelp, and Capay Valley almonds, on a six-times-distilled corn base. Rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast with a Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, it pours coastal: citrus and pine over a faintly saline, umami base, with 1% of profits funding ocean conservation. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 43% (86 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: contemporary American craft gin (coastal botanical)
- Botanicals: juniper (Big Sur), mint (Santa Cruz), lime (Temecula & Baja), fir tree needles (Sonoma), kombu sea kelp (Mendocino), almonds (Capay Valley)
- Production: Golden State Distillery, Sebastopol, Sonoma County, CA; split distillation (lime and fir vapor-infused, the rest macerated); 1% of profits to ocean conservation
A Gin That Tastes Like the Migration
Every botanical in the bottle grows along the gray whale's annual route from Baja's lagoons to the Arctic — juniper from Big Sur's cliffs, kombu kelp off Mendocino, fir needles from Sonoma — and the distillery's split technique treats the delicate ones (lime, fir) to vapor distillation so their volatile oils survive intact. The kombu is the signature move: a faintly saline, earthy umami under everything that reads as ocean air. Taste the coastline with the rest of the Gray Whale story, or compare California craft styles in our gin collection.
Tasting Notes
Nose: bright citrus and lemon, juniper, coastal fir, fresh mint, warming almond nuttiness. Palate: pine-forward juniper, lime skin, citrus pith, mint; kombu adds a subtle mineral salinity; gentle sweetness builds texture. Finish: clean, cooling, coastal — mint and a faint ocean-breeze salinity.
How to Enjoy
A G&T with light tonic, a lime wheel, and fresh mint is the showcase serve. Also excellent in a Bee's Knees, a Bramble, or a coastal Negroni where the saline edge plays against the bitter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Gray Whale Gin taste like?
Coastal and botanical — citrus, pine, and mint over a faintly saline, umami base from kombu sea kelp, finishing clean and cooling.
Does Gray Whale Gin support conservation?
Yes — one percent of all profits goes to ocean conservation efforts protecting the gray whale's migration, including support for Oceana.
What is kombu sea kelp doing in gin?
The wild-harvested Mendocino kelp adds earthy umami and a subtle mineral salinity — the savory dimension that makes this gin taste like the Pacific coast.
Drink the Pacific coastline — order Gray Whale Dry Gin online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.