Aria Portland Dry Gin
Aria Gin · Bull Run Distilling Company
Aria Portland Dry Gin is a masterclass in first impressions. Bull Run Distilling crafts a gin that welcomes rather than overwhelms — the angle of entry is gentle yet confident, revealing layer after layer of carefully calibrated botanicals. It's the kind of bottle that converts gin skeptics and satisfies gin devotees in the same pour. In a lineup themed around 'First Contact Matters,' Aria demonstrates that the Pacific Northwest approach to gin — restrained, precise, and deeply connected to place — can be as compelling as any Old World classic. An outstanding gateway gin with genuine depth.
Nose
An immediate greeting of fresh juniper and bright lemon zest, followed by delicate floral whispers of lavender and a subtle herbaceous quality reminiscent of walking through a Pacific Northwest meadow after a light rain. Underneath, quiet notes of coriander seed and a hint of orris root powder add depth without demanding attention.
Palate
The entry is pristine and crisp — juniper arrives first but gently, like a firm handshake rather than a crushing grip. Mid-palate opens into a beautiful interplay of citrus peel, soft lavender, and earthy angelica root. The texture is silky and medium-bodied, with a gentle peppery warmth building gradually. There's a lovely balance between botanical complexity and clean, approachable character that makes this an ideal introduction to craft gin.
Finish
Medium-length and elegantly composed, with lingering lavender and dried juniper fading into a clean, slightly floral whisper. A touch of white pepper provides the final punctuation.
Cocktail Suggestion
The Portland Introduction — [object Object]
Food Pairing
The delicate sweetness of Dungeness crab mirrors Aria's gentle botanical profile, while the crispy exterior of the crab cake provides textural contrast to the gin's silky mouthfeel. A bright lemon-herb aioli echoes the citrus and herbaceous notes in the gin, creating a Pacific Northwest pairing that feels both natural and celebratory. The coriander and lavender in the gin complement the subtle seasoning of the crab without overpowering its inherent sweetness.
Bull Run Distilling Company sits in Portland's industrial Central Eastside, where founder Lee Medoff has been quietly crafting spirits since 2011. Named for the nearby Bull Run Watershed — Portland's famously pure water source — the distillery channels that pristine water into every bottle. Aria, their flagship gin, was designed to be an 'opening note' — a first voice in a botanical chorus. Medoff spent over a year adjusting the botanical bill, vapor-distilling each ingredient separately before blending, ensuring that every element arrives at the palate in perfect sequence. The result is a gin built around the concept of introduction: how a spirit greets you in the first sip determines everything that follows. In a city known for its craft spirits scene, Aria stands out not by shouting but by speaking clearly.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Beefeater Burrough's Reserve Oak Rested Gin
Beefeater
Master Distiller Desmond Payne's vision of what happens when the spirit meets the cask is brought to vivid life in Burrough's Reserve Oak Rested. Rested in hand-selected Jean de Lillet oak casks — previously used to age the storied French aperitif — this gin embodies the issue's theme at its most literal: the barrel's inner skin imparts golden color, vanilla richness, and a gentle tannic framework without ever eclipsing the juniper-forward London Dry character. It occupies a fascinating middle ground between gin and aged spirit, rewarding both neat sipping and barrel-aged cocktails.
Bols Genever Barrel Aged 18 Month
Bols
A masterclass in patience applied to the gin family tree. Where most gins celebrate the instant brightness of distillation, Bols Barrel Aged 18 Month embraces the slow alchemy of oak and time. The result is a spirit that bridges the worlds of aged whiskey and botanical distillate — furnace-forged grain spirit tempered into something deeply contemplative. Perfectly aligned with "The Furnace of Patience," this genever proves that even the juniper berry bows to time's authority.
Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla Gin
Tanqueray
Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla takes the classic London dry structure and overlays it with actual Seville orange botanicals, creating a gin that bridges tradition and accessibility. The bitterness of the orange is key — this is not a sweetened citrus gin but a genuine botanical expression. A versatile bottle for cocktails and a solid G&T anchor.
Conniption American Dry Gin
Durham Distillery
Durham Distillery's Conniption American Dry is a masterclass in restraint. By splitting its botanical bill between two distillation methods—heat-based and vacuum—it preserves each ingredient's essential character without compromise. The result is a gin that feels structurally honest: juniper-forward, quietly complex, and utterly transparent. In an era of gins dressed in lavender and tropical fruit, Conniption argues that the marrow of the spirit is decoration enough. Exceptional value at its price point.