Caledonia Spirits Barr Hill Reserve Tom Cat Gin
Barr Hill · Caledonia Spirits
Tom Cat proves that barrel-aged gin can be more than a novelty. The interplay between raw northern honey, juniper, and new American oak creates something genuinely distinctive — part gin, part whiskey-adjacent sipper, wholly itself. Vermont's cold winters slow the aging, building complexity without sacrificing botanical clarity.
Nose
Juniper and raw honey greet you first, quickly joined by warm vanilla and cassia bark. There's a waxy, herbaceous quality to the juniper that gives it depth, with subtle floral notes emerging as it opens.
Palate
Honeyed sweetness balanced by resinous juniper and baking spices. The barrel aging contributes a warm vanilla and oak character without overwhelming the botanical core. Mid-palate delivers gentle ginger warmth and a hint of orris root earthiness.
Finish
Medium-long with lingering juniper, honey, and a spicy cassia bark warmth that echoes pleasantly.
- Style
- Barrel-Aged American Gin
- Botanicals
- Juniper, raw northern honey
- Base Spirit
- Grain neutral spirit
- Distillation
- Pot distillation with juniper; raw honey added post-distillation before barrel aging
Cocktail Suggestion
Barrel Bee's Knees — 2 oz Barr Hill Tom Cat Gin · 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice · 0.75 oz raw honey syrup · Shake vigorously with ice, strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a lemon twist and a few drops of Angostura bitters on top.
Food Pairing
Aged cheddar with honeycomb and walnuts
Beekeeper-turned-distiller Todd Hardie founded Caledonia Spirits in northern Vermont, using raw honey from his own apiaries and water drawn from the Hardwick granite aquifer to produce a gin rooted in place.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Jura 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Jura
Jura 10 is an island malt that sidesteps the peat-bomb stereotype entirely. Its restraint is its strength — a whisky shaped by geography rather than process, tasting of the rain and wind that batter its remote island home. Ideal as a gateway to island Scotch.
Noah's Mill Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
Noah's Mill
Noah's Mill is barrel-proof bourbon without apology. Its intensity rewards patience — a splash of water opens the caramel and softens the leather into something rich and contemplative. A serious sipper for those who want their bourbon to push back.
Crossbill Highland Dry Gin
Crossbill
Crossbill is a gin that refuses to compromise on juniper. Using only Scottish juniper berries and rosehip, it delivers one of the most juniper-forward profiles available — a gin built for G&T purists and Martini devotees who want the pine to sing. It tastes like the Scottish Highlands in a glass.
Rhum Clément Select Barrel Rhum Agricole
Clément
Clément Select Barrel is an excellent entry point into aged agricole rhum. The barrel aging tames the raw grassy intensity without erasing it, creating a spirit that bridges the gap between agricole purists and aged rum lovers. At its price, it's one of the best values in the category.
Crossbill Highland Dry Gin
Crossbill
Crossbill is a gin that refuses to compromise on juniper. Using only Scottish juniper berries and rosehip, it delivers one of the most juniper-forward profiles available — a gin built for G&T purists and Martini devotees who want the pine to sing. It tastes like the Scottish Highlands in a glass.
Tanqueray Lovage London Dry Gin
Tanqueray
Part of Tanqueray's limited-edition heritage series inspired by Charles Tanqueray's original recipes, Lovage brings back a Victorian-era botanical that most modern gins have forgotten. The savory character makes it a natural partner for a proper gin and tonic with a celery garnish, and a genuinely distinctive alternative to the floral gin trend.
Companero Gin by Sacred Spirits
Sacred Spirits
Sacred's vacuum distillation technique preserves the freshest expression of each botanical — no boiling, no heat degradation. The result is a gin of unusual clarity and precision. Each botanical is distinct yet integrated, making it equally suited to a contemplative neat pour or a gin and tonic that reveals new layers with every sip.
Whitley Neill Handcrafted Dry Gin
Whitley Neill
Whitley Neill's core expression is a proper London Dry that respects juniper without being one-dimensional. The interplay between African-sourced botanicals and classic gin architecture makes it versatile behind the bar and genuinely enjoyable neat. Outstanding value at the price point.