Aria Portland Dry Gin (Aria)

By Martin Cizmar

Stodgy old gin has seen something of a renaissance of late, with West Coast craft distillers livening it up with lavender, caraway and malted barley. "Gin" is broadly defined, with spirits fermented with anything from grapes to potatoes making the cut so long as berries from the juniper tree figure prominently in the flavor. Portland's Aria gin, a new bottle from Oregon Distillers Guild president Erik Martin, formerly of the now-defunct Artisan Spirits, isn't of the edgy new breed. Rather, this is an exceptional, classic dry gin, complex but direct, with a blend of 10 botanicals. There's juniper, of course, but also a little cilantro spice, the gingerlike zing of cardamom and citrus zest from lemons and oranges. It's superbly balanced and perfect all by its lonesome. It's suitable for cocktails, too, of course, but do your best to dissuade anyone from making it into a dirty martini. Available from Bull Run Distilling and at some Oregon Liquor Control Commission stores. Recommended.

WWeek 2015

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.