Genius Gin is from Austin, Texas, a first product from a fairly new distillery. I got the opportunity to grab a bottle, and I’ve spent several weeks trying to get my head around it. Here’s what I think.

The botanicals in Genius include juniper (of course), cardamom, coriander, lime peel, lime leaf, and lavender. The last three ingredients take the taste of Genius is the direction of New American Gins like Aviation, Dry Fly, or Prairie, not a bitey, traditional London Dry like Tanqueray, Beefeater, or even Crater Lake. Genius Gin is a touch sweet, mild, and fruity, and because of this, the more common gin cocktails don’t work so great with it. I tried a martini and gin and tonic, and Genius’ mildness made it vanish with the stronger, more bitter vermouth or tonic.

Because I have spent a while with my bottle of Genius, and I have found some cocktails that work really well with it. Try these out:

Pink Gin

• 2 oz gin
• 2-3 dashes of bitters
• (Angostura will make the Pink Gin more pink, or Peychauds will make a more red Pink Gin)
• stir vigorously with lots of ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Austin Spritzer (by Greg Mays)

• in a rocks glass filled with ice, serve:
• 2 oz Genius Gin
• 2 oz club soda
• garnish with several fresh blackberries and raspberries