With a history that spans centuries, it’s no surprise that gin has found itself at the receiving end of all sorts of tweaks and adjustments. People are curious by nature (spirit distillers, especially), and that often results in out-of-the-bottle ingredients and an emphasis on components other than gin’s mainstay flavor: juniper berries.
“It doesn’t serve anyone to dismiss experimentation or innovation,” says VinePair managing editor Tim McKirdy, “but within gin, the biggest trend in recent years has been promoting uncommon and unusual botanicals. Oftentimes, this is to the detriment of juniper, the hero ingredient that defines the category. With that in mind, it’s always so refreshing to taste a gin where juniper is not only present but actively celebrated.” Unfiltered and unapologetically expressive, Junipero Gin emboldens spirit lovers to seek out the artistry that happens when forging an unconventional path.
As anyone who has strayed from expectations knows, that kind of courage can spark a newfound appreciation of one’s community. In addition to crafting gin, Junipero helps support local initiatives like the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a coalition of queer and trans nuns who advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, through Martini Week, a celebration of good cocktails and better deeds.
The Martini, Junipero Style
In 1996, surrounded by a sea of foreign gins and a vodka-dominated market, Junipero paved its way, creating the first-ever handcrafted American gin. Developed on this side of the pond in San Francisco, Junipero focuses on small-batch pot still distillation and meticulously sourced botanicals from around the world. As America’s original craft gin, Junipero showcases elevated juniper and citrus flavors with added notes of aniseed, cardamom, angelica root, cassia bark, and more. Each batch of Junipero gin is crafted in small copper stills before being bottled unfiltered at a bold 98.6 proof. The result is an exceptionally flavorful gin that effortlessly carries any cocktail or mixed drink — especially a Martini.
One of the quintessential classic cocktails, the Martini continues to captivate thanks to its seemingly endless riffs and variations. No matter the type of Martini that ends up in your glass, it’s the gin that helps it truly shine. Only the most expressive gins, like Junipero, contain the fearlessness and finesse required to pull off an exceptional cocktail. Shaken, stirred, dirty, with a twist, or dressed up with a few bells and whistles, Martinis are a deliciously dynamic way to celebrate the tweaks that make us boldly individual.
That’s where you come in.
Martini Week 2024
Returning for its third year, Junipero’s Martini Week will celebrate self-expression and community building with America’s original craft gin by exploring visionary takes on this ever-popular classic cocktail. This week-long celebration calls upon the ingenuity of the country’s best bartenders and mixologists to design a Martini that speaks to the craft of living life unfiltered.
This year’s Martini Week will take place from May 20 to 26. To sign up, simply click here and follow the instructions. Participating bars and restaurants are challenged to flex their know-how while nodding to Junipero’s history of eschewing tradition to trailblaze individuality. Using Junipero’s bold, unfiltered gin, partner bars and restaurants will craft their take on the Martini and raise money for charity.
Every Martini shaken or stirred for the 2024 Martini Week will not only raise a glass to celebrate originality but will also raise support for local community causes, including the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. For each Martini sold during Martini Week, Junipero will donate $2 to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and other like-minded local organizations.
Bars and restaurants are encouraged to get involved by signing up as a Martini Week partner. For accounts in focus markets that fully register before April 1, Junipero will send bars tools and assets to help boost consumer awareness and excitement leading up to Martini Week for as long as supplies last. Registered participants will also receive national spotlighting on the Junipero website and social channels, with the potential to be featured on Junipero’s social media. Customers can help support the cause by ordering the Martini Week cocktail at their local bars and promoting the week via social media.
Raise Your Glass High
Join Junipero Gin this Martini Week and celebrate a gin as original and distinctive as you are, and a cocktail as diverse as your community. Whether you’re behind the bar or at the bar, raise your glass to stirring up creativity and shaking the status quo. You only live one life. Why not live it boldly?
This article is sponsored by Junipero Gin.
