Lone Pine Distilling’s Gateway & Earl Grey Gins

Edmonton has long since earned its nickname “Gateway to the North,” and now bartenders can shake that moniker into a cocktail. Back in the day, the North Saskatchewan River that twists through the city proved a significant waterway for Canada’s fur trade. Indeed, two warring companies, the Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West Company, occasionally came to blows while paddling their wares through Edmonton.

The British Empire had enough when the conflicts turned bloody and in 1821 drove the two companies to merge. The nickname still made sense though, as the city began servicing the north with sweat instead of blood, by laying railways and building roads, pipelines and an international airport. In 2020, the Lone Pine Distillery joined the effort by launching its Gateway Gin.

“This is the gateway into our spirits and where we are situated within Edmonton,” explains distillery president Bryan Anderson. “We’re just off of Gateway Boulevard, also known as the Gateway to the North. It’s one of the main freeways coming into town, so it’s a play on all of those features.”

Savouring the Gateway

“It’s not a traditional gin; Gateway Gin is an introduction to what we think a gin is,” Anderson continues. “It’s very juniper light, subtle and approachable.”

He uses local wheat to make the gin’s base spirit, then re-distills it through a gin basket filled with traditional botanicals. “That’s what is interesting about it, it’s not a complex botanical load and yet the juniper is not overpowering,” says Anderson. “My objective is to clearly have three things happening on the palate – front, middle and back.”

Gateway is fragrant and savoury with woodsy herbal notes seasoned with black pepper. The savoury notes set the gin’s tone while the juniper melts into a backend whisper. Taking some time between sips allows a morsel of grain to mature into gentle citrus tones late on the finish.

A Wee Cup Of Tea

Anderson learned early on to develop a flavourful yet straightforward base recipe. So, when it came time to expand Lone Pine’s gin lineup he was able to create a trio of gins that taste different but, unlike HBC and the North West Company, work together. Like gentlemen, the folks at Lone Pine settled any flavour differences over a cup of tea – Earl Grey, to be specific. And in the end, this civility opened the gate to Lone Pine’s latest creation – Earl Grey Gin.

“It’s the same recipe as Gateway, using the core botanicals, except we’ve added Earl Grey black tea and wild bergamot to the gin basket along with cinnamon,” says Anderson. Instead of importing tropical bergamot oranges, Lone Pine sources a local wild bergamot north of Edmonton. Known as bee balm, the plant grows wild across the Alberta prairies where it is popular with the local bee population. The aromatic leaves of this delightfully fragrant herb exude classic bergamot flavours complemented by mint and thyme.

Just like Gateway, the juniper in Earl Grey Gin doesn’t sting. Rather, it draws sandalwood, exotic spices, citrus, and black tea into the mix, with Gateway’s savoury notes playing a supporting role. Cinnamon brightens up the front palate, with a touch of juniper settling into a swell of pepper at the back. The exotic citrus tea notes float centred and unflinching the whole ride, while fresh citrus zest, mellow mint and thyme complement the long finish.

From Gateway to Destination

In 2014, an Edmonton city councillor rallied to change Edmonton’s nickname to the fanciful “Portal to the Universe.” It didn’t stick. But, since then, distilleries have blossomed across the region. Now and again, the government gets it right – perhaps it is time for a new nickname. With distilleries like Lone Pine making such delicious spirits, Edmonton is no longer a gateway. It’s a destination.