Letherbee
Gin / Fernet / Bësk / Absinthe / Chicago
Our Story
Botanical distilled spirits. Gin, Fernet, Bësk, Absinthe, Seasonal Offerings. Growing local and sourcing global ingredients. 100% Independent and DIY. No marketing schemes. Began in a basement, grown into an international boutique brand. Work with friends. Peace. Read More —
Our Products
AUTUMNAL 2023
For this year’s Autumnal we’ve blazed a new path for ourselves in working with fruit. Juice from beautiful Michigan pears is fortified with custom house-made spirits to create an acid-driven, low-alcohol blend that is most enjoyed straight from the chilled bottle.
Technically, this is a ‘cordial’ but could be approached more like sherry, pommeau, or light vermouth. While we love serving it chilled and drinking it straight, we are very excited to try all of your mixed drinks and all the foods you ‘pear’ it with…
Featuring Michigan pears
750ml
18% ABV
PH 3.52
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AUTMNAL gin 2021
Continuing work with the genus of citrus, Letherbee Autumnal Gin 2021 turns to a fruit associated with perfumes, cosmetics, and tea. Thought to be the most delicate of citrus, Citrus bergamia, commonly called Bergamot, is a genetic cross between lemon and bitter orange. Its origins trace back to Southern Italy and commercial cultivation is centered there in Reggio Calabria (toe of the boot).
Bergamot’s fruity yet floral aroma elicits dualities - uplift with calm, arousal with security, stimulation with tranquility. It’s the mesmerizing comfort of candlelight. It’s the late night hygge of lying next to the dancing flames in a fireplace.
With the added hint of cocoa nib in the recipe, 2021’s Autumnal Gin plays nicely with bitter cocktails. Think about combinations with sweet vermouth, amaro, fernet. Consider baking spices, black tea, Calabrian chili, ginger, and fig. For lighter sour drinks try herbs like sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, and lemongrass. Maybe get wild and work it with some blue cheese.
Autumnal Gin 2021 is made using classic Letherbee original gin botanicals plus dried bergamot peel, cold-pressed bergamot oil, and cocoa nibs. Total production is approximately 190 cases.
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LETHERBEE GIN
ORIGINAL LABEL
Few gins unfold like Letherbee’s flagship tipple, distilled by hand with a clean yet robust blend of 11 botanicals. Juniper spearheads a mélange of spices, including coriander, cardamom, and cinnamon, while cubeb berries evoke a touch of pepper and a hint of ginger in the finish. Lemon and orange peel lend the dry, balanced concoction a bit of room for keen drinkers to pick up subtle notes of licorice and almond. At 96 proof,Letherbee Gin shines in all contexts, whether sipped straight, louched with a few drops of water until slightly cloudy, or mixed in a cocktail.
750ML
Besk
Letherbee unites with R. Franklin for a refined rendition of BËSK —a relatively obscure yet locally infamous Swedish liqueur dominated by wormwood. The bitter shot initially hits with flavors of grapefruit before an oncoming of wormwood alongside earthy gentian root — an effect that lingers on the palate for quite a surprising while. Beneath the acrid din of the more acute tasting notes rests more gentle traces of juniper, star anise, and elderflower musk. Bottled at 100 proof, Letherbee’s BËSK remains an esoteric shot for adventurous drinkers, but the bitter liqueur can be gracefully incorporated into sophisticated cocktails.
750ML
Letherbee Gin
Original Label
Few gins unfold like Letherbee’s flagship tipple, distilled by hand with a clean yet robust blend of 11 botanicals. Juniper spearheads a mélange of spices, including coriander, cardamom, and cinnamon, while cubeb berries evoke a touch of pepper and a hint of ginger in the finish. Lemon and orange peel lend the dry, balanced concoction a bit of room for keen drinkers to pick up subtle notes of licorice and almond. At 96 proof,Letherbee Gin shines in all contexts, whether sipped straight, louched with a few drops of water until slightly cloudy, or mixed in a cocktail.
1l
FERNET
Letherbee’s freshly refined take on the signature digestif is smooth, perhaps startlingly so. The prominence of saffron evokes popular Fernets, but supporting notes of rhubarb root and myrrh gum scaffold the palate as to not let bitter notes overpower. Spearmint and eucalyptus lend a subtle, pleasant mentholated finish. Given Letherbee’s penchant for balanced flavors, this Fernet is versatile—shoot it, sip it after a meal, add it to coffee, or mix it in a complex cocktail.
750mL
BARREL AGED ABSINTHE
Letherbee’s Barrel-Aged Absinthe draws its caramel hue from a six-month stint in new, full-sized, charred, American oak casks. A straightforward white absinthe recipe mellows in the aging process, softening the anise notes to let sumptuous floral and spice layers resonate. Besides the color, the full-sized barrels also imbue the Absinthe Brun with toasty hints of vanilla and caramel. Bottled at 126 proof, the spirit-forward drink is an addictive sipper that can also add depth to a variety of cocktails.
375ml
Letherbee Gin
Original Label Flask
Few gins unfold like Letherbee’s flagship tipple — a Chicago-made, grain-neutral spirit distilled by hand with a clean yet robust blend of 11 botanicals. Juniper berries spearhead a mélange of spices, including coriander, cardamom, and cinnamon, while cubeb berries evoke a touch of pepper and a hit of ginger in the finish. Dried lemon peel and orange pith lend the dry, balanced concoction a bit of room for keen drinkers to pick up subtle notes of licorice and almond. At 96 proof, Letherbee Gin shines in all contexts, whether sipped straight, louched with a few drops of water until slightly cloudy, or mixed in a refined cocktail.