Corsair American Gin

Corsair American Gin is a small-batch American gin bottled at 88 proof (44% ABV) in a 750mL bottle, pot-distilled in Nashville, Tennessee by Corsair Artisan Distillery using a vapor basket (gin-head) system. One of the few gins in the world made this way, it gently extracts the essential oils of sustainably grown botanicals — citrus, cucumber, cardamom, coriander — with vapor rather than maceration, yielding a less bitter, more aromatic, clean-tasting gin. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.

• Proof / ABV: 88 proof (44% ABV)
• Size: 750mL
• Method: Pot-distilled with a vapor basket (gin-head); small batches
• Botanicals: Juniper, citrus, cucumber, cardamom, coriander, chamomile, angelica, hyssop, orris root, licorice root — no artificial colors or flavors
• Origin: Nashville, Tennessee, USA — Corsair Artisan Distillery (est. 2008)

Nashville's "Innovate or Die" Gin

Corsair's motto is "Innovate or Die," and the gin is the proof: instead of boiling or macerating botanicals, the distillery hangs them in a vapor basket above the still so rising vapor extracts their essential oils gently — a technique that highlights citrus, cucumber, cardamom, and coriander while keeping bitterness down. Founded in January 2008 by distillers Darek Bell and Andrew Webber, Corsair was Nashville's first legal craft distillery since Prohibition and has grown into one of America's most decorated craft distilleries, with this gin earning 91 points from the Beverage Testing Institute and Double Gold at the Fifty Best. Explore the Corsair collection and browse more gin at Del Mesa.

Tasting Notes

The nose is a balanced blend of citrus, juniper, cardamom, and cucumber with trace floral and peppery aromas. The palate is bright and inviting — crisp cucumber and citrus over a juniper backbone, with Far East spice and a hint of mint at the back. The finish is crisp, light, and long, with citrus and spice lingering.

How to Enjoy

A versatile contemporary gin: soda or tonic with a lime wedge, a Gin Ricky, or a Bee's Knees — cocktails where the cucumber-citrus brightness leads. It stands up in complex cocktails without the juniper hammer of a London dry.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is vapor-basket distillation?
A gin-making method where botanicals sit in a basket above the still and rising vapor extracts their essential oils — gentler than boiling or maceration, yielding a less bitter, more aromatic gin. Corsair is one of the few distilleries using it.

What proof is Corsair American Gin?
88 proof (44% ABV).

What botanicals are in Corsair American Gin?
Juniper, citrus peels, cucumber peel, cardamom, coriander, chamomile, angelica, hyssop, orris root, and licorice root — all sustainably harvested, with no artificial colors or flavors.

Pick up Corsair American Gin at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA — Nashville's vapor-basket gin, available to order online.