Joshua Tree Distilling Giant Rock Gin
Joshua Tree Distilling Giant Rock Gin is a 45% ABV (90 proof), 750mL gin — a new take on the traditional London Dry, vapor-infused with botanicals over the same organic cane-sugar base spirit as Black Hole Vodka, made in Yucca Valley, California — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 45% (90 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: London Dry-style gin
- Method: vapor infusion — hot alcohol vapors pass through a gin basket of botanicals during a second distillation
- Base: organic cane-sugar spirit (same base as the gold-medal Black Hole Vodka)
- Origin: Joshua Tree Distilling Company, Yucca Valley, California (founded 2020 by Paul Chakalian)
- Namesake: Giant Rock, the desert boulder many believe to be the largest in the world
- Cause: 1% of sales donated to the Joshua Tree National Park Association; 1% for the Planet member
The Desert's Take on London Dry
Giant Rock is the boulder that anchors the mythology of the high desert — a seven-story monolith many believe to be the largest freestanding boulder on Earth. Joshua Tree Distilling built its gin to match that sense of wonder: a traditional London Dry reimagined through the desert. The botanical recipe is vapor-infused — hot vapors passing through a gin basket on a second distillation — over the same organic cane-sugar base spirit as the distillery's gold-medal Black Hole Vodka, giving it a cleaner, subtler canvas than grain-based gins. Subtle spice, sweet savory body, 90 proof: a gin with real presence.
Tasting Notes
Nose: full-bodied juniper-led aroma with desert-botanical warmth. Palate: an explosion of flavors — classic London Dry structure with a subtle spice and sweet, savory body from the cane-sugar base. Finish: unique and complex, long for a gin, with juniper and spice lingering.
How to Enjoy
The house serve is a Giant Rock Tom Collins — gin, lemon, organic cane sugar, soda — and the distillery's own tasting menu pairs it the same way. At 90 proof it also builds a serious Negroni or Martini for drinkers who want their botanicals to stand up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is vapor infusion? A distillation method where hot alcohol vapors pass through a basket of botanicals, picking up their flavor gently — as opposed to steeping botanicals directly in the spirit. It tends to produce a brighter, more delicate gin.
Is it related to Black Hole Vodka? Yes — Giant Rock Gin is made with the same organic cane-sugar base spirit as the distillery's gold-medal Black Hole Vodka, then re-distilled with botanicals.
Does any of the money go to the park? Yes — 1% of Giant Rock Gin (and Lost Horse Whiskey) sales is donated to the Joshua Tree National Park Association.
A 90-proof London Dry from the high desert — order Giant Rock Gin online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.