Old Harbor Distilling Co. San Miguel Gin
Old Harbor Distilling Co. San Miguel Gin is a Southwestern gin distilled in San Diego — 47% ABV (94 proof), 750mL, built on Italian juniper with local cilantro, coriander, lime, sage and cucumber, and named for the name San Diego itself first carried. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 47% (94 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Botanicals: Italian juniper, local cilantro, coriander, lime, sage, cucumber
- Style: Southwestern gin — spicy, bright, intensely herbal
- Origin: San Diego, California (Old Harbor Distilling Co.)
Named for San Diego's First Name
When Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sailed into the bay in 1542, he named it San Miguel — the name San Diego carried first. Old Harbor, distilling in the East Village a short walk from that waterfront, borrowed it for the gin that tastes like where it is made: the juniper comes from Italy, but the supporting cast is a San Diego farmers-market list — cilantro, lime, sage and cucumber over coriander spice. The result is a Southwestern gin in the honest sense: spicy, bright and intensely herbal rather than London-dry austere, bottled at a full 47% so it holds its line in a Martini or a tonic. Pour it from our gin shelf, or pair it with its overproof sibling on the Old Harbor Distilling Co. vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Juniper lifted by lime and fresh cilantro. Palate: Spicy and bright — coriander warmth, sage herbals and cucumber coolness over the juniper core. Finish: Dry, herbal and long enough to hold a tonic.
How to Enjoy
A Gin and Tonic with an herbal twist is the home serve — garnish with a lime wedge or a cucumber ribbon to match the botanicals. It also makes a vivid Martini and a Gimlet where the lime in the gin meets the lime in the glass.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called San Miguel? San Miguel was the name Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo gave to San Diego Bay in 1542 — the city's first recorded name, borrowed by the hometown distillery for its hometown gin.
What makes it a "Southwestern" gin? The botanical brief: alongside Italian juniper it runs local cilantro, lime, sage and cucumber — flavours of the Southwest border country rather than a classic London dry profile.
Is San Miguel the same as Old Harbor's 1542 gin? No — they are separate Old Harbor bottlings with different botanical briefs; check the label for "San Miguel" for this cilantro-lime-sage expression.
San Diego gin, first-name honours — order Old Harbor San Miguel Gin online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.