North Shore Distillery Announces New Limited-Edition Spirit

By Anthony Todd in Food on Nov 23, 2011 5:40PM

On Monday, when we encouraged you to drown your holiday sorrows at North Shore Distillery's tasting room, we had no idea that visitors would be getting an extra-special treat! On Wednesday, North Shore will be pouring out the very first tastings of its limited-edition spirit for 2011, Eldergin.

In previous years, North Shore's limited-edition products have flown off the shelves and gained a cult following. In 2010, they released a bottled Corpse Reviver cocktail. In 2009, a Mole Poblano vodka. In 2008, a mango-infused gin. Don't look for any of these at your liquor store - they have long since sold out. In fact, one of the few times we've contemplated petty larceny was at North Shore's tasting room, where they have bottles of each in a glass cabinet.

This year's offering, Eldergin, is a combination of Elderberries and gin. The berries grow all around Chicago, yet we've never seen them incorporated into a spirit. We'll let North Shore describe it for you.

"The bright fruit in this spirit is amazing, coupled with savory spices and balanced sweetness. Eldergin is delightful after dinner, with ice and a touch of club soda. It also makes amazing cocktails, both classic and modern."

There are only 900 bottles of the stuff for sale. You can taste it at the distillery this week, and it will go on sale to the public in early December. If you're a cocktail geek, you have to add this to your collection.