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Du Nord Fitzgerald Gin
About Du Nord Fitzgerald Gin
Du Nord Fiztgerald Gin (also known as Prominence Gin) is produced by Du Nord Social Spirits, America’s first black-owned distillery based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded in 2013 By Chris Montana and his wife Shanelle, Du Nord now produces a variety of spirits including Gin, Whiskey, Vodka, and liqueurs. As a brand, Du Nord makes an effort to create change, diversify the industry, and support the local community.
We picked up this particular bottle of Fitzgerald Gin in Fall of 2021, in the midst of the company rebranding many of its bottles. This same Gin recipe is now known as Prominence Gin, which highlights the Du Nord name more prominently on its bottle. Inspired by London Dry and “old world” Gins, Fitzgerald features a blend of botanicals that includes Italian juniper, orange, lemon, coriander, angelica root, licorice root, and ginger.
Bottle Specs
❖ ABV: 45%
❖ Distillery: Du Nord Social Spirits
❖ Aging: N/A
❖ Price Point: Moderate
My Tasting notes
I began to pick out the nose notes, and there was an immediate wave of botanical aromas that were blended together. The Juniper was very prominent, with an overall smoothness. After several sniffs, I found that the botanical notes got less and less strong – leaving a clean, neutral aroma.
I took my first sip, and it was overwhelming with flavor. Strong vegetal notes rushed onto my tastebuds, and the harsh alcohol notes tingled on my tongue. On my second sip, I noticed an additional floral note that I couldn’t quite pinpoint. Overall, I found that the harshness of the alcohol was a bit distracting, making it difficult to analyze the botanical notes. With each sip, I kept hoping the alcohol flavor would mellow out on the next sip, but in this regard, I was disappointed.
Cocktail
For my cocktail, I decided to be brave and finally try out a Gin Fizz! Nervous about using egg whites in a cocktail for the first time, I turned to The Educated Barfly for some tips. I highly recommend checking out his demo video on the Gin Fizz if this egg white technique is also new to you.
Gin Fizz
❖ 2 oz Gin
❖1 oz lemon juice
❖3/4 oz simple syrup
❖ 1 egg white
❖ soda water, to top
- Add the egg whites into the larger shaker tin.
- Add the lemon juice, simple syrup, and Gin into the smaller tin.
- Seal the shaker, and let sit for 10 seconds.
- Dry shake (no ice) the mixture for 10 seconds.
- Add ice (preferably 1 large block) to the shaker, and let sit for 10 seconds.
- Shake the mixture.
- Double-strain the mixture into a tall cocktail glass.
- Top with chilled soda water.
My first experience with the Gin Fizz was interesting! At first, I wasn’t able to judge the Gin, as my tastebuds were adjusting to the egg white flavor. After several sips, I was able to pick out notes of juniper. Overall, the botanical notes were very subtle within the cocktail, simply adding a hint of vegetal and floral flavors. Though I enjoyed my drink, nothing about the experience felt particularly special.
Bottom Line
RATING: 2/5
Overall, I was a bit disappointed with this bottle of Du Nord Fitzgerald Gin. I had really hoped to love it, since the company aligns so well with my personal values. However, the flavors were a bit too harsh for my taste.
My straight tasting experience was not enjoyable, and I don’t think the Gin adds that much to a cocktail either. Not only did it not shine in the Gin Fizz, but it also fell flat when I used it for a Gimlet the day after my official tasting. Although I made my Gimlet in a 2:1 ratio, I found it to be unacceptably bitter and not well balanced, even though this is my go-to ratio with other Gin choices.
Although I can’t recommend the Fitzgerald/Prominence Gin at this time, I look forward to seeing what adjustments or new gins they may make in the future. I can sense that Du Nord is still recovering and adjusting from being a victim of arson back in the summer of 2020, and perhaps this has affected quality and product development a bit. I will definitely be keeping my eyes, heart, and mind open as I try out more Du Nord products in the future.
As always, drink responsibly.
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