Far North Sölveig Gin “Anna’s Garden”

Far North Sölveig Gin "Anna's Garden" is a hibiscus-infused American gin distilled in Hallock, Minnesota, where the Far North Spirits team grows its own botanicals on-site and crafts every batch from estate-grown rye and wheat. The distillery's field-to-bottle approach means hibiscus, dill, angelica, and lemon peel come from Anna's Garden itself, a quarter-acre plot planted specifically to supply the still. This is gin as an agricultural product, not a neutral spirit dressed up with purchased extracts, and the difference shows in the clarity and concentration of the botanical flavor. Far North Spirits was founded in 2006 by Cheri Reese, one of the first farmer-distillers in the United States to grow, malt, and distill grain on the same property. The distillery sits on the Minnesota-North Dakota border, where cold winters and long summer days produce exceptionally high-protein rye and wheat. Every ingredient that can be grown locally is grown locally — the base spirit is milled, fermented, and distilled in-house, and the botanical garden is tended by Anna Reese, whose name graces this particular expression. The hibiscus flowers are harvested at peak bloom, dried, and infused post-distillation to preserve the floral aromatics and the gin's distinctive pink hue. Herbaceous dill leads the nose, balanced by earthy angelica root and the bright zip of fresh lemon peel. The hibiscus contributes a tart floral edge without overwhelming the juniper backbone, and the finish is clean, dry, and long. This is a complex, concentrated gin built for spring and summer drinking — it holds up beautifully in a gin and tonic with a wedge of grapefruit, adds depth to a Negroni, and shines in fizzes and Collins drinks where the floral and citrus notes can open up with dilution. Pair it with grilled fish, soft cheeses, or a simple crudité platter to let the garden botanicals do the talking. Far North Sölveig Gin "Anna's Garden" is available now at Off Premise Chicago, 1128 W Armitage Ave in Lincoln Park, for in-store pickup, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.