Jettywave’s California Botanical Gin began as a deeply personal project for co-founder Tanya Slye. Coming from a long line of Czech farmers, Tanya’s connection to the land runs deep. She studied organic farming in Santa Cruz, and built a career rooted in botanicals, from growing flowers, to floral design and garden design. That lifelong relationship with plants, paired with a firm belief in supporting local agriculture, became the foundation for our gin. To this day, we source our botanicals as locally as possible, letting California’s landscape shape the spirit in the bottle. It’s a gin that has earned national recognition, including being named Best Craft Gin by Rolling Stone Magazine and receiving Best of the Best and Double Gold from Sunset Magazine. Along the way, it even caught the attention of the owner of the world’s largest hotel gin collection, who called it one of his personal favorites.
 
Recipe/Approach:
Tanya, one of our co-founders, began developing the recipe, drawing inspiration from her background and her everyday life working in and around agriculture.  As an avid home cook and entertainer, Tanya is known for layering fresh herbs and edible flowers into nearly everything she makes. She approached the gin the same way, less like a formula and more like cooking. Juniper forms the backbone, as it must, supported by familiar gin botanicals like coriander and cardamom. From there, the recipe becomes distinctly Californian: pistachio for subtle creaminess, nasturtium blossom which are abundant year-round in Half Moon Bay for a gentle peppery bite, and a selection of Tanya’s personal favorites including Meyer lemon, shiso leaf, ginger root, and thyme, all finished with a touch of black pepper. Tanya likened the process to making a rick stock, deciding which botanicals should “cook” in the still to build depth, and which should be “sprinkled on top” in the gin basket to preserve their brightest aromatics. The result is a gin that is layered, expressive, and unmistakably coastal California.
 
Tasting Notes: 
At its core, Jettywave’s California Botanical Gin is a reflection of the place it was created, Half Moon Bay. A reflection of the plants, the landscape, and the hands that shaped it. Crafted with intention and deep respect for California’s botanicals, it opens boldly with bright citrus and warming cardamom. Classic juniper anchors the spirit, harmonizing with coriander seed to build structure and depth. The finish softens into a light floral note from nasturtium, followed by the minty, cleansing freshness of shiso leaf, leaving the palate refreshed and effortlessly ready for the next sip.
 
Aroma:
On the nose, this gin evokes a walk through our herb garden that frames the Jettywave outdoor cocktail lounge. Bright Meyer lemon lifts immediately, followed by soft floral notes of nasturtium and the cool, green freshness of shiso leaf. A subtle crack of black pepper blurs the line between floral and spice. Cardamon sweeps the end of the inhale with spiced notes framing with the coriander, juniper, and fresh ginger root.
 
Makers Notes: “I wanted to make a botanically forward spirit for a long time. I knew I wanted to make something that was as easy to enjoy sipping on, as much as I do in a cocktail. This gin is effortless to just have on ice” - Tanya Slye