MGP has announced plans to roll-out Green Hat Gin to their current distribution partners in the first half of 2021. Green Hat Gin is Washington, D.C.’s first licensed distillery since Prohibition. Crafted with a unique blend of botanicals in copper pot stills, the Gin is offered in four styles: Original Batch Gin, Navy Strength, Citrus Floral, and Summer Cup Cordial.
Green Hat Gin is the latest addition to MGP’s portfolio, and their first proprietary Gin brand. MGP acquired New Columbia Distillers in March 2020, encompassing the Green Hat Gin distillery, retail tasting room, bar and gin garden, all located in the Ivy City neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
“This will be a very exciting season for our team as we build the Green Hat Gin brand and grow our distribution footprint,” says Andrew Mansinne, Vice President of Brands, MGP. “We are receiving outstanding feedback from our trade partners about the quality of Green Hat and look forward to sharing our brand story with gin lovers across the country.”
Green Hat Original Batch is the inaugural recipe, made for those that appreciate a juniper-forward blend balanced with original botanicals. It contains aromas of juniper, citrus and herbs that linger on the palate with anise notes and a crisp finish. The higher-proof Navy Strength Gin features notes of candied lemon, grapefruit, lavender and clover; Citrus Floral Gin offers a bright lemon, orange, and cherry blossom style; and Summer Cup Cordial, a fruit and herb cordial featuring cheerful bursts of citrus, rosehips, cucumber, black tea, verbena and lavender.
Green Hat Gin is inspired by George Cassiday, the infamous “Man in the Green Hat.” Instantly recognizable in his green felt fedora, Cassiday was a mysterious bootlegger who kept Congress well-stocked during Prohibition from his private offices in the House and Senate. Legend has it that he recorded more than 25 deliveries per day in his Black Book over the course of a decade, making him very popular indeed on both sides of the Hill. Cassiday is credited with helping to bring Prohibition to an end with a series of scathing front-page articles, even at the demise of his own good fortune. A man of his word, he destroyed the Black Book on the eve of Repeal and has been synonymous with the D.C. spirits scene ever since.
Green Hat Original Batch Gin retails for $29.99 per 750-ml bottle (41.5% ABV). The Navy Strength Gin is priced at $32.99 per 750-ml bottle (57.1% ABV). The Citrus Floral Gin sells for $29.99 per 750-ml bottle (45% ABV). The Summer Cup Cordial retails for $29.99 per 750-ml bottle (33% ABV). The Gins are currently available in Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. and will be rolling out to other MGP markets through the first half of 2021.