Last year, Mythology Distillery teamed up with the Denver Botanic Gardens to find the best flowers and herbs growing in the garden's many beds to use in a new gin. The result was The Foragers, made with lemon verbena, chamomile and elder flower in addition to Mythology's standard trio of gin botanicals: juniper, orris root and coriander seed.

This year, the distillery got an early start on a new Foragers batch, so fans of the bold and complex gin won't have to wait until October; new bottles will hit shelves on June 4. "I hope the Foragers release can showcase the pride Coloradans have in our community through collaboration and giving back," says Mythology founder and president Scott Yeates. "The initial release spurred a frenzy of gin lovers and people that love the story with the Gardens who are eagerly awaiting the release."

In addition to working with together, Yeates notes that Mythology will donate $7,000 from the sales of the Foragers back to the DBG. The release of the new gin is well timed, since the Gardens just reopened (with restrictions) on Friday, May 22. You can order Mythology spirits online, then pick up your order at 3622 Tejon Street from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday,and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. The distillery's website also has a list of Denver liquor stores where you can track down its products.

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Mythology's newest gin doesn't need much in the way of cocktail ingredients.

Mark Antonation

While the gin's flavors are pronounced, they're also easily lost in an overly complicated cocktail. Bar manager Kelsie Berry has come up with some simple recipes you can replicate at home once you have your own bottle of the Foragers:

Cucumber Pepper Lemonade
2 oz Foragers gin
¼ oz cucumber juice
¼ oz lemon juice
¼ oz pink peppercorn syrup*

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe. Refreshing, lightly citrusy, and peppery. Garnish with cracked pepper on top.

*Pink Peppercorn Syrup: Combine and boil 1 ¼ cups water and 1 ½ cups sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add 2 tablespoons pink peppercorns and bring to a boil. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit for 20 minutes. Strain peppercorn out using a fine mesh strainer.

Mango Sunlight
2 oz Foragers gin
Bar spoon of mango peach preserves
¼ oz lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into a wine glass with ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with a dehydrated orange slice.

We made this one at home, substituting orange marmalade (about a tablespoon) for the mango peach preserves, topped it with some sparkling mineral water and garnished it with a fresh lemon twist. 

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