Bloglander

The rest of the nation is starting to catch on that Washington makes more than good apples. Washington-made gin, from Spokane’s Dry Fly Distilling, got a very complimentary mention in The Wall Street Journal this weekend as one of “50 fresh ideas” for spring recreation.

The writeup describes it as a “soft, floral” gin that “captures Eastern Washington’s wild, scrubby terrain.”

Dry Fly’s gin is flavored with botanicals from within the state, including spearmint, lavender and Yakima Valley hops. The lone exception is an essential one — the juniper comes from Oregon, distiller Patrick Donovan says, because they haven’t been able to find a USDA-approved source in Washington.

Locally sourced gin made the WSJ list along with radishes, chardonnay, neon handbags, Eames chairs, vintage trinket boxes, pencil skirts in prints and, obviously, 43 other things. (Seattle gets a mention in a mini history lesson on grunge chic.)

This is by no means the first time Dry Fly has gotten national attention: It was named the best craft distillery in America in 2011 and has earned many other awards since it was founded in 2007.