Frey Ranch Estate Gin wins top award

Frey Ranch Estate Distillery, a Nevada-based estate grain distillery south of Fallon, recently earned a double gold medal for Frey Ranch Gin at the 16th annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

The double gold is the competition’s most prestigious award indicating an outstanding product, earning top marks from all judges. The competition, which is considered to be the most influential spirits competition in the world, featured more than 1,850 entries. As a recipient of a double gold medal, Frey Ranch Gin will embark on a 10-city tasting tour for media and industry professionals with other double gold medalists. Frey Ranch Vodka also took home a bronze medal as a well-crafted spirit deserving recognition, marking an incredible showing for the world’s only estate grain distillery and winery. Frey Ranch spirits are available throughout Nevada, California and Chicago and will soon be available in other markets across the country.

“We’re absolutely ecstatic to receive these tremendous accolades from such a well-respected and high-profile organization and amongst such significant competition,” said Colby Frey, owner, distiller and winemaker at Frey Ranch. “Our commitment, from the very beginning, was to create unique products based around quality and homegrown ingredients that would result in a distinct and desirable spirit and these awards only validate that commitment.”

Released in the fall of 2015, Frey Ranch Gin is the second premium craft spirit produced by Frey Ranch. The product begins with three different grains – rye, barley and corn – grown and milled right on the ranch and combined with juniper berries and sagebrush sourced from the ranch. These ingredients are joined by coriander, Angelia root, cardamom pod, lemon peel and orange peel to create a unique flavor that can only belong to the Frey name. The Gin was released just one year after a wildly successful launch of Frey Ranch Vodka which incorporates four different grains – corn, rye, wheat and barley – also grown right on the ranch. Frey Ranch also produces Cemetery Gin to promote Virginia City tourism (see “Virginia City’s tourism always on the go”).

The SFWSC was established in 2000 as a way to determine and award exceptional products in the spirits industry and remains one of the most reliable and universal indications of spirits excellence. Nearly 40 of the industry’s most established experts judged the competition including Anthony Dias Blue, lifestyle writer, editor and publisher; Tony Abou-Ganim, master mixologist; Charles Joly, named Diageo’s “Best Bartender in the World;” David Wondrich, spirits writer; Charlotte Voisey, director of brand advocacy for Wm. Grant and Sons; and Dale DeGroff, master mixologist.

Frey Ranch features a stillroom, tank room, barreling room, tasting room and a malt house. The centerpiece of the distillery is a one-of-a-kind, custom-made Vendome still that is capable of producing 10,000 cases of spirits a month. Additionally, there are four 5,000 gallon fermenters, one 5,000 gallon mash cooker, one 5,000 gallon beer well, one 500 gallon pot still, a 24-foot continuous still and 23-foot vodka column.

The tasting room is open on Saturdays from noon-4 p.m. for both wine and liquor tasting and sales.