Poland Spring Distilled Gin December 17, 2024

Happy Holidays to one and all. This has been a holiday season that due to the pressures at work and personal issues has not felt very festive. But with a day off before Christmas, I decided to relax by looking through the New York Times Machine to see what ads I can come across. Now consider that Prohibition had been repealed less than two years when the December 17, 1935 edition of the New York Times was published. By this time, bars and restaurants in NYC were back in full swing, many restaurants advertising for the holiday season of 1935. But one particular spirits ad stood out to me because of not only its rarity, but also because of its name brand. Look at the following ad:

Now for those of us New Yorkers, the Poland Spring bottled water brand is one of the most, if not the most recognizable bottle water brand in the city. Poland Spring bottled water even advertises themselves as the official bottled water brand of the 2024 American League Champion New York Yankees. Now imagine me finding this ad for a distilled gin sold in a bottle with a bearded man on the front. Is that Moses? And make no bones about it, this is the one and the same Poland Spring that the bottled water is sourced from. The font used for the advertising has not changed one bit. What better subject to go down the proverbial rabbit hole on a day off. But first a little backstory.

Water has been sourced for sales from the Maine spring since 1845. But the name Poland Spring has been around since the late 1700's. There was a resort that started as a rest stop for carriages to becoming a world class resort. For a more in depth history behind the Poland Spring resort, check the following website The Historic Poland Spring by Brian Harris. On to the gin.

As you can see in the ad, the same Ricker family from the resort sold the Poland Spring Gin and was distilled by H.M. Walker Inc. Not surprisingly, the elaborate bottle with the bearded man is a collector's item. The gin? Not so much. Here is how the flavor profile is described from the GinIsin review:

Poland Spring Gin’s nose has a bit of ethanol and barbershop aroma on the nose. There’s a slight hint of sweetish smelling green juniper cast amidst a hazy, slightly musty aroma.

The palate is slightly acrid, especially at first. Intensely bitter, Poland Spring Gin has an apothecary-type flavor. Tell-tale note of green and slightly pine-forward juniper hits mid-palate, before fading quickly into a slight hint of cinnamon and spice.

The finish is long, with bitter notes of inexpensive vodka, ethanol and rubbing alcohol.

The astringency and dryness you might expect from an inexpensive classic gin are certainly there; however, especially on its own— Poland Spring Gin is a bit rough.

Woof. Not quite the positive review. The gin clocked in at 80 proof/40 ABV. I'm not sure as to when production started, let alone ended. I'll make sure to update the post if I find out more info.

Ever have the pleasure of drinking some of the Poland Spring Gin? Let me know what you think of it in the comments box. I'll be back soon with another post from the December 17, 1935 edition of the New York Times. 

Until Then May You Have Some Happy, Safe and Responsible Drinking,

SiscoVanilla

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