Koval Distillery was born out of passion and determination, as well as a long family history in the art of distilling.
Founded by Sonat and Robert Birnecker in 2008, Koval is a craft and small batch distillery that never compromises on quality, even opting to create their own grain spirit rather than buy it pre-made.
Robert was born in Austria, and has a family that have been distilling for generations. This is quite common there, with many people knowing how to distil traditional fruit cider.
He brought this tradition with him to America, but decided to use his skills to create some amazing Gin and Whisky instead, as well as bringing back distilling to the city of Chicago, after a 100-year absence.
Alongside his wife Sonat, Robert is creating some of the best craft Gin and Whisky available, winning countless awards since Koval’s inception.
But it was not all plain sailing, as they originally had to have laws changed in Chicago to allow them to sell spirits on site. It was a hard battle fought, but it has changed the face of the city, allowing other distilleries to move in as well.
Since then, the distillery has gone from strength to strength, even expanding their site at Ravenswood in recent years, allowing them to up their production.
This is a great sign that the distillery is doing well, and with such high quality spirits, it’s easy to see why.
Take their Dry Gin for example. This is a brilliant showcase of just how good Koval products are.
It is made from juniper and several other botanicals, including wildflowers.
It is packed with flavour, capturing the essence of a good gin, with plenty of juniper notes, but also creating a well rounded and balanced spirit
The nose opens with light floral notes of dew covered grass and blossom. It is soft and smooth, with a crisp aroma to it.
The floral notes are uplifting and fresh, hinting at rose petals and cherry blossom.
The palate expands on these. It is full of light orchard notes such as grass and heather. There is a slight nod towards wood as well.
The juniper is especially rich on the palate, bringing in notes of pine needles and bark. It has a traditional Gin flavour.
This is a refined and mellow Gin that would be perfect with a good quality tonic, as part of a cocktail or simply even neat.