Fog’s End gives a genteel twist to a sometimes gruff spirit with its 17 Mile Gin.

Roll the calendar back a century or two and you will find gin in the gutters, vilified by polite society. If, however, Fog’s End Distillery had been around in the 1800s, the spirit’s reputation might never have taken a hit.

The recently released 17 Mile Gin is elegant – even-tempered, with a glowing warmth on the finish. Impressions of citrus and holiday spices perform a cotillion with gentle floral notes, whispering grasses and white chocolate. There is a suggestion of earthiness from the grape neutral spirit and just enough juniper bite. Using fresh ingredients from California farms meant that more oils were extracted.

“The citrus pops a little more,” explains Steven Wales, co-owner of the Gonzales distillery. “We wanted to make something that tasted good to us.” Indeed, 17 Mile is a gin one can enjoy without tonic (but Wales notes that “it really does hold its own” with any mixer). While the likes of ginger, orris root, coriander, clove, cacao and other items play a role, the secret may be Buddha’s hand – the bizarre, twisted fruit with no pulp but offering a delicate fragrance.

They arrived at the recipe after a thorough process – visiting farms, working with 38 botanicals and other ingredients and narrowing it down to a finished product. “It took us a year to make it and a week to produce it,” Wales says. “We’re happy.”

The gin can be found in local shops like Star Market in Salinas and Nielsen Brothers Market in Carmel, as well as select bars and restaurants – good places, not gin joints.