gin no. 039 – Noon Gun Gin

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• Noon Gun Gin is a barrel aged gin from Nova Scotia.
• Compass Distillers produces the gin and ages it at the Halifax Citadel.
• I bought my bottle at the Citadel and took its picture with the Noon Gun cannon.

Compass Distillers is located in a curiously charming little building in the North End of Halifax. There, they both distill a nice variety of spirits and mix them up for tastings. But the most exciting part of Compass Distillers is their partnership with Halifax Citadel National Historic Site. It is there that they barrel age a Noon Gun Gin.

The Halifax Citadel dates back to 1749 when the hilltop was selected as the site for a fort to defend Halifax harbor. Today, the Canadian historic site is one of the most visited attractions in Nova Scotia. The highlight of any visit is the firing of the noon gun, a 12-pound cannon, which has been done by soldiers in period uniforms daily since 1857. I guess though in 1857 the uniforms would not have been considered “period”.

I visited the Citadel on August 4, 2019, enjoying the noon firing and touring the historic fort. When I stopped at the gift shop I spotted two bottles aged on site, Noon Gun Gin and Daily Ration Rum. I bought the gin and promptly took and placed it on the recently fired cannon. That evening, I stopped by the distillery where I first tried Noon Gun Gin, along with their signature Gin, Gin Wild, Summer GiNS, and Gin Royal. I ended up purchasing two more bottles, Summer GiNS (no. 040), and Spiced Rhums.

In addition to being aged for five months in a two-and-half century old building, it is made with Nova Scotia wheat. My old bottle advertises twelve botanicals, but today their website claims just ten. It drinks smooth, like most aged, low proof gin. The bottle of Noon Gun Gin in the collection remained unopened until January 17, 2025. That night I tried it neat and in a gin and tonic and enjoyed both. In the end, it is the story and the history that makes this gin so interesting and such a prized part of the collection. And that’s why I waited so long to open it.

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