gin no. 080 – Devil’s Elbow

On July 5, 2023 my wife suggested we stop in Bluffton, SC and visit Burnt Church Distillery on the way from Hilton Head to Savannah. She actually suggested it on the 3rd when we tried to go to Hilton Head Distillery, a place we had been for three straight years, only to be turned away because a new policy banning my five-year-old. At the time, I was too annoyed to go, but with 48 hours behind me, I agreed.

I’m glad I did because the space is beautiful and they make a very nice gin as well as some fun moonshine. I particularly liked the sweet potato pie and my wife was a big fan of the Chocolate Milk Moonshine.

But of course this is about the gin. I tried both the Original Devil’s Elbow and the Cucumber and Black Pepper. In the end, I bought the original and entered it into The Collection as gin no. 080. The name comes from the original name of the barony that is now Bluffton. Between “Burnt Church” and “Devil’s Elbow” it’s hard to believe anyone would live there.

The gin is solid. I don’t have many details, but I do know the botanicals include juniper, allspice, lemongrass, cardamom, and peppermint. The server told me they distill everything themselves except for their vodka, but I don’t know if the vodka is the base for a further distillation of gin or not. They don’t share much on their website either. If I do find out more, I’ll post an update.

The gin is on the expensive side, $37. That maybe a little high but it is enjoyable. It is 86 proof and is sip-worthy. It makes a very nice gin and tonic as well, particularly with the lemongrass and cardamom. I greatly prefer it over the Bulrush Gin made on Hilton Head. So if you are going to grab a local gin in the area, get this one. And get some moonshine too.