Tomatoes may be divisive, but fans of the fruit are a passionate and motivated bunch. William Schragis, founder of beverage design consortium Project Optimist, grew up with a personal obsession for tomatoes. He even hosted a tomato-themed birthday potluck dubbed Tomato-Fest, where he first experimented with tomato water in cocktails. After more than a year of R&D, Schragis honed a method to “capture the freshness that makes in-season tomatoes so special.” And Covalle Tomato-Water Gin was born.
Made by pulverizing fresh tomato leaves and stems into a pulp with apple and cucumber, the mixture is pasteurized, clarified, and blended with a London dry gin. The resulting spirit is brightly herbaceous, with its vegetal notes balanced by a crisp, fruity sweetness. Originally released in small batches in New York and New Jersey last spring, the gin sold out quickly. Now partnered with importer Back Bar Project, Covalle Tomato-Water Gin has rolled out nationally. Grab a bottle to celebrate summer with a savory Martini, a vegetal Gin & Tonic, or a spritz that sings of the season. 700ml/$39.99, covallegin.com
