Sips & Sites & Bites

Inspired by the coastal atmosphere of Sausalito, California, a new spirits company is making magic with gin and whiskeys.

The Sausalito Liquor Co. just launched by rolling out three spirits that are already garnering industry awards, their Marin Coastal Gin, Unsinkable Bourbon, and Unsinkable Rye.  

The new spirits are available at sausalitoliquor.com with shipping to 42 states, and will soon make their way to bars, restaurants, and liquor stores throughout California.

A statement from Sausalito Liquor Co. officials note that the new products celebrate “the beauty, free spirit, offbeat nature and authenticity of Sausalito, and taps into the emotion that makes the town a remarkable place to live and a worldwide travel destination.”

Scott Jampol is the founder of Sausalito Liquor Co., a former marketing executive, and part-time local bartender. 

“Our goal with Sausalito Liquor Co. is to provide spirit drinkers with the same welcoming, authentic, and unpretentious experience that has drawn independent thinkers, artists, iconoclasts and the occasional misfit to Sausalito for over a century,” he said. “We want to offer people the chance to immerse themselves in the magic of the moment, without the constraints of conventional expectations.”

Jampol says he’s an advocate for doing things the easy-drinking way, “and I don’t think there should be any rules on how to enjoy good spirits. It’s okay that you don’t catch every nuance or identify every flavor. I just care that you like the way it makes you feel, much in the same way you can love a song or a piece of art without having to explain why.”

He explained that Sausalito Liquor Co.’s offerings each bring their own character and story, similar to the artists, adventurers, musicians, makers, and maritime culture that call Sausalito home.

For their Marin Coastal Gin, it’s Marin County’s soul on display, which comes from the contrast between the area’s beautiful, rugged land and the wild, unpredictable sea that surrounds it. Green hills tumble into an unpredictable ocean creating a place that draws different thinkers and creators alike. 

Jampol said that in this spirit they created Marin Coastal Gin, a balanced coastal gin that highlights California citrus peel, locally foraged Nori seaweed, Angelica seeds from Santa Rosa, and a combination of two types of Juniper. The bottle has a suggested price of $34.99.

Their Unsinkable Bourbon was named to reflect the spirit of the bootleggers, artists, musicians, free-thinkers, and trailblazers who’ve flocked to Sausalito for decades, as well as a nod to the Liberty Ships built in Sausalito during World War II. 

They took the well-aged bourbon and finished it in Napa Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. A bottle has a suggested price of $54.99.

For their Unsinkable Rye, they took Kentucky rye and aged it in Napa port wine barrels to create a whiskey that’s unmistakably rye but with a touch of sweetness. Perfect for a Manhattan. It has a suggested price of $54.99 for a 750ml bottle.

For more information, check out www.sausalitoliquor.com and on Instagram.