AMASS Los Angeles Dry Gin 750ml

Morgan McLachlan has been fascinated by botany since childhood, and that fascination eventually turned into a genuinely avant-garde approach to gin — she describes herself not as a traditionalist but as an experimenter, willing to work with "any and all plants, herbs, and spices" in pursuit of something that actually tastes like the place it comes from. AMASS Dry Gin is her answer: distilled and bottled in Downtown Los Angeles, built from 29 organic botanicals, eleven of them grown in California itself, three of those pulled directly from Morgan's own backyard. It's a gin built specifically to be "a celebration of both the abundant natural terroir and diverse cultural landscape of contemporary Los Angeles."

The botanical list is genuinely a doozy, printed right on the label: juniper, coriander, cedar berries and bark, angelica, orris root, cassia, fennel, licorice, cubeb, cascara sagrada, cacao, cardamom, California bay leaf, ginger, fresh lemon peel, fresh grapefruit peel, bitter orange peel, dried lemon peel, hibiscus, lion's mane mushroom, reishi mushroom, clove, nutmeg, ashwagandha, sarsaparilla, long pepper, grains of paradise, and kaffir lime leaf. Yes — two entirely different mushroom varieties, sitting alongside juniper and citrus, a genuinely unusual choice that Drinkhacker's own independent reviewer specifically called out: "in case you didn't make it through, that's two different types of mushroom in the mix."

That reviewer found the results "right off it's complex and unique, with a nose heavy on cardamom and coriander, outpacing the juniper that normally dominates in gin. Notes of bay leaf are detectable, as is a light smokiness. The palate is intensely earthy and herbal, almost green at times, though it is touched with a honey-like sweetness that livens things up." The brand's own tasting notes describe a vibrant, fresh, citrus-forward nose, with citrus leading the palate alongside spicy cardamom and a distinctly herbaceous California bay leaf character developing mid-palate — the gin opens with less heat up front, warming gradually through the middle and rear palate before Reishi mushroom, lion's mane mushroom, and long pepper settle in for a genuinely peppery finish with real earthy undertones. Distilled from a corn base spirit, AMASS is non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, and made without any artificial colors, flavors, or added sugar — a genuinely honest, ingredient-forward gin built to reflect the specific place it comes from.

Origins & Craftsmanship

AMASS Dry Gin is crafted by Master Distiller Morgan McLachlan in Downtown Los Angeles, distilled and bottled entirely on-site. McLachlan's lifelong fascination with botany led her toward gin specifically, and she has built a reputation as a genuinely experimental, avant-garde distiller, drawing on California's diverse native flora alongside more traditional gin botanicals. The gin uses a corn base spirit, distilled with 29 organic botanicals, eleven of which are sourced from California, with three grown directly in McLachlan's own backyard.

The full botanical list includes juniper, coriander, cedar berries and bark, angelica, orris root, cassia, fennel, licorice, cubeb, cascara sagrada, cacao, cardamom, California bay leaf, ginger, fresh lemon peel, fresh grapefruit peel, bitter orange peel, dried lemon peel, hibiscus, lion's mane mushroom, reishi mushroom, clove, nutmeg, ashwagandha, sarsaparilla, long pepper, grains of paradise, and kaffir lime leaf. Indigenous California botanicals, particularly California bay and cascara sagrada, are used specifically to ground the gin's bright citrus top notes in a distinctive earthy base, while hibiscus, cardamom, cacao, and kaffir lime leaf reflect the multicultural character of contemporary Los Angeles. The finished spirit is non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, and made without artificial colors, flavors, or added sugar.

Critics Reviews

No numerical critic score is confirmed for this product at this time.

Drinkhacker (extended independent review):
"Right off it's complex and unique, with a nose heavy on cardamom and coriander, outpacing the juniper that normally dominates in gin. Notes of bay leaf are detectable, as is a light smokiness. The palate is intensely earthy and herbal, almost green at times, though it is touched with a honey-like sweetness that livens things up."

AMASS (official tasting notes):
"Nose: Vibrant and fresh, with a citrus-forward welcome. Palate: Citrus to the fore, supported by spicy notes of cardamom. California bay leaf provides an herbaceous quality on the middle of the palate. Gin opens with less heat on the front palate, but warms up to provide the necessary heat on the middle and rear palate. Finish: Reishi mushroom, lion's mane mushroom, and long pepper settle on the rear palate for a peppery finish with earthy undertones."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Vibrant and fresh, with a citrus-forward welcome. Cardamom and coriander lead with real intensity, notably outpacing juniper. Notes of California bay leaf add herbal character, alongside a light smokiness.

Palate
Citrus carries the entry, supported by spicy cardamom, with California bay leaf providing a distinctly herbaceous quality through the mid-palate. Intensely earthy and herbal, almost green at times, touched with a honey-like sweetness. Opens with less heat up front, warming gradually through the middle and rear palate.

Finish
Reishi mushroom, lion's mane mushroom, and long pepper settle on the rear palate for a genuinely peppery finish with real earthy undertones — a distinctive, umami-driven close unlike most conventional gins.

Quick Overview

Cocktail Suggestions

Spanish-Style G&T (the brand's own signature serve)
2 oz AMASS Dry Gin · premium tonic water · fresh rosemary sprigs · grapefruit peel · a squeeze of lime.

Classic Martini
2.5 oz AMASS Dry Gin · dry vermouth to taste · lemon twist — the gin's herbal, earthy complexity carries genuine character in this simple format.