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A Long Island-based liquor brand drew inspiration from a 1975 crime-ridden New York City to introduce consumers to a dark and gritty yet refined product that was unique among spirits.
In a propaganda campaign, plainclothes New York law enforcement officers approached tourists with pamphlets titled “Welcome to Fear City: A Survival Guide for Visitors to the City of New York” as crime ran rampant and police warned visitors to leave.
“We were drawn to the old gothic style architecture of New York City,” Christopher Davis, managing member and partner of Fear City Gin, told FOX Business.
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The pamphlet provided unsuspecting visitors with a survival guide advising them to stay off the streets after 6 p.m., avoid public transportation and remain in Manhattan as police protection was “inadequate,” among other guidance.
“We wanted something that speaks to the grittiness of New York,” Davis said.
Sustainability was top priority for the Fear City Gin team and the deep amber-colored glass is made from recyclable glass bottles.
“There’s so much waste product out there that we just wanted to make sure, first and foremost, that we were being as responsible as possible,” Davis said. “It was something that was important to all of us as partners.”
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To add another layer of uniqueness to the product, the team shopped around before deciding on buffalo bone material from Southeast Asia to craft the bottle tops.
“It makes for a more expensive product, but I think it’s super important to stand out on the shelves,” David told FOX Business.
Placed in the premium category, the small batch gin retails for $39.99.
As for the gin itself, the botanical product that Davis describes as “really soft, slightly sweet and savory,” includes white sage, a threatened species from Baja California, located in northwestern Mexico.
“We partnered with a really good farm out in Mexico that makes sure they practice farming within the guidelines and makes sure they practice sustainability,” Davis said.
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Sugar kelp grown by farmers in Long Island Sound is a key ingredient incorporated into the production process of Fear City Gin.
“Gin is known for being a pretty untapped canvas,” Davis said. “It’s pretty unparalleled for anything you want to do creatively.”
He added that Fear City’s partnership with Matchbook Distilling Company allowed for a collaboration with kelp farmers in Greenport.
“We kind of fell in love with the idea of using sugar kelp,” Davis said. “There are some farmers doing some really great things out there. They’re participating in a practice called regenerative aquaculture, which is a way to see, basically, the beds of the sound which improves water quality and supports marine life in the area.”
Among the other botanical ingredients added to the distillation process are rosemary, juniper, caraway, angelica and coriander.
At the 2024 USA Spirits Ratings competition in San Francisco, Fear City Gin won two awards including best in show in the country and a gold medal.
Davis said Fear City is proud to acknowledge that a minimum of 75% of ingredients, including fruits, vegetables, grains and honey, are sourced from New York State.
“It is a New York-labeled spirit,” he said.
The future of Fear City spirit expressions includes hyper-limited liquor releases in collaboration with breweries or wineries.
“Maybe only 100 bottles,” Davis said.
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