Molly Posts
At WildGins, we believe the spirit of Texas can be captured in every sip. That’s why we’ve gone beyond the usual craft distilling approach and embraced the rugged, untamed essence of West Texas. Using local botanicals isn’t just a trendy buzzword for us—it's at the very heart of what makes our Texas gin truly one of a kind.
Texas Gin Begins with Texas Juniper
Gin wouldn’t be gin without juniper. Strip juniper from the recipe, and you’re left with flavored vodka. That’s why we’ve dedicated ourselves to redefining what a Texas gin can be by featuring not just any juniper—but wild juniper hand-foraged from the most remote regions of West Texas.
Texas is home to eight distinct juniper species—more than any other state in the U.S., and even more than all of Western Europe. That’s right, Texas takes the crown once again. But not all Texas junipers are suited for gin making. The urban varieties you might find in Austin, Dallas, or Houston simply don’t have the right flavor profiles. That’s why our team of botanists and distillers venture deep into the wild terrains of West Texas, where the real treasures grow.
Our journey started with the Alligator Juniper—also known as the Checkerbark juniper for its iconic, rugged bark that resembles alligator skin. Discovered during a camping trip in the Davis Mountains State Park (and no, we never forage from protected state lands), this majestic tree inspired our mission to create a gin that tells the story of Texas itself.
Meet the Bold and Beautiful Wild Junipers of West Texas
The Alligator Juniper (Juniperus deppeana) stands tall as the matriarch of the Davis Mountains. Towering up to 60 feet and with trunks as wide as 8 feet, these ancient trees have seen more Texas history than most towns. The berries of the Alligator Juniper are equally impressive—twice the size and twice the boldness of the typical common juniper (Juniperus communis) berry used in mainstream gins. Their deep, earthy flavors give our WildBark West Texas Dry Gin its robust, masculine character—what we fondly call our James Dean of gin.
In contrast, our WildJune Western Style Gin showcases the rare Redberry Juniper (Juniperus pinchotii). Exclusive to West Texas and the panhandle, this fiery red berry brings an unexpectedly sweet, fruity twist to the gin world. Where the common juniper offers that familiar piney aroma, the redberry juniper surprises with its delicate sweetness and vibrant color, crafting what we consider the sassier, more feminine side of Texas gin.
For WildJune, we marry both the sweet Redberry Juniper and the classic common juniper to create a complex harmony of flavors—a yin and yang of the wild juniper world.
Hyper-Local, Single-Origin Texas Gin
At WildGins, we don’t just source from the region—we take terroir to the next level. By focusing on single-origin gin, each distillation batch highlights berries gathered from a specific, named wild juniper tree. Yes, we name our trees. This isn’t just Texas terroir; it’s what we proudly call ‘Hyper-Terroir’—capturing not only the unique geological features and arid climates of West Texas but honoring the individuality of each tree.
Both our wild junipers thrive in these rugged lands, storing up flavor for two full years before fruiting. This cycle allows us to alternate between 'even-year' and 'odd-year' trees, ensuring that every bottle tells a story of resilience, adaptation, and the raw beauty of the Texas wilderness.
Giving Back to Our Wild Roots
Our dedication to preserving the landscapes that make our Texas gin so special goes beyond the bottle. Through our ‘Give a Wild Buck’ campaign, we donate $1 from every bottle sold between November and February to the Nature Conservancy’s West Texas Chapter, helping to protect the very lands that grow our beloved wild junipers.
Experience the Wild Side of Texas Gin
So why settle for ordinary when you can sip extraordinary? WildGins invites you to taste the spirit of Texas like never before with our WildJune Western Style Gin and WildBark West Texas Dry Gin—crafted from local botanicals, foraged wild juniper, and distilled with a deep respect for the land that raised them.
Raise a glass to the wild, rugged, and untamed flavors of West Texas. Because at WildGins, we don’t just make gin—we make Texas gin.