Great cocktails start with exceptional spirits. It’s a simple idea, and it’s the heart of everything we do at End of Days. You can have the freshest citrus, the perfect ice, and the best bar tools in the world, but if what’s in the bottle doesn’t hold up, neither will your cocktail.
That’s why we’re kicking off our Great Cocktails Start with Exceptional Spirits series with a bottle that sits right at the crossroads of two worlds: Castaway Series Barrel Rested Gin.
What Is Barrel Rested Gin?
Most gin goes straight from the still to the bottle, bright and botanical. Barrel rested gin takes a detour. After distillation, the gin spends time resting in oak barrels, the same way whiskey does. The wood softens the edges, adds warmth and color, and layers in notes of oak, vanilla, and spice.
The result is a spirit that lives somewhere between a classic gin and a fine whiskey. It still has the botanical character that makes gin so versatile in cocktails, with the depth and richness whiskey lovers reach for.
How We Make Castaway Barrel Rested Gin
Our Barrel Rested Gin starts with our award-winning Port of Entry Gin: a 100% corn base, distilled seven times, and infused with fourteen botanicals. From there, we let time and oak do the rest.
- The barrel: New American Oak, #3 char, medium toast
- The rest: 6–8 months
- The proof: 90 proof (45% ABV)
- The nose: Warm oak and juniper, with hints of citrus zest, cardamom, and light floral rose hips
- The palate: Citrus and lemongrass, peppery spice, and light floral notes, finishing exceptionally smooth
Every bottle is hand distilled right here in Wilmington, North Carolina.
A Gin for Whiskey Lovers
If you’re a whiskey drinker who has never quite connected with gin, this is the bottle that bridges the gap. Try it anywhere you’d normally reach for bourbon or rye: an Old Fashioned, a Negroni-style stirred cocktail, or simply neat or over a large ice cube.
And if you’re already a gin lover, Barrel Rested Gin shows you a whole new side of the spirit you know.
Award-Winning in the Glass
Castaway Barrel Rested Gin has been recognized by judges around the world:
- Double Gold, Best Gin – The Fifty Best, 2024
- Double Gold, Best Gin – The Fifty Best, 2021
- Gold, 94 Points – Berlin International Spirits Competition, 2024
- Platinum – SIP Awards, 2021
- Gold – Bartender Spirits Awards, 2021
Where to Find It
Castaway Barrel Rested Gin is available in our Wilmington tasting room and online with flat-rate shipping (the same cost whether you order one bottle or a full case). You can also find it on shelves in two states:
- North Carolina: Available at NC ABC stores. Just ask for product code 66598.
- Virginia: Now available at Virginia ABC! Check availability at your local Virginia ABC store →
Shop Castaway Series Barrel Rested Gin →
Build Your Home Bar
Stirred cocktails like the ones below deserve the right tools. Our Mixology Bartending Set includes a two-piece shaker, muddler, bar spoon, and jigger. Pair it with our mixing glass, a Hawthorne strainer, and a Venus rocks glass, and you’re ready for every recipe below.
Recipes
Juniper Old Fashioned
Rich and silky, with warm oak, vanilla, and caramel notes balanced by bright juniper, soft floral sweetness, and fresh orange. If you enjoy a spirit-forward cocktail where you can taste the quality and time that went into the spirit, this one is for you.
Ingredients
- 2oz Castaway Series Barrel Rested Gin
- .5oz St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
- Orange blossom water
- Orange peel garnish
Directions
- Use a jigger to measure the Barrel Rested Gin and St-Germain into your mixing glass.
- Fill the mixing glass with ice, making sure there’s more ice than liquid.
- Stir gently with a long bar spoon until the cocktail is cold.
- Add a large ice cube to your rocks glass and use a Hawthorne strainer to strain the cocktail into the glass.
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel one strip of orange peel, leaving some white pith on the back. Hold it above your cocktail and squeeze to release the oils, run the peel around the rim of the glass, and drop it in.
- If you have an atomizer, spray the top of the cocktail with orange blossom water 1–2 times. If not, add 1–2 drops directly on top.
Bees & Barrels
Bright lemon and soft honey meet warm oak and vanilla, with soft juniper and botanical notes and a smooth, silky finish.
Ingredients
- 2oz Castaway Series Barrel Rested Gin
- .75oz Honey-Chamomile Syrup
- .75oz Lemon Juice
- Garnish: lemon peel and honeycomb
Directions
- Fill a Nick and Nora glass with ice to chill.
- Use a jigger to add all ingredients to a shaker without ice.
- Fill your shaker with ice and shake until it feels very cold.
- Dump the ice from your chilled glass and double strain the cocktail into it using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer.
- Express the oils from a lemon peel over the top, then garnish with a square of honeycomb on a skewer alongside the peel.
Conflicts Resolved
Full-bodied and spirit-forward, with hints of smokiness.
Ingredients
- 2oz Castaway Series Barrel Rested Gin
- .25oz Cointreau
- .25oz Tuaca
- .5oz Sweet Vermouth
- 2–3 dashes Angostura Bitters
- Garnish: smoked rosemary and a Scotch mist
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir with a bar spoon and strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
- Garnish with a smoky Scotch mist and a burnt sprig of rosemary. Enjoy!
Aged Negroni Classico
Mellow oak from our Castaway Series Gin meets herbs, fruit, and spice from Gran Classico, with honey, orange blossom, and white floral notes from Lillet Blanc.
Ingredients
- 1oz Castaway Series Barrel Rested Gin
- 1oz Lillet Blanc
- 1oz Gran Classico
- Garnish: expressed orange peel
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir with a bar spoon and strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
- Garnish with an expressed orange peel. Enjoy!
Looking for more? Our Negroni post dives into the history of the classic and a few of our favorite variations. Stay tuned for the next spirit in our Great Cocktails Start with Exceptional Spirits series.
