Josef Gin – Alpine Botanicals

Josef Gin Alpine Botanicals by Lantenhammer with juniper and mountain herbs

Josef Gin Alpine Botanicals by Lantenhammer is a Bavarian dry gin from the experience distillery in Hausham by Lake Schliersee, distilled in small batches and bottled in organic quality. Not an off-the-shelf gin, but juniper that is macerated for three weeks in potato alcohol.

Josef Gin Alpine Botanicals is the classic of the JOSEF 1928 gin line from the Lantenhammer Distillery in Hausham by Lake Schliersee, with 42 percent alcohol in a 500 ml bottle. Juniper, hay flowers, hops, and rose hips give it its alpine signature. At the Meininger's International Spirits Award 2026, the jury named it Organic Spirit of the Year.

Bold juniper, fine hay, fresh lemon

Josef Gin is crystal clear in the glass, and as soon as it is poured, a colorful bouquet of juniper, citrus peel, rose hip, and delicate pine needle makes itself known. This is the nose of a gin that comes from the mountains and makes no secret of it. Juniper is at the forefront, but it does not stand alone.

On the palate, the juniper leads, accompanied by fruity berries and a hint of fresh lemon. Behind it lies a hay note that is reminiscent of an Upper Bavarian meadow in midsummer, and the herbal spice holds both together. The finish remains citrus-fresh and pleasantly long, without ever becoming intrusive – a gin that could be loud but prefers not to be.

The Bubi-Schorle is the signature drink from Lake Schliersee

Classically, Josef Gin goes into the glass with an Indian tonic water, plus an orange zest so that its citrus notes have a counterpart, and that is actually all you need on a warm evening.

At the distillery, they mix it into the "Bubi-Schorle," in which two centiliters of gin are combined with a splash of lemon juice, light beer, and champagne in a red wine glass – sparkling, light, and surprisingly festive. If you prefer to stick to the classics, you can make yourself a Negroni or a Gin Fizz, and in our assortment of juniper spirits you will find the perfect accompaniment.

Three weeks of patience at the experience distillery

Before Josef Gin is bottled, the juniper is macerated for up to three weeks in potato alcohol. Only then does the mixture pass through the still for eight hours, and it is precisely this slowness that you can taste in its later smoothness.

The name is by no means a coincidence. This gin is named JOSEF after the founder of the house, and the year on the label refers to his distillery. A gin named after a fruit distiller has to put a little more effort into its juniper than others – and that is exactly what you can hear in the taste.

At the Meininger's International Spirits Award 2026, Josef Gin Alpine Botanicals won gold and was named Organic Spirit of the Year in Germany in the same tasting. For a gin from a fruit distillery, that is quite a statement. Hats off.

If you want the evening to continue in the direction of the Alps, the liqueur made from shaved stone pine wood is already waiting. In the assortment of the distillery from Lake Schliersee, you will also find fruit brandies, rum, and fruity liqueurs from the same distillery.

Organic control number DE-ÖKO-060