Myrcene Is the World's First Cannabis-Infused Gin

Gin is a versatile spirit that lends itself well to creativity, for both mixologists and distillers. Its botanical blend isn’t hamstrung by some set definition: distillers use gin as a blank canvas to challenge and delight palates and create libations for every taste.

With cannabis gaining more acceptance and increased legalization, it’s no wonder there's more experimentation and inclusion in spaces like beer and spirits.

One such distiller, The Cannabis Company, from Melbourne Australia, set out to produce what they claim is the world’s first cannabis gin, releasing a small batch of 300 bottles called “The Myrcene.”

This heady concoction includes the most prominent terpene found in cannabis, myrcene, an aromatic essential oil that not only has its own purported medicinal benefits but is thought to give synergy to other components found in cannabis such as THC and CBD. On its own, it’s believed to induce a soothing and calming effect, as well as serving as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic.

Just like it’s namesake, The Myrcene’s bottle is soothing, with swaths of green and yellow accompanying clean, simple typography on a label affixed to the frosted glass.

The gin is described by The Cannabis Company as “Bubblegum aromas blend[ed] with lavender, pine forest and sage. Soft tones of violet interact on the palate with woodland flavors of rosemary and resin, cloves and woody spices.” They suggest pouring over a fresh lemon wedge and mixing with a premium tonic. Want to bring out those piney aromas? Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

But terpenes like myrcene aren’t just found cannabis, they’re in other plants such as hops, and the botanicals found in gin. Juniper, for instance, has been used to cure what ails us for centuries.

For a long time, until the start of that whole War on Drugs thing, cannabis was thought to have positive effects on health. As cannabis, hemp and their individual components gain both societal, scientific and legal legitimacy, The Cannabis Company’s Myrcene Gin could prove to be the first of many forays marrying traditional spirits with cannabis.