By Alyssa Crane; Marketing Editor
Beyond the Barrel — Empire State Distillers

The first time we imagined a pea blossom gin, we sat at a wrought-iron table on our dock at Miles Wine Cellars, not gazing out at the serene expanse of Seneca Lake, but up toward the hillside and the house above it.

The question was simple, yet quietly ambitious:

Could we make a gin as layered and complex as glacier-hewn cliffs and as blue as the depths of Seneca Lake itself?

That moment became the true spirit of our indigo gins.

Miles Wine Cellars may be known for its sprawling wisteria and rolling vineyards, but one of the property’s lesser-known treasures is the cascade of butterfly pea blossoms that spill down the hillside toward the lake. Their color alone is breathtaking; as if a Monet painting had come to life, but their role in our spirits runs much deeper.

For centuries in Southeast Asia, butterfly pea blossom has been used not for flavor, but for color and calm. In gin, it provides a soft, tea-like backbone; earthy, floral, and gently dry. When layered with estate-harvested botanicals and citrus, it becomes the foundation of something quietly extraordinary.

When grapes enter the conversation, something truly special happens.

Grapes bring malic acid, the same bright acidity found in apples and fine wines. When that acidity meets the butterfly pea blossom, the spirit shifts from indigo to violet; a transformation that feels almost alive. But the real magic is in the flavor: floral meets fruit, wine meets spirit, old-world meets modern craft.

Across Spain, Latin America, and many wine-growing regions of the world, there is a beautiful tradition that begins just before midnight on New Year’s Eve. As the clock prepares to strike twelve, a small bowl of grapes is set before each guest; twelve grapes for twelve months ahead.

With every chime of the clock, one grape is eaten, each representing a wish for the coming year:
health, love, prosperity, joy, adventure, and peace. Some are sweet, some are tart; a reminder that every year, like wine, carries both brightness and depth. But together, they create something complete.

The ritual dates back more than a century, born in Spain’s vineyards as a celebration of abundance and a gesture of gratitude for a successful harvest. Over time, it became a symbol of renewal; a way of stepping into the future with intention, mindfulness, and hope.

At Empire State Distillers, grapes are more than fruit. They are the beginning; wine, brandy, cocktails, and stories. To honor this tradition is to honor the vineyard itself: the land, the seasons, and the hands that harvest what becomes tomorrow’s memories.

As you raise a glass this New Year’s, whether filled with sparkling wine, a color-changing gin cocktail, or something aged in oak, we invite you to join this timeless ritual.

Twelve grapes.
Twelve wishes.
One beautiful beginning.

As we move toward the New Year; we often think of ways to blend old traditions with new ones and that is why this cocktail feels so natural here. It isn’t just a cocktail; it is a conversation between everything we make.