Spirit Master: Astraea Spirits
Master distiller Danielle Leavell founded American gin brand Astraea in 2019 with the aim of redefining the spirits category.
Astraea Spirits won quintuple Gold medals at The Gin Masters 2025 – First Tasting Results, including for its Mist London Dry Gin. The flagship expression is made with 10 ‘wild Atlantic northwest botanicals’, including coriander, cassia, lemon, orange, chamomile, and orris root.
In the Contemporary category, the judges described the brand’s Meadow expression, which is made with five additional botanicals – grapefruit, rosehip, lemon verbena, lemon balm, and honeysuckle – as “sweet, floral with some spice and a long finish”.
The other three Gold-winning gins from Astraea were seaweed-led Ocean; Forest, which is made with additional botanicals of fir and spruce; and Desert Single Malt Gin, which blends flavours of yarrow, sweet and bitter orange peel, heather, sage and strawberry leaves, oatstraw, and red clover blossom.
Based in Seattle, Washington, Astraea Spirits is owned and operated by women and led by Leavell. She trained at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland and has developed her skills as an herbalist. Additionally, she holds certifications in advanced distillation techniques and sensory analysis.
The gin brand specialises in creating organic, terroir-driven gins that aim to capture the wild beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Distilled in the traditional London Dry style to EU standards and using certified organic botanicals, Astraea claims to produce ‘the cleanest gin’ in the American market.
With a commitment to tradition and innovation, along with a deep sense of place, Astraea invites a new generation of drinkers to discover gin as it should be: elegant, expressive, and unforgettable.
Leavell said: “As a master distiller, my passion is in every bottle of Astraea Spirits. From hand-selecting the finest botanicals to meticulously distilling our gin in small batches, I aim to create a spirit that captures both tradition and innovation.
“Each bottle tells a story of time-honoured distilling methods and a deep connection to nature. My hope is that every sip gives you a new experience and takes you on a journey.”
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