Five Gray Whale Cocktails You Need to Make This Summer

Gray Whale Gin is perfected with six Californian botanicals sustainably sourced or wild-harvested along the migratory path of the gray whale, including juniper, limes, and mint. It's light, bright, and easy to love, even if gin hasn't been your thing until now.

The super premium gin category covers bottles priced at $30 and up, and most of the gins in it lead with juniper, that piney, assertive flavor that makes some people swear they don't like gin. Gray Whale is carving out a different lane in that tier, one that feels coastal, easygoing, and approachable enough that those same people keep ordering it anyway.

Summer is what this gin was made for, and the five cocktails below are here to prove it.

1. The Oceanside: Gray Whale Gin's Signature Summer Cocktail

Every brand has that one drink that just clicks, and for Gray Whale Gin it's the Oceanside, a mix of salt, lime, mint, and bubbles that feels like the liquid equivalent of kicking off your shoes at the beach, which is exactly why it became Gray Whale's signature serve.

The trick is salted simple syrup, because a teaspoon of salt stirred into a standard simple syrup gives you a round, faintly savory base that makes the gin's botanicals come alive. Santa Cruz mint is already in the gin itself, so adding fresh leaves to the glass doubles down on that cool, refreshing note.

Gray Whale's six botanicals are sustainably sourced or wild-harvested along the Pacific Coast migration route of the gray whale, whose annual journey spans approximately 12,000 miles.

The Oceanside, Gray Whale's Version of a Gin Mojito

  • 2 oz Gray Whale Gin

  • 0.75 oz salted simple syrup*

  • 0.75 oz fresh lime juice

  • 6 mint leaves

  • Soda water to top

  • Garnish: fresh mint bouquet and lime wheel

*Salted Simple Syrup: Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and 1 tsp. salt, heat until dissolved, and let it cool before use.

Add everything except the soda to a shaker with ice, shake for 3 to 4 seconds, and fine strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice before topping with soda water. Don't be shy with the mint garnish, because that bouquet is the whole look.

2. Beachside: A Pineapple Coconut Gin Cocktail for Crowds

Every party has that one drink that runs out before anything else, the one where three different people corner you in the kitchen to ask what's in it, and the Beachside is that drink.

Pineapple, coconut cream, lemon, and mint come together over ice in a highball, and the whole thing is tropical and easygoing without the sugar-bomb energy. The almond botanical in Gray Whale Gin lends a soft, creamy mouthfeel that pairs beautifully with the coconut cream, and while it's subtle, you'd miss it if it weren't there.

It looks like something you'd order poolside in Malibu, but it costs about four dollars to make at home.

Beachside, A Pina Colada, The Gray Whale Gin Version

  • 1.5 oz Gray Whale Gin

  • 1.5 oz pineapple juice

  • 1 oz cream of coconut

  • 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice

  • Handful of mint leaves

  • Garnish: mint sprig

Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a highball glass over fresh ice, and crown it with mint, then drink it right away, preferably outside.

3. Coastal Tides: A Lavender Coconut Water Gin Cocktail

Lavender and coconut water together in a gin cocktail is a combination that earns some skepticism at first and then wins people over fast.

The coconut water is light, with none of the heaviness you'd get from cream or juice, and the lavender syrup brings a soft floral note that works surprisingly well against the pine and citron from Gray Whale's fir tree botanical. The whole thing is refined enough for a dinner table and relaxed enough for a Tuesday evening on the patio.

Coastal Tides

  • 2 oz Gray Whale Gin

  • 1.5 oz coconut water

  • 1 oz lavender syrup

  • 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice

  • Garnish: lemon wheel

Shake everything with ice, strain over fresh ice, and slide a lemon wheel onto the rim, then hold off on explaining what's in it until someone asks.

4. Whale Hello There: A Simple Citrus Gin Cocktail That Lets the Spirit Shine

If you've never tried Gray Whale Gin and want to actually taste it before getting fancy with it, this is the place to start.

Two citrus juices, agave, and gin over ice are all it takes to make this one. The lemon and lime light up the hand-zested, sun-dried citrus peel that goes into every batch of Gray Whale, while the agave rounds off the citrus with just enough sweetness to keep the whole thing clean and balanced. Simple builds like this are where you find out what a spirit is actually made of, and this gin holds up.

Whale Hello There, A Gimlet

  • 2 oz Gray Whale Gin

  • 0.5 oz fresh lime juice

  • 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice

  • 0.5 oz agave syrup

  • Garnish: lemon twist

Shake the gin, citrus, and agave with ice and strain into a chilled tumbler over fresh ice, then twist a strip of lemon peel over the glass, run it around the rim, and drop it in.

5. Punch by the Ocean: A Watermelon Gin Pitcher Cocktail for a Group

This one's built for a crowd, with watermelon puree, ginger beer, a French-style red aperitif wine, lemon juice, and gin mixed in a pitcher for four to six people, so pour it at a backyard party and watch what happens.

Gray Whale makes a branded whale fluke pitcher specifically for serves like this, and honestly, part of the appeal is just pouring it out in front of people.

The watermelon brings sweetness, the ginger beer adds fizz and a little heat, and holding it all together is the gin, specifically that sea kelp botanical, dried from the Mendocino Coast, which adds a faint umami depth (the mysterious fifth taste, as Gray Whale describes it) that you can't quite put your finger on but keeps drawing you back. The more time you spend with this gin, the more it has to reveal.

Punch by the Ocean (serves 4 to 6)

  • 8 oz Gray Whale Gin

  • 4 oz French-style red aperitif wine

  • 4 oz watermelon puree*

  • 4 oz fresh lemon juice

  • 6 oz ginger beer

  • Garnish: fresh mint

*Watermelon Puree: Mix 2 parts watermelon puree with 1 part rich simple syrup.

Combine everything except the ginger beer in your pitcher and pack it with crushed ice, then pour the ginger beer over the top, stir once, and bury the mint in the ice so it stays cold and looks like a garden.

Why Gray Whale Gin Is a Great Choice for Summer Cocktails

Most gins lead with juniper, which is piney, assertive, and not exactly the energy you want at a rooftop party. Gray Whale starts with juniper, so there's no question it's a true gin, but then it builds in lime, mint, fir tree, almonds, and sea kelp. The gin ends up bright with a light savory undercurrent, which is why it plays well with practically everything summer throws at it, from fruit and citrus to coconut, lavender, and watermelon.

The people behind Gray Whale started the company on a camping trip, where they spotted a gray whale and her calf migrating up the Pacific Coastline and decided to build a gin around that journey.

A gin with that kind of backstory tends to make better cocktails, and these five are a decent argument for it.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gray Whale Gin Cocktails

What does Gray Whale Gin taste like?
Gray Whale Gin tastes bright and citrus-forward, with notes from Santa Cruz mint and Sonoma fir tree, a faint savory edge from Mendocino Coast sea kelp, and a soft, creamy texture from Central Valley almonds. The juniper is present but restrained, which is why the gin tends to win over people who normally skip gin.

What is the best Gray Whale Gin cocktail for summer?
The Oceanside is Gray Whale Gin's signature summer serve, made with gin, salted simple syrup, fresh lime juice, mint, and soda water, and it's the best place to start. For a group, the Punch by the Ocean, with watermelon puree, ginger beer, a French-style red aperitif wine, and gin in a pitcher, is the most crowd-ready option.

What botanicals are in Gray Whale Gin?
Gray Whale Gin is perfected with six California botanicals, all sustainably sourced or wild-harvested along the gray whale's Pacific Coast migratory path: wild-foraged juniper, Temecula lime, Santa Cruz mint, Mendocino Coast sea kelp, Sonoma fir tree leaves, and Central Valley almonds. The sea kelp steeps during distillation and contributes umami, which Gray Whale calls the mysterious fifth taste.

Is Gray Whale Gin good for people who don't like gin?
Gray Whale Gin tends to work well for people who find most gins too harsh or piney, because the citrus and mint are front and center, the almond botanical rounds out the mouthfeel, and the juniper stays in the background. Fruit-forward cocktails like the Beachside (pineapple and coconut) or the Whale Hello There (lemon, lime, and agave) are the easiest entry points.

Does Gray Whale Gin support ocean conservation?
Every bottle of Gray Whale Gin supports ocean conservation through partnerships with Surfrider and 1% for the Planet.

Where can I buy Gray Whale Gin?
Gray Whale Gin is available at graywhalespirits.com and select retailers nationwide.