Austin’s first gin maker has gone floral. Waterloo Gin, born from the limestone and imagination of the Austin Hill Country, just released Prickly Pear and Rose, a spirit that manages to be both elegant and unmistakably Texan. It arrives perfectly timed for Negroni Week, because the people behind Waterloo clearly understand drama and good timing.
The color alone stops you. It is a soft rose hue that looks like a Hill Country sunset after a long summer day. The gin blends prickly pear, hibiscus, and rose with Waterloo’s nine botanical base and limestone filtered water. The result is fragrant without being fussy, slightly sweet but grounded, like a wildflower that decided to clean up for dinner. Chief executive Justin Meigs describes it as a tribute to the spirit of Texas, colorful, complex, and confident. It is a gin with personality that refuses to sit quietly in the background.
At forty seven percent ABV, it carries enough strength to shine through any cocktail without losing its nuance. The floral notes come first, followed by a dry earthiness that feels honest to where it was made. It is both playful and serious, the kind of drink that can handle a night out or a slow evening at home.
Waterloo has been quietly rewriting what Texas gin can be. Under the ownership of John Paul DeJoria, the founder of Patrón and Paul Mitchell, the brand has found a balance between polish and authenticity. The new Prickly Pear and Rose joins Waterloo No. 9 and Waterloo Barrel Aged as the latest proof that Texas is capable of producing world class spirits without borrowing anyone else’s accent.
To celebrate the release, Waterloo created a cocktail that shows off the gin’s softer side.
The Waterloo Southside Cocktail
- 2 ounces of Prickly Pear and Rose Gin
- 1 ounce of simple syrup
- 1 ounce of fresh lime juice
- 4 – 6 mint leaves
- Lime peel to garnish
In a shaker, add the simple syrup and mint leaves, then gently press them together. Add the gin, lime juice, and ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and finish with a twist of lime peel. The drink is bright and aromatic with just enough sweetness to keep it friendly.
A bottle of Prickly Pear and Rose sells for about thirty five dollars and is now available at select retailers across the country as well as online. Waterloo expects to reach twenty states by the end of the year, a sign that Texas gin is finally earning its spot on backbars outside the state.
The new expression feels like a postcard from Austin. It is local but polished, pretty but real, and made with a sense of place that no one else can fake. Waterloo did not create another flavored gin. They created Texas in liquid form, poured neat into a glass.