NEW YORK – Born on the pure, natural landscape of Greece, where agriculture wildly blossoms, Stray Dog Wild Gin introduces its lush aromas through this smooth and complex spirit. Behind the award-winning gin unfolds a great cause. Their care for stray animals led them to donate a share of Stray Wild Gin sales to animal shelters, helping them provide food, veterinary care, and new homes.

With Stray Dog Week having launched on April 4, on Stray Animal Day, two live events took place across the Atlantic to introduce the spirit on a global scale. In New York, the event took place at the award-winning Hudson West, 629 West 57th Street in Manhattan, where Founder Johnny Livanos was there to welcome the crowd for a fun night of Stray Dog cocktails.

“Growing up as a Greek-American, working in Greek restaurants, I wanted to find a way to incorporate Greek and Mediterranean flavor into what we’d be creating,” he noted. Even though the idea of Stray Gog Gin started in New York, the production takes place in Greece. From the ingredients to the botanicals and distilleries, the spirit is entirely made on Greek land.

“Gin isn’t something Greece is typically known for, but we have a long history and culture of spirits like Tsipouro, Ouzo, and Mastiha. With Stray Dog we’re using mastiha, fennel seeds, cardamom, rosemary, juniper, bay leaves, and wild sage.” The essence of Greece is brought to you through a drink, and at the same time helping save an animal in need.

Having launched Stray Dog Week with International Stray Animal Day, attention and awareness is brought to stray animals, simultaneously raising money for charity. For every cocktail photo, tagging the two Stray Dog accounts, Stray Dog Gin (@StrayDogGin) and Stray Dog Week (@StrayDogWeek), as well as using the #StrayDogWeek hashtag will generate a $1 donation to a beneficiary shelter.

And in our virtual world the fun of the moment is no longer confined to just one place – there was another Stray Dogs Gin party…in Athens. Greeks, Greek-Americans, Parisians, et al enjoyed making new friends and trying new gin at the wonderful Baba au Rum bar in Athens Centre.

Artemis Kohas was the hostess – her sister Kalliope was there too – and she was delighted that “a lot of people came out who love stray animals. They came out to help them – and it was also an opportunity to try some amazing Greek gin. The full name is Stray Dog Wild Gin, and that’s because It’s made with wild herbs.” The herbs are foraged from the mountains of Northern Greece – but there is also Mastiha from her beloved island of Chios.

“The inspiration was to bring out the ‘wild side’ of Greece in an amazing, sophisticated gin – but we are also supporting wild animals,” she said, adding that, “a nice list of people came through here tonight – and social media is buzzing.”

Kohas smiled as she noted that there were some stray dogs brought there by their owners. “That would not have been allowed in America,” but the other guests at Baba were delighted.

The Stray Dog Wild Gin motto says, “Stray from the ordinary and see where life takes you,” so look out for fun and cool events coming up.

Drink away, to save a stray.