Gin. The devil’s ether.

And for years upon years, the really good stuff came from the UK.

Until now. When, in an act of sheer gin-defiance, the good stuff comes from Southie.

Introducing GrandTen Distilling, a South Boston distillery just starting to churn out high-grade gin from a former ironworking plant.

Let’s be clear: this is no small-batch weekend project in the basement. No, this is a fully operational distillery buried on Dorchester Avenue (in the former home of a plant once contracted by the US government to manufacture weapons, no less). Oh, and it’s helmed by a couple of cousins, one with a head for business and the other with a PhD in chemistry (it’s basically the booze-making version of Breaking Bad... without all the murder).

We used our supreme powers of coercion (okay, we just called them) to sample the stuff. And we can tell you this: it’s good. Two fingers’ worth in a goblet hits the palate nicely, with a very smooth entry and notes of vanilla and coriander. Plus, it uses Massachusetts cranberries and nine secret-recipe botanicals to give it a citrusy, floral punch.

It’s already being carried in several bars and stores, and in the coming weeks, they’ll be rolling out vodka and rum products, as well as a full tasting room.

Rum. Gin. Vodka. What could go wrong?