The RTP Resin Mocktail

Nestled between Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill lies Research Triangle Park (RTP)—the largest research park in the United States. Founded in 1959, RTP transformed the North Carolina economy by turning thousands of acres of quiet Piedmont woodland into a global hub for science, technology, and innovation. But long before the labs and tech campuses arrived, this land belonged entirely to the trees.

The entire Triangle region is famously anchored in the "Pine Barrens" of the South, dominated by towering Loblolly, Longleaf, and Eastern White pines. When developers first laid out RTP, they didn't clear-cut the forest; instead, strict building codes mandated that campuses remain hidden behind thick, protective buffers of these native trees. To this day, a drive through RTP or a weekend camping at nearby Jordan Lake means immersing yourself in the crisp, sharp, and resinous scent of sun-warmed pine needles.

This mocktail bridges that history of rustic wilderness and modern chemistry. Because foraging for 100% food-safe pine needles requires a bit of botanical know-how, rosemary serves as the ultimate mixology shortcut. Rosemary shares the exact same primary volatile compounds—like alpha-pinene—that give pine trees their signature woodsy, balsamic aroma. When the fresh rosemary sprig is charred with a flame, it releases a fragrant, camp-ready smoke that perfectly mimics a night under the stars at Jordan Lake.