The Best Gin Brands to Try Right Now
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Gin is back. It’s one of the most versatile liquors behind any bar, and the diversity of gins makes tasting them all the more exciting. Plus, the best gin brands are producing top-tier bottles that match any premium bourbon or Cognac for sip-ability, and they can still be used in a very wide range of cocktails.
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However, all this diversity between gins can make it an intimidating spirit to get into. To make things easier, we’ve rounded up some of the best gins that we think everyone should try.
What Are the Best Gin Brands?
Below are the best bottles of gin to buy right now, according to our staff. We’ve tasted dozens of gins — both neat and in cocktails — and consulted other gin experts to make these picks.
1. Hendrick’s
Many connoisseurs credit Hendrick’s with initiating the resurgence of gin (the “ginaissance,” as some call it). The brand launched quite recently by alcohol standards in 1999, but you’ll now find it in every bar and every gin lover’s collection. For Hendrick’s original flagship liquid, Head Distiller Lesley Gracie added Bulgarian rose and cucumber to the juniper. The combination was totally fresh and why-didn’t-we-think-of-this-before delicious: The liquid is more approachable and complex than your average London dry, yet still lovable for gin geeks.
$43
2. Broker’s
The bowler hat atop the Broker’s bottle gives a clue to the gin’s classic flavor. The juniper-forward gin is another one that launched quite recently in the late Nineties, but it’s micro-distilled at a 200-year-old distillery outside Birmingham, England. The flavor is crisp and full of juniper and citrus. It makes a great side-by-side comparison with the Hendrick’s above.
$23.99
3. Beefeater
Beefeater has been my inexpensive go-to gin for years. The liquid, which can be found in virtually every grocery store or bar, is noticeably lighter and more mellow than some popular higher-end gins. What you do get with Beefeater is the basic flavors of a great gin: some juniper, some citrus, and some sweetness — all in a surprisingly smooth package. Keep a bottle in the freezer for big-batch martinis, gin and tonics, negronis, or any other gin cocktail.
$28
4. Tanqueray
Where Beefeater is about subtlety and cleanliness, Tanqueray is the classic gin that’s about bold botanicals. You’ll get plenty of pine, juniper, coriander, and other gin flavors, as well as an oilier mouthfeel. It’s an icon for good reason and another one that every gin connoisseur or connoisseur-in-the-making needs to sample at least a few times.
$28
5. Gray Whale Gin
Founded in 2016 by Jan and Marsh Mokhtari, Gray Whale Gin combines juniper, kombu (kelp), almonds, lime, fir, and mint to create a unique gin that can be both sipped neat or mixed in a classic G&T. Every bottle purchased also supports coastal conservation — a cause that’s near and dear to Gray Whale’s founders — through contributions to Oceana and 1% for the Planet. The brand has made a significant difference along the coasts of California, working with Oceana to raise the necessary funds to pass the legislation that bans mile-wide drift gillnets and helps the transition to cleaner fishing gear. The nets were known for trapping dolphins, turtles and of course, the California Gray Whale.
$45
6. Sipsmith London Dry
Sipsmith is a young gin brand taking the liquor to new heights. This London dry is their bread and butter (Sipsmith also has a VJOP or “Very Junipery Over Proof” gin and a few flavored options). The Sipsmith London dry is another great example of a young brand re-mastering the classics. The gin’s distillation process is very traditional, using copper pot stills and a recipe that harkens back to the 18th century.
Thanks to its traditional recipe, Sipsmith puts juniper berries in the spotlight of the palate. But the gin also features a few welcomed hints of citrus and just a touch of sweetness. The result is a straightforward yet complex gin that you can sip on the rocks or mix in an upgraded negroni.
$47
7. Ransom Old Tom Gin
If you were to travel back in time to early 18th-century England, most of the gin you’d come across would be Old Tom, but they mostly disappeared through the 20th century. Then, noticing the resurgence of craft cocktails in the oughts, Ransom distiller Tad Seestedt thought it might be time for Old Toms to make a comeback. Seestedt was right. Ransom’s Old Tom gin has become a hit, especially with bartenders. The gin was developed alongside a historian and a mixologist, resulting in a true 18th-century revival gin that makes a mean cocktail.
$39.99
8. AMASS Los Angeles Dry Gin
When we say that gin is exciting right now, we’re talking about brands like AMASS Los Angeles. The inspiration is in the name, as the gin sources botanicals that reflect Southern California’s diverse agricultural offerings. A hefty 29 botanicals make up the gin, and some of them are quite unexpected, such as California Bay, Hibiscus, and two kinds of mushrooms. The flavor is primarily earthy and herbal, with strong ingredients – namely cardamom and coriander – giving the juniper some competition. Overall, it’s an exciting, complex gin that every connoisseur needs to try.
$43.99
9. Nolet’s Silver
Nolet’s descends from gin’s origin region in the Netherlands. It’s what Nolet began making way back in 1691, although the brand is now best known as the distillers of Ketel One vodka.
Although you might expect a time-honed traditional gin from such an old brand, you’d be wrong. This Nolet’s Silver is one of the most boundary-pushing premium gins on the market. The gin is surprisingly defined by a scarcity of juniper and a focus on botanicals. These leading ingredients include rose, peach, and tart raspberry, which create a smooth, fruity flavor that will make any gin skeptic rethink the liquor. For experienced gin drinkers, Nolet’s Silver is a fun mix-up to expand your gin palate.
$41.99
10. Monkey 47
Most gins feature a dozen or so botanicals at the most. Monkey 47, as the name suggests, uses 47 botanicals, including signature lingonberries. All the ingredients are picked in the distiller’s backyard: the Black Forest in Germany. Somehow, the brand turns this cornucopia of ingredients into one of the best dry gins on the market. The flavor is certainly bold and complex (possibly more so than any other gin on the market), but the drinking experience gracefully meanders from one flavor to the next. You’ll notice pepper, flowers, citrus, and bitter fruit in an equally boisterous degree, making Monkey 47 one of – if not the best gin for slow sipping.
$65.99
11. Plymouth Gin
If you’re looking for a slightly more earthy, citrus-forward version of a traditional London dry, try this equally traditional Plymouth gin. The earthy taste comes from a unique 230-year-old recipe that uses seven botanicals, including coriander seed, dried sweet orange peels, cardamom, angelica root, and orris root, in addition to juniper. Surprisingly, it’s also drier tasting than most London drys, making it an excellent choice in cocktails. In fact, it was featured 23 times in the famous Savoy Cocktail Book.
The Plymouth brand is the last true Plymouth-style gin because it occupies the only remaining distillery in Plymouth, England. It’s also the oldest distillery in England and has proved to be a leading brand in the current ginaissance, just as it was in the gin explosion of the early 20th century.
$34.99
12. Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin
Japanese spirits are quickly becoming a mainstay in North American drinking culture. Still, many gin enthusiasts haven’t tried the best of what Japanese distillers can do with juniper. Ki No Bi is a great place to start. It’s an ultra-premium dry gin made in Kyoto using primarily Japanese ingredients. The gin’s base is a rice spirit, while botanicals include yuzu, hinoki (Japanese cypress), bamboo, and gyokuro green tea. Ki No Bi practices a very different distillation process than most gins by individually distilling six categories of botanicals: base, citrus, tea, herbal, spice, and floral. These six individually distilled botanicals are then blended to create a bold, distinct flavor that deserves to be sipped on its own at least once before mixing in cocktails.
$71.99
13. Suntory Roku
Suntory, another Japanese liquor brand, has been blowing up in just about every category for several years. Suntory Roku is the brand’s take on dry gin, offering a clean, balanced bottle that just might become your go-to for cocktails. The name – Roku is Japanese for “six,” denoting the six special Japanese botanicals used in the gin. These are green tea sencha and gyokuro, cherry blossom, and leaves, yuzu, and Japanese pepper. Yuzu (a delicious variety of mandarin orange) may be the most exciting, offering a touch of crisp citrus. In short, it’s a very tame yet complex gin that’s perfect for dressing up in negronis or making clean, dry martinis.
$36.99
14. The Botanist
While some modern gins veer away from juniper, The Botanist brings the attention back to gin’s foremost ingredient. This makes it a great choice for purists, as well as newbies looking to appreciate fine, juniper-forward gin.
The Botanist has a total of 22 botanicals – all of which are hand-foraged on the Scottish island of Islay. All these botanicals come through in each step of the tasting process with a crisp, flowery, citrus flavor. This makes it one of the best gins for sipping straight, although it’s also great for upgraded cocktails.
$36.99
15. Highclere Castle Dry Gin
Highclere Castle might be best known as the filming location of the Emmy-winning series Downton Abbey, but it’s also the headquarters of a premium, namesake gin brand. The storied estate acts as both the botanical source and inspiration for the gin: “With Highclere, I wanted to truly liquify the estate,” Highclere Caste Gin CEO Adam von Gootkin tells Rolling Stone. “You’re drinking the terroir of a place. You’re drinking these botanicals from a place. These botanicals are special.” After the botanicals are harvested from Highclere Castle, distillation happens at the oldest gin distillery in England, Langley Distillery.
Because the juniper is less distinct than old-school gins, Highclere makes a great entry point for any gin newbies. It’s delicious in cocktails, but von Gootkin suggests trying it on the rocks. We recommend taking von Gootkin’s advice — you’ll understand why Highclere has garnered over a dozen prestigious awards all over the globe.
$58
What Are the Different Types of Gin?
As mentioned, gin-making is quite a lawless endeavor. However, most gins can be classified into four categories: London Dry, Plymouth, Old Tom, or Navy Strength. Here’s what each of those means.
London Dry: London dry gin (sometimes just called ‘dry’) is the most classic and most popular type of gin. Despite the name, London drys don’t need to be made in Britain and are distilled all over the world. These traditional gins are characterized by a crisp, clear taste that puts the juniper front and center and foregoes some sweetness. Flavor notes are therefore very woodsy – something like how you wish a Christmas tree would taste. The vast majority of gins fall into the London dry category, so they should take up the majority of your gin tastings.
Plymouth: Plymouth gin is the only regionally-restricted type of gin, and must be made in Plymouth, England. However, there is only one gin distillery and one brand left in the Plymouth region: the simply named Plymouth gin. This gin variant uses slightly more botanicals than traditional London dry gins, giving Plymouth a sweeter, more earthy flavor.
Old Tom: If you’re looking for an even sweeter, easier-drinking gin than Plymouth, go with an Old Tom. Old Tom gins typically use more ingredients for a more varied flavor and less bite. This mildness and added flavor make them ideal for mixing cocktails. The name supposedly comes from the black cat (old tom) signs used by underground gin pubs in 18th-century England. While the government curbed gin sales, in-the-know drinkers would approach these black cat signs, insert money into a slot, and receive a shot of Old Tom gin through a tube in the wall.
Navy Strength: Navy Strength gin is for the times when you want to, well, drink like a sailor. The liquor is essentially an over-proof London dry that typically packs 57% ABV. But Navy Strength gin isn’t just manly fun. Brands that make the extra-strong stuff usually compensate for the added ABV with big, bold flavors to compete. It might not be your nightly go-to, but we think all true gin fans should give Navy Strength gin a shot.
How We Chose the Best Gin Brands
In making this list, we (mostly) considered gins that are widely available in the U.S. for a reasonable price. We revisited dozens of gins, and we also made sure to taste all of them in at least one classic cocktail. Overall, gin culture is more concerned with cocktail-making than, say, whiskey, so we weighted every gin’s cocktail potential quite heavily. After tasting all these gins for ourselves, we read reviews from gin experts and talked to a few ourselves to see what they recommended, and where there was crossover in our top choices.
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