The 13 Best Gins for Every Home Bar

Whether you're a Martini fan or want to upgrade a standard Gin and Tonic, these are the bottles to buy.

We are living in a new golden age of gin. From the classics that have been familiar to generations of drinkers to new ones that blaze a path to the future, gin is back in a big way. You could spend a lifetime exploring all that the world of gin has to offer…and you should!

The 13 listed alphabetically below show just how international and stylistically broad the category has become. But don’t limit your home bar just to these; check out our recommendations for gin produced in unusual styles, the best gins for Martinis, and more.

Bluecoat American Dry Gin

Crafted by Philadelphia Distilling in the city of brotherly love, this citrus-forward gin isn’t just crisp and refreshing — it’s also better for the planet. The botanicals that go into this impressive spirit are certified organic, and the interplay of coriander, citrus, and juniper is particularly successful.

Drink it in: A Vesper, a Martini, or a Negroni.

Beefeater

If you like bold juniper and bright citrus, classic hallmarks of a London Dry gin, Beefeater is the benchmark to measure against. Up at 94 proof (that's 47 percent ABV), it's a strong spirit in more ways than one. Proud and assertive, Beefeater is a gin-drinker's gin.

Drink it in: Just about anything; start with a Negroni.

Caorunn Small Batch Scottish Gin

Speyside may be more famous for its single malt whiskies, but Caorunn, crafted at the Balmenach distillery, proves that its gin is more than worthy of attention, too. The botanicals include five local ones, and the addition of rowan berry, bog myrtle, coul blush apple, heather, and dandelion make this a thoroughly unique and utterly delicious addition to your home bar.

Drink it in: A Highball, which really allows the unique botanicals to shine. But its balance and silky texture means this gin can be enjoyed on its own, too.

Hendrick's

Hendrick's practically reinvented the gin and tonic, making a cucumber slice as likely to be seen as a wedge of lime. These days, it's one of the most recognizable bottles on any bar, and has a passionate fan following. Here's a gin for people who like their juniper toned back a bit, accompanied by refreshing flavors of cucumber and rose.

Drink it in: A G&T with Fever Tree tonic and a big slice of cucumber.

Empress 1908 Indigo Gin

It’s often said that we eat and drink with our eyes first. If that’s the case, then there are few better ways to amp up your cocktail game than with this gin. It’s purple from the use of butterfly pea flower, which grows lighter and more lavender- or pink-hued in the presence of acid, like citrus juice, and more blue around bases: Interactive drinking at its finest! This is a layered gin whose incorporation of tea, ginger, and cinnamon find a fantastic balance between earthy and spicy.

Drink it in: An Aviation or a Bee’s Knees.

Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin

Lemongrass and citrus lead the way and find beautiful counterpoints in Darjeeling green tea and vetiver. Cubeb pepper sweeps in on the finish, leaving a lovely tingling that works wonders alongside both vermouth and Campari.

Drink it in: A Martini or a Negroni.

Komasa Sakurajima Komikan Gin

This Japanese standout incorporates the smallest satsumas in the world, the Sakurajima Komikan, which is sourced from the south of the country. It’s more than a gimmick: The high-toned orange notes it provides are both exuberant and long-lived on the palate. On top of that, the spirit itself is a redistillation of Komasa’s rice shochu. This is a fascinating, exuberantly delicious gin.

Drink it in: A Highball or a Vesper.

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin

A super-premium German gin made from soft spring water and an eye-popping 47 botanicals — don't even try to guess them all — this amazing spirit manages to be fruity and spicy, robust and delicate all at once. It's pricey, but any true gin fan should take it upon themselves to try it at least once. If you can find it, the Distiller’s Cut is an annual release featuring a different rare botanical that’s been hand-foraged in the Black Forest of Germany. For the 2022 edition, the team has added Woodruff as the 48th botanical. The result is wildly complex, subtly layered, and absolutely delicious, with warming cinnamon and vanilla notes to the floral peppercorn and citrus oils of the original.

Drink it in: A Martini or a Highball, or just on the rocks!

New Riff Bourbon Barreled Kentucky Wild Gin

New Riff’s whiskeys may get much of the attention (they’re genuinely excellent), but their gins also deserve a place on your home bar. Warming and lively with spices that were locally foraged, this gin’s comforting character is amplified by its aging in barrels that previously held New Riff’s acclaimed bourbon, lending it all hints of crème brûlée and orange marmalade. It’s a full-circle production process, and terrifically executed.

Drink it in: A Martinez or a Gin Old Fashioned.

Plymouth

This is a classic Martini gin, a beautifully balanced spirit that has a real weight to it, with earthy and citrus elements alongside a strong through-line of juniper.

Drink it in: Anything. Start with a 2:1 gin-vermouth Martini, with a dash of orange bitters and a lemon twist.

St. George Spirits

It's hard to choose one standout from this California spirit line, so we won't even try. All three gins have a sense of place: primarily the Terroir Gin, of course, with Douglas fir, California bay laurel, and coastal sage among its local botanicals. You'll find 19 diverse, balanced botanicals in the aptly named Botanivore. And the Dry Rye Gin is something else entirely; with a base of 100 percent pot-distilled rye, it has a rye whiskey's spice but a standard gin's juniper. Try each one neat before mixing.

Tattersall Gin

Distilled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this citrus-forward, elegantly spiced expression takes its cues from London Dry, but is very much its own gin. The base is a corn neutral spirit, and the interplay between citrus oil and dried flower notes is especially well-calibrated.

Drink it in: A French 75.

Woody Creek Distillers Roaring Fork Gin

It’s a big world out there, and outstanding gin is made in a far wider swath of it than most of us realize. Take this gem from Colorado, for example: It’s distilled in the state from potatoes that were grown there, and includes local juniper in addition to other botanicals like hibiscus, grains of paradise, and lavender. The result is a very elegant gin whose floral character finds exceptional balance in citrus and subtle spice.

Drink it in: A Highball would sing with Woody Creek, as would a very dry Martini. If you’re vermouth-averse (not that you should be!), then this gin is good enough to shine on its own.

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