GIN 101:The Many Styles of Gin

Benchmark London Dry style

With forward juniper and a dry palate, these are the ticket for fans of authentic gin.

Best for: Flavorful classic cocktails like the Negroni, or serious martini aficionados.

--Beefeater

--Beefeater 24

--Bombay Dry

--Bombay Sapphire

--Bombay East

--Boodles

--Fifty Pounds

--Ford’s

--Martin Millers

--No. 3

--Tanqueray

--Tanqueray No. Ten

 

Traditional American

Crafted loosely in the London Dry Style, these popular gins are leaders in off-premise domestic sales and on-premise well brands.

Best for: Budget-minded drinkers.

--Barton

--Burnett’s

--Gilbey’s

--Gordon’s

--New Amsterdam

--Seagram’s

 

Contemporary Western Dry Gin

These gins frequently offer less pronounced juniper and evocative botanicals. Proofs vary.

Best for: Introducing vodka and rum drinkers to classic gin drinks; creating subtle cocktails, where citrus and floral notes can shine.

--Brockmans

--Bulldog

--Caorunn

--Citadelle Reserve

--Damrak

--Dà Mhìle

--Hendrick’s

--Monkey 47

--Nolet’s Silver

 

New American Gin

A wide ranging category; juniper levels are not consistently lower, but experimentation makes these gins well-removed from their European cousins.

Best for: Fans of craft spirits, who appreciate new experiences and artisanal American products.

--1911 Gin

--Aviation

--Big Gin

--Bluecoat

--Catoctin Creek

--Dorothy Parker

--Farmer’s

--Greenhook

--Junipero

--No. 209

 

Specialty Styles

These specialty gins that are not entirely original inventions, but derived from distinctive historical styles.

Best for: Recreating authentic classic cocktails, or creating new ones.

Bols Genever

--Bols Barrel Aged Genever

--Chief Gowanus

--Hayman’s Old Tom

--Plymouth

--Plymouth Navy Strength

--Perry’s Tot Navy Strength

--Tanqueray Malacca