A gin and tonic seems like the simplest drink in the world, yet depending on that central ingredient, you can end up with very different drinks. London Dry? Old Tom? Based on a neutral spirit and a mix of botanicals, gins often lean on juniper flavors, but not always. Especially with widespread craft distilling and regions of origin, the botanicals may range widely.
Before you go get a bottle to make a martini or negroni, consider what sort best suits your taste.
Good For You?
Like so much liquor, gin was first hailed for its medicinal properties. Jenever, a distilled malt wine, was first produced in the Netherlands and Flanders and dates back to the 13th century. Juniper (Latin name juniperus, and thus Jenever) and other herbs were added to try to help the “medicine” go down. Jenever still exists today, malt-wine or neutral-spirit-based, but when it made its way to England in the 1600s, it caught on and the name was shortened to gin.Taxes on imported distillates and unregulated local production made gin cheaper than other forms of liquor, but this led to the Gin Craze in the early 1700s, a dark period for the distillate. Gin was of poor quality, sometimes poisonous, or even flavored with turpentine. Unsurprisingly, it developed a notorious reputation, especially for its devastating effects on the poor. But by the mid-18th century, efforts to license makers and lift standards had put the darker days behind.
Old Tom Gin
The origin of the name is debatable, but theories include a black cat sign used to mark gin joints, casks of gin being called “old toms,” and a distiller’s name. What is certain about Old Tom gin, however, is that it has sugar added, and often licorice root, to mask the bad taste. The 1830 invention of the column still meant higher-quality distillates, and gradually the market moved away from the sweeter Old Tom to drier gins, though bartender guidebooks in the United States still listed Old Tom gin in recipes in the late 19th century and into the early 20th.In 1863, James Burrough, a pharmacist, bought a distillery and produced several gins, including Beefeater and Hayman’s Old Tom. The latter eventually fell out of favor as London Dry took over, but it was brought back in 2007.
Swedish Master Distiller Mathias Tonnesson returns to the style with Purity Craft Nordic Organic Old Tom Gin. The number 34 on the label represents the number of times the liquid converts to vapor and back again, a process that, combined with the copper contact in the stills, he says, is responsible for the rather extraordinary smoothness of his gins (and vodkas). A light touch of cane sugar differentiates this from his London Dry Gin.
“Sugar opens up the flavors of the botanicals,” Mr. Tonnesson says.
Courtesy of Purity Gin
London Dry
This is the most familiar style of gin. Dry meant without the Old Tom sugar, and London was just a nod to the capital of gin at the time. These are your familiar gin brands, such as Tanqueray, Bombay, and Beefeater, often described as clean and crisp and offering a citrus undertone. According to European production rules, a London Dry can’t be sweet; the flavor elements must be all natural and part of the distillation process—not just added after—and juniper needs to be front and center. The gin has a minimum of 37.5 percent alcohol. Curiously, however, London Dry can be produced anywhere, not just in London.Navy Strength
When gin hits 57.15 percent alcohol, it’s then Navy Strength gin—a practicality back in the day so that if a barrel of gin leaked into the gunpowder in the ship’s hold, the powder would still ignite when needed. Plymouth, a distillery founded in 1793, still makes it. A good brand offers potency without sacrificing taste.Aging Gin
Jenever is often barrel-aged, but most gins are not. But of course, if they were aged, that would be amazing, right? Definitely. Check out Gonzalez Byass’s work with sherry casks. Although the seasoned casks are often exported from Jerez to distillers to age spirits—see The Macallan Scotch—Bylass thought, why not have the liquor itself brought to Spain? The London No. 1 Dry Gin Sherry Cask is made with triple distillation copper-pot still gin, which is then aged for three months in Tio Pepe casks in the González Byass cellars, giving the gin a yellow hue and flavors of oak and sherry that blend with the botanicals.Contemporary Gins
American Dry, New American, Greek, Japanese, and Nordic—many are the new style claims for gin. Although all gins contain juniper, the variety of botanicals and approaches out there is extensive. And as with other “craft” movements, you can expect flavor profiles that are in no way confined to juniper-forward.Here are a few great recommendations.
Noire Expedition American Gin
Marine Corps veteran Kenyan Hicks opened a distillery in Pittsburgh in a former auto repair shop. He sent his first gin to competition without even a proper label, and it medaled anyway, so he’s kept a very simple look to the bottle. Noire already has a large fan base in New Orleans. One of three gins being produced there, Noire Expedition is floral and citrus-forward with notes of vanilla and coriander.
Courtesy of Noire Expedition American Gin
135 Degrees East Hyogo Dry Gin
Craft gin distilling in Japan only began in 2016, but already the scene is gaining interest. Kaikyo Distillery is an extension of a family-owned sake brewery dating back to 1856. They named their gin for the meridian of their city. In addition to juniper, you’ll find true flavors of Japan: ume (plum), shiso leaf, sencha (a type of green tea), sansho pepper, and the unique citrus flavor of yuzu. A bit of sake is added to the final distillation, giving the gin a soft hint of sweetness.
Ronan Le May/Courtesy of Kaikyō Distillery
Stray Dog Wild Gin
Third-generation Greek American restaurateur Johnny Livanos sought to capture his travel experience in Greece in a bottle and worked with a master distiller to create this fascinating gin, which won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2021. A touch of mastic, a cedar-like resin native to Greece, combines with wild foraged sage, rosemary, fennel, and coriander, as well as Mediterranean citrus elements, to deliver a smooth, flavorful gin worthy of sipping neat.
Courtesy of Stray Dog Wild Gin
Dyfi Original Gin
The Brothers Cameron—Pete, a farmer, forager, and beekeeper, and Danny, a spirits professional and wine judge—created this London Dry-style gin with a Welsh twist to it. Named for a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in Wales, the gin is made from hand-foraged botanicals from its homeland, including wildflowers and conifer tips. This is an aromatic, well-balanced, and exceptional gin, and a growing list of awards backs up that claim.
Dyfi Gin
