What are the different types of gin?
There are four main types of gin:
London Dry Gin originates from the UK but is now made worldwide and contains natural botanical flavours.
Plymouth Gin is only made by the Plymouth Gin Distillery, which is one of the oldest recorded distilleries in the UK. It’s dryer and more citrusy than London Dry.
Old Tom was originally a sweetened type of gin originating in the 18th century. These days, it’s great in cocktails as it has a rich flavour and, when distilled in wine barrels, it takes on a caramel hue.
Genever is the original style of gin, dating back to the 16th century in the Netherlands. It’s flavoured with botanicals and juniper but tends to have a stronger flavour than other gin types.
What does gin pair well with?
Gin is super versatile and mixes particularly well with:
Tonic water
Vermouth
Soda water
Prosecco
Lime
Grapefruit
Mint
Cucumber
What to look for when buying gin
When you’re choosing gin, it really depends on your own personal taste preferences - or that of your gift recipient.
Look at the botanicals your gin has been distilled with as they will influence the flavour. Traditional gins like Tanqueray London Dry Gin use classic botanicals such as angelica and coriander alongside juniper berries. But there is such a wide range of gins on the market now, you can choose from citrus, floral and fruity flavours too - more or less anything your heart and palette desires, in fact.
Bear in mind the alcohol content when you’re buying your gin, which is generally between 35% to 55% ABV.It’s strong stuff! If you’d prefer something a little less potent, you could opt for a gin liqueur such as Rhubarb and Ginger Liqueur which is 20% ABV and can be mixed with tonic, lemonade or prosecco.
Finally, if you want to make a statement with your gin purchase, choose one with a stunning bottle such as Silent Pool Gin, which will add class to your cocktail cabinet.
How to make a gin and tonic - a step-by-step guide
Step 1: Select a large Spanish-style copa de balon glass for your G&T.
Step 2: Pack it with lots of ice.
Step 3: Add a wedge of lime.
Step 4: Pour in 50ml of Plymouth Gin or London Dry Gin
Step 5: Top with 50ml soda water and 50ml tonic water.
Step 6 (the most important): Enjoy your classic G&T!
What is the best gin in the UK?
The best overall gin is the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin which is loved by Mumsnetters and independent reviewers for its gorgeous blue bottle and festive spicy flavours.
The best flavoured gin is Edinburgh Gin Raspberry Gin, which is made using fresh and dried raspberries from Perthshire. The best dry gin - and also an excellent budget choice - is Gordon’s Special London Dry Gin. The best gin gift set is Chase Gin Three Perfect Serves Miniatures. Finally, the best gin for that all important gin and tonic is classic Plymouth Original Botanical Dry Gin.
How we chose our recommendations
We understand that there’s nothing like a real recommendation from other people who enjoy drinking gin. So we first headed to the Mumsnet forums to find out which gins were rated by Mumsnet users.
We compiled a list of the gins they loved for taste, price and bottle design. We then did some research across the wider web, looking at which gins were rated highly by independent reviewers and bloggers - and what customer reviews said about them too. Having collated all that information, we picked the gins that we thought would make the best buys.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.