For those who’re a gin lover – or in search of the proper Christmas present for a gin drinker – it may be troublesome to know the place to start out. The latest increase in gin is nice information for distillers, but it surely signifies that there are lots of of manufacturers for consumers to select from.
These embody traditional London Dry types and characterful craft gins, in addition to expressions made with uncommon botanicals and flavoured gins. Neither is the gin craze confined to the UK. Whereas there are many nice British gins, you’ll additionally discover some distinctive gins from Europe.
There’s additionally all kinds of gins made all over the world. From the Amazonian rainforests to Africa, Asia and India – you’ll uncover bottles that function an attention-grabbing number of unique botanicals.
To make life simpler, we’ve chosen 10 high gins for Christmas under. The listing consists of limited-edition seasonal specials equivalent to Silent Pool Albury Winter Gin and Martin Miller’s new Winterful.
However there are additionally gins which have extra depth and character in your glass – from fruity sloe gins to barrel-aged expressions. Whichever one you select, there are many causes for gin lovers to find new bottles at Christmas.
For those who want additional inspiration, we’ve additionally rounded up the greatest gins for a G&T and greatest gins for a Negroni.
Christmas gins to strive
Boatyard Sloe Boat Gin
This dangerously drinkable sloe gin is made by Boatyard Distillery in Northern Eire, steeping its signature gin in wild-harvested sloe berries for six months to create a fruity gin with aromas of plum, cranberry and spice. Shiny crimson berry fruit – strawberries and cranberries – plus plum and mellow spice on the palate. Get pleasure from it neat or in a Charlie Chaplin: shake 30ml Sloe Boat Gin, 30ml apricot brandy and 25ml recent lime juice with ice and pressure right into a Nick & Nora glass. Alcohol 29.8%
Eden Mill Pink Wine Cask Gin
Made in St Andrews, Scotland. Senior distiller Andrew Walker makes use of a base of Eden Mill Authentic Gin, which is aged in Amarone casks for 500 days. With a heat amber color, this has a traditional juniper nostril, edged with brown spices and crimson berries. Creamy palate with mellow, earthy spices, ripe crimson berry notes and recent juniper character. The peppery end is laced with baking spices. Makes a particular G&T. Alc 42.5%
Edinburgh Gin Christmas Gin
Identical to the three kings, this Scottish gin comes with frankincense and myrrh – botanicals that lend an unique spiciness. They’re complemented by notes of candy orange, ginger and baking spices (particularly nutmeg), together with traditional juniper. Garnish with a slice of orange for a festive G&T. The Edinburgh vary additionally features a Mulled Gin Liqueur (Alc 20%) you can pair with orange juice and glowing wine for a twist on a Christmas Day Bucks Fizz. Alc 43%
4 Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin
Australian distiller 4 Pillars makes a spread of wonderful merchandise and this expression relies on its traditional Uncommon Dry Gin, which has been steeped in native Shiraz grapes from Yarra Valley for eight weeks. With candy crimson fruit notes, it’s one for followers of sloe gin (and crimson wine). Strive it neat over ice with an orange slice or with bitter lemon in a protracted serve. Additionally look out for 4 Pillars Spiced Negroni Gin (Alc 43.8%), with botanicals together with ginger and cinnamon: good on your festive Negronis. Alc 37.8%
Martin Miller’s Winterful Gin
This limited-edition is a accomplice to Martin Miller’s Summerful seasonal gin. Each are primarily based on the unique Martin Miller’s, which is double-distilled within the UK then shipped to Iceland to be minimize with Icelandic spring water. Winterful celebrates this twin nationwide id with the addition of botanicals utilized in mulled wine recipes in each England and Iceland, together with cinnamon and orange peel. Strive pairing 50ml of gin with 150ml ginger beer, garnished with lime and a sprinkle of nutmeg in an ice-filled highball glass, for a spicy various to a G&T. Alc 40%
Portobello Street Celebrated Butter Gin
Every batch of Portobello’s traditional gin is distilled one further time with a block of unsalted English butter to create Celebrated Butter Gin. Impressed by gin types of the previous, the identify seems in Sketches by Boz the place Charles Dickens describes the merchandise on provide in an 1830s London Gin Palace. The velvety palate has a creamy butter word all through, balanced by recent pine, citrus, black pepper and a candy/salty character. Strive it in a Portobello Festive Fizz: shake 40ml gin with 50ml orange juice, 10ml clementine juice, 5ml lemon juice, 5ml maraschino, 5ml sugar syrup, 12.5ml egg white and one rosemary sprig in a shaker with ice. Then take away the ice and shake once more with out ice. Double pressure right into a flute and high with Prosecco. Alc 42%
Silent Pool Albury Winter Gin
Made by high Surrey distiller Silent Pool, this seasonal gin options botanicals together with tonka bean, chestnut flour, toasted ginger root and maple syrup. The nostril could be very fragrant, with Christmas spices, fruity cherry notes and freshly baked pastries. Layered, creamy and chic palate, with notes of panettone, ginger and cherries, plus loads of earthy depth and warming spice, together with a brisk juniper character. Alc 42%
Sipsmith Sloe Gin
Sipsmith kick-started the UK’s craft gin revolution: when the distillery opened again in 2009, Prudence was the primary copper pot nonetheless to be operated in London for 200 years. The botanical combine is impressed by a recipe present in an 18th century e book referred to as The Compleat Physique of Distilling by drinks historian and Grasp Distiller Jared Brown. Sipsmith’s sloe gin is made by macerating sloe berries from Dartmoor, harvested in autumn, giving every bottle a definite classic character yearly. Pair it with tonic or bitter lemon for a fruity winter tipple. Alc 29%
The Eclectic Gin Society Spice Mix
An awesome Christmas present for wine lovers who’re additionally keen on craft gin. That is blended in small batches of 140 bottles completely for Vindependents, a shopping for group for unbiased UK wine retailers. The quirky label design reveals a group of objects representing every totally different service provider. The Spice Mix is a traditional London Dry type, with mellow baking spice aromas, plenty of cinnamon and star anise. The punchy, super-spicy palate is balanced by rounded fruitiness, crisp apple and juniper chunk, with a pink peppercorn end. Makes a wonderfully spicy G&T. Alc 45%
Wild Fox The Holly & The Ivy
Lizzie and Rob Billington are fourth era farmers from Lancashire, who launched Wild Fox Distillery in 2019 to supply a spread of farm-to-bottle gins. Their copper nonetheless known as Ivy, so what higher identify for his or her festive particular version than The Holly & The Ivy? Seasonal botanicals embody damsons from the farm’s fruit bushes and clementine wheels dried within the farmhouse Aga, which offer loads of mellow fruity notes, alongside warming spices. Makes a festive G&T – and a terrific present concept too. Alc 40%
