Spirit Mastery
Gin: From Juniper to Glass
Gin's defining character — juniper — sits atop a botanical symphony that varies wildly by producer. This guide traces gin from its medicinal Dutch roots through London's Gin Craze to today's global craft explosion.
Juniper: The Non-Negotiable
Every style of gin must taste of juniper. That's not a preference — it's the legal definition. Strip out the juniper and you have flavored vodka. But juniper is just the starting point; what gin makers add to the botanical bill determines whether you're drinking a crisp, pine-forward London Dry, a floral contemporary gin, or a citrus-forward Mediterranean expression.
Gin's journey from 17th-century Dutch medicine to today's most innovative spirit category is one of the most dramatic arcs in drinks history — involving a plague, a gin-soaked moral panic in London, naval rations, and a 21st-century craft renaissance that produced more gin distilleries in the UK than had existed in the previous century.
Dutch Origins: Genever
Gin's ancestor is genever (jenever), a Dutch and Belgian spirit that pairs malt wine — essentially a low-grade whisky — with juniper and other botanicals. Unlike modern gin, genever has weight, a cereal backbone, and a whisky-like malt character. It's worth seeking out for understanding gin's DNA: Bols Genever or Nolet's offer authentic expressions.
When William of Orange brought Dutch drinking habits to England in 1689, he brought genever's influence. English distillers, working with grain spirits instead of malt wine, created something lighter and more botanical-forward: early gin.
The 18th-century London Gin Craze — when roughly one in four London buildings reportedly sold gin — resulted in the Gin Acts of 1736 and 1751, the first major alcohol regulations in British history. William Hogarth's "Gin Lane" print captured the moral panic. The reforms that followed eventually produced the regulated, quality-focused gin industry that gave us London Dry.
London Dry vs Old Tom vs Navy Strength
London Dry
London Dry is a method, not a geographic designation — gin can be called "London Dry" regardless of where it's produced. The rules: all botanicals must be added during distillation (not after), no artificial flavors or sweeteners, and the final product must not exceed 0.1 grams of sweetener per liter.
This restraint produces the clean, botanical-forward spirit ideal for cocktails requiring precision. The Gin Tonic, Martini, and Negroni were all built around London Dry's profile. Tanqueray and Beefeater represent the style at its classic best.
Old Tom
The style that bridged genever and London Dry, Old Tom is lightly sweetened — typically 10-20 grams of sugar per liter — with a rounder, slightly softer character. It fell out of fashion when London Dry emerged as the dominant style but has been revived by craft distillers.
Old Tom shines in pre-Prohibition cocktails: the Tom Collins (note the name), the Martinez (the martini's ancestor), and the El Diablo. Its sweetness integrates beautifully without separate syrup additions.
Navy Strength
At 57% ABV (114 proof), Navy Strength gin gets its name from the British Royal Navy practice of testing spirit proof by mixing it with gunpowder — if it ignited, the spirit was "proved" to be at sufficient strength. At 57%, the powder still burns; below that, moisture prevents ignition.
Navy Strength isn't simply stronger gin — the botanical intensity increases proportionally with the alcohol to maintain balance. The result is a more concentrated, powerful spirit that still holds its own when diluted with ice and mixers. Plymouth Navy Strength and Hayman's Royal Dock are benchmarks.
The Botanical Bill
Beyond juniper, gin makers have extraordinary freedom. The botanicals most commonly used:
The Classic Set
Coriander seed: The second-most-important botanical in most gins, adding citrus peel-like brightness and slight spice. Tanqueray's classic recipe uses a high proportion of coriander.
Angelica root: Functions as a fixative, helping other botanicals integrate and persist. Adds an earthy, slightly woody note.
Citrus peel: Lemon, orange, grapefruit — added dried during distillation. Bombay Sapphire famously displays its botanicals in glass columns for visual drama.
Orris root: From Florentine iris, orris adds a powdery, violet-like floral note and acts as another fixative.
Cardamom and cassia: Spice notes that add warmth and depth, particularly prevalent in Scaninavian and Balkan-inspired gins.
Contemporary Innovation
Modern craft distillers add everything from cucumber (Hendrick's) to yuzu, rose petals, local wildflowers, and regional botanicals that create distinctive terroir-driven expressions. Japanese gins incorporate sakura (cherry blossom) and sansho pepper. Australian gins use wattleseed and lemon myrtle.
Essential Gin Cocktails
Martini: The ultimate test of a gin's character. Stirring over ice in a Mixing Glass with dry vermouth (ratio 4:1 to 6:1 per preference), strain into a chilled glass. The gin must be interesting enough to anchor the drink. Use a classic London Dry like Beefeater or Tanqueray.
Gin Tonic: The simplest showcase for gin's botanical complexity. Pour 50ml gin over large ice in a highball glass, top with quality tonic (Fever-Tree or 1724), garnish to echo the gin's botanicals. For a Hendrick's G&T: cucumber slice and rose petal. For Tanqueray: lime wedge.
Negroni: Equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, Campari. Stirring produces the right silky Mouthfeel. A London Dry with enough backbone (Tanqueray, Beefeater) holds up against Campari's bitterness. A lighter contemporary gin gets lost.
French 75: Gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, champagne. The gin's botanical complexity elevates this beyond a simple fizz into something genuinely elegant. Shaking the base before adding sparkling wine is essential — never shake champagne.
Aviation: Gin, maraschino, creme de violette, lemon. A pre-Prohibition classic requiring a floral gin (Hendrick's or Martin Miller's) to complement the violet liqueur's character.
Gimlet: Gin and lime cordial (or fresh lime and simple syrup). The Rose's Lime Cordial original is a museum piece; the fresh version — gin, fresh lime, simple syrup — is a revelation. Shake hard (Dry Shake first if using egg white for a Clover Club variation).
Building Your Gin Collection
Starting out: Tanqueray London Dry — the benchmark, endlessly versatile. Add Hendrick's for a cucumber-floral contemporary option.
Expanding: Monkey 47 (Baden-Württemberg, Germany; 47 botanicals) for complexity. The Botanist (Islay, Scotland; 22 locally foraged botanicals) for terroir interest.
Specialty: Plymouth — the only remaining gin from the original Plymouth style, slightly sweeter and earthier than London Dry. Aviation American Gin for a softer, floral-forward American expression.
Gin rewards curiosity. With thousands of expressions now available worldwide, exploring different distillers' botanical visions — and tasting how those choices affect the Martini you stir — is one of the great pleasures of serious drinking.