While you might enjoy a gin & tonic or a negroni from time to time, you probably don’t think about gin all too often. It’s a spirit that feels stuck in time — classic and almost unchanging — with the most prominent brands having been known to us since we first spotted them in an aunt’s liquor cabinet as kids. Bombay Sapphire, Plymouth, Gordon’s, Tanqueray, Beefeater… you know the names.
But just like whiskey, rum, tequila, and alcohol consumption in general, gin is absolutely booming right now. The gin industry is expected to grow by $3.71 billion from 2020-24. That’s massive and it can’t all just be the result of Ryan Reynolds’ clever Aviation Gin ad campaigns. Drinkers are embracing gin in all its botanical brightness and, as with the other aforementioned spirits, new brands are popping up quickly to meet demand.
Now here’s the good news: Many of those brands are creating great products and showcasing a deep commitment to craft. By tweaking the mix of botanicals and leaning into certain elements, they’re also bringing something new to the party — which is crucial when the tried and true companies cast such enormous shadows. Check out the 11 new(ish) gin expressions below and definitely don’t wait for summer to mix one of them into your next g & t.
Elena London Dry Gin
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $36.99
The Story:
Elena Penna Currado Vietti, founder of Italy’s Vietti Winery created this London Dry Gin in 2020. Made with botanicals sourced from northern Italy, this small-batch gin has the bright flavor of Alp-grown juniper berries as well as herbs, roots, and other ingredients from the region.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find bright, crisp scents of juniper, light citrus, and a herbal undertone. The first sip is filled with more juniper as well as dried orange peels, fresh lemon zest, and thyme. The finish is long, full of heat, and ends with more subtle juniper notes.
Bottom Line:
Proving that terroir imparts different flavors in the botanicals used to create a gin, this gin gets its unique flavor profile from the soil, air, and environment of northern Italy and will certainly expand your idea of the spirit.
Year Created: 2020
Arbikie Nàdar Gin
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $59
The Story:
Scotland’s Arbikie Highland Estate was founded in 2013. Since the only way to make whisky is to wait for it to mature, the company’s first Scotches won’t be bottled until 2029. In the meantime, it’s cranking out high-quality vodka and gin. One of its newest gins is Arbikie Nàdar Gin. The world’s first carbon-positive gin, Nàdar was made with a spirit distilled from peas (yes, peas).
Tasting Notes:
Take time to smell this gin before you sip it and you’ll find hints of juniper, citrus zest, and a subtle earthy scent. The first sip is filled with lemon, lime, and orange flavors that pair perfectly with the following wave — lemongrass and a nice kick of juniper. In the end, you’ll find more crisp citrus zest and dried orange peels.
Bottom Line:
Not only is this a bright, sunny, and highly mixable gin, it’s also great for the environment. You can feel like you did a great thing for the earth while you pour it into your next gin cocktail.
Year Created: 2020
Roku Gin
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $28.99
The Story:
In the fall of 2018, Roku Gin launched in the US. While that was a few years ago, in the grand scheme of gin it’s a blink of the eye. Roku is “six” in Japanese. It’s a reference to the six traditional, Japanese botanicals that are used to make this highly drinkable gin. The flavors of sakura flower, sakura leaf, yuzu peel, sencha tea, gyokuro tea, and sansho pepper make this a truly unique and flavorful gin.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose you’ll find that Roku is extremely fresh, crisp, and full of a veritable bouquet of floral scents and pine needles. Take a sip and you’ll find notes of herbal tea, subtle cracked black pepper, and citrus zest. The last few sips are mellow, light, and it all ends with a hint of caramel and orange.
Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for a different flavor profile for your favorite gin & tonic, grab a bottle of Roku. Its unique and bold in all the right ways.
Year Created: 2018
Amass Dry Gin
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $54.99
The Story:
AMASS Dry Gin is California through and through. It includes local botanicals like California Bay and Cascara Sagrada buckthorn, Reishi and Lion’s Mane mushrooms, hibiscus, ginger, cardamom, cacao, and juniper berries.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find fresh citrus, subtle ginger, and bright juniper aromas. The palate is full of hints of cardamom, cinnamon, herbal notes, as well as juniper and a nice citrus bite. The finish is long, earthy, and ends in a nice hit of spicy peppercorns.
Bottom Line:
Sip this gin neat or on the rocks to get the most out of it. It has a nice heat and so many different flavors you’ll need a few glasses to find them all.
Year Created: 2019
Gray Whale Gin
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $34.99
The Story:
Founded in 2016 on the belief that a distillery can not only craft amazing spirits, but can also support wildlife conservation, Gray Whale Gin is made with six, specific California botanicals: mint, fir tree, kombu sea kelp, almonds, and juniper berries. The result is a west coast-centric, flavorful gin perfect for sipping and mixing.
Tasting Notes:
Give this gin a nice nosing and your nostrils will fill with the fragrances of juniper berries, fresh mint, and herbal hints. The palate is filled with sweet almonds, dried orange peels, and bright juniper. The finish is refreshing, tart, and crisp — with a final kick of lemon rounding out the flavor experience.
Bottom Line:
Not only is this a great, flavorful gin, but every sip was created using botanicals and herbs foraged at the various stages of the gray whale’s migratory journey. Fantastic conversation piece!
Year Created: 2016
Dumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $36.99
The Story:
This bold, vibrant gin gets its name from one of its base ingredients, dried Gunpowder tea. While this is an Irish gin, its roots are firmly planted in Asia — with the addition of meadowsweet, angelica root, oriental grapefruit, orris root, juniper berries, and various other botanicals and ingredients.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll be treated to the scents of lemon, lime, anise, and juniper berries. Take a sip and you’ll be transported to a world of herbal tea, lemon zest, cardamom, caraway, and juniper berries. The last gulp is fresh, flavorful, warming, and ends with a final hint of tea.
Bottom Line:
Ireland is mostly known for its whiskey. But give this flavorful, Asian-influenced gin a chance and enjoy the prominent tea notes.
Year Created: 2017
Lone Wolf Cactus and Lime
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $40
The Story:
If you’re a fan of beer, you’ve probably heard of Brewdog. If you’ve only been hoisting back cans of its iconic brews, you might not have realized the brand also owns a distillery. Recently, BrewDog Distilling’s Lone Wolf gin brand dropped its Lone Wolf Cactus and Lime. This citrus-based gin gets its flavors from juniper, kaffir lime, and Queen of the Night, a cactus flower that only makes an appearance after sunset.
Tasting Notes:
Take a draw of this unique gin and you’ll find notes of juniper berries, sharp lemon, lime, and grapefruit flavors as well as an underlying aromatic floral scent. The first sip is ripe with spicy juniper, fresh citrus zest, and subtle pine. The finish is long, warming, and ends with fresh pine needles and citrus.
Bottom Line:
After you’re done sipping on Punk IPA or Elvis Juice, crack open a bottle of this or one of the brand’s other spirits and mix up a cocktail.
Year Created: 2020
Hendrick’s Lunar Gin
ABV: 43.3%
Average Price: $36.49
The Story:
Hendrick’s might not be a new brand, but the Scottish company is constantly cranking out new and original flavors. Its newest is Hendrick’s Lunar Gin, a limited-edition expression made using only botanicals that grow at night.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find aromas of pepper, fresh pine, and a nice floral backbone. The palate is filled with fresh juniper berries, lemon zest, rosewater, and dried orange peels. The finish is vibrant, warming, and ends with a nice mix of spicy cinnamon and zesty lemon.
Bottom Line:
If you already own the other offerings from Hendrick’s, there’s a good chance you enjoy what the Scottish gin mad scientists are doing. You should probably add Lunar to your collection as soon as possible.
Year Created: 2020 (this expression)
Berkshire Botanical Dry Gin
ABV: 40.3%
Average Price: $28
The Story:
Berkshire Botanical Gin is distilled in Berkshire, England at the 9,000-acre Yattendon Estate. It’s pot-distilled and flavored with a long list of herbs and botanicals including Norway spruce, juniper berries, orange peel, and grapefruit.
Tasting Notes:
Take time to give this gin a proper nosing and you’ll find aromas of a pine forest, fresh citrus zest, and the always present juniper. Take a sip and be transported to a world of subtle spices, vegetal pepper, grapefruit, juniper, and the taste of spruce tips.
Bottom Line:
This gin is a great combination of citrus and pine. It’s well suited for a proper English-style gin & tonic with tonic and a squeeze of lime.
Year Created: 2020
HH Bespoke Gin
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $59.99
The Story:
Launched in 2018, this gin expression is an extension of bespoke clothing producer Harlem Haberdashery. This juniper-centric London-style dry gin is also made with various other herbs and botanicals including lavender, rosehip, plum, cranberry, and others.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find notes of juniper, lavender, subtle spices, and pine. The palate is filled with hints of rosemary, coriander, juniper, and citrus zest. The finish is long, mellow, and ends with a final note of peppery spice.
Bottom Line:
Even if you can’t afford to purchase a bespoke suit, you can probably afford to patronize this business by buying a bottle of the brand’s zesty, fresh, highly mixable gin. It’s my personal favorite on the list.
Year Created: 2020
EDITOR’S PICK: Mulholland Gin
ABV: 48%
Average Price: $27.99
The Story:
See that guy with the cool hat in the background above?
That’s Uproxx favorite Walton Goggins, co-founder of Mulholland Distilling. Since 2016, the LA-based distillery has been producing (sourcing, blending, proofing) craft spirits while showing love to the city of Los Angeles in the process. It’s a small company, but they’ve been gaining steam thanks, in part, to this gin and the awards it’s racking up.
Goggins is one of those admirable actors-turned-alcohol-company-owners who actually care deeply about the end product and Mulholland Gin is a testament to that. This expression is a double gold winner at the 2018 World Spirits Competition thanks to its 100% corn mash bill and the combination of typical botanicals like juniper and coriander with less-seen additions like Japanese cucumber and Persian lime (representing the LA melting pot).
Tasting Notes:
The nose here is nice bright and vegetal without being astringent. You get a whole lot of lime-meets-cucumber-meets-shishito-peppers upfront before an intense rounded note accented by white pepper earthiness takes over. That sharpness (the proof is pretty high here) is balanced with a little vanilla sweetness on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is intensely easy to drink. It’s high proof but the finish is so clean and the mouthfeel so silky that its potency is an afterthought. In a world of juniper-forward gins, that note is distant here — offering a great change of pace for your next g & t.
Year Created: 2016
