Gin is a fascinating spirit. It’s got a rich history, with its origins as early as the 1100s (likely as genever instead of gin), but many believe it was officially created in the 1500s when, according to legend, a Dutch doctor began prescribing a juniper-based spirit for various maladies. While you’d likely have your medical license revoked if you prescribed it today, it hasn’t stopped it from remaining one of the most popular spirits in the world.
This juniper-based, herb and botanical-laden spirit is beloved as the base of some of the most popular cocktails of all time. Its popularity means that there are numerous well-known, classic brands that many drinkers and bartenders instantly grab without much thought, knowing they’ll get a great product. But just because there are a ton of well-known brands, this doesn’t mean drinkers should limit themselves to names like Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, Beefeater, and Hendrick’s.
Myriad underrated, undervalued, underappreciated brands deserve your attention. To find them, we asked for a little help from the professionals, asking distillers and bartenders to tell us the most underrated gins to buy today. Keep scrolling to see all of their picks.
Fords Gin
Eric “ET” Tecosky, founder of Dirty Sue in Los Angeles
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $30
Why This Gin?
Ford’s Gin. I would put this gin as less underrated and more unknown. This gin has always been a bartender favorite but has yet to crossover into the mainstream. Discovering this gin now is like discovering the Stones at a small club in the early ’60 s. Before you know it, this gin will be playing sold-out stadiums so to speak. This is a great London Dry Gin that leads with flavor. You will get the juniper taste you expect from this style of gin, but you also get a complexity of floral and citrus notes that help this gin live up to its moniker of ’the cocktail gin.’
Negroni? Check. Dirty Martini? Of course. This is a bottle to grab when you are ready to make your favorite cocktails.
Watershed Guild Series Chamomile
Jackie Zykan co-owner and whiskey blender at Hidden Barn Whiskey in Sparta, Kentucky
ABV: 44%
Average Price: $40
Why This Gin?
Watershed Distillery Guild Series – Chamomile flavored gin. Incredibly unique, and what I like to call the bourbon drinker’s gin. Packed with notes of baking spice and citrus, this one is not your everyday gin.
If there was ever a gin to make an old fashioned with, it’s this.
Gin Katún
Joshua Monaghan, bar director of Zapote Bar at Rosewood Mayakoba in Riviera Maya, Mexico
ABV: 42%
Average Price: $38
Why This Gin?
In Mexico, we have a range of new gins innovating the category, but there’s one standout produced here in the Yucatán called Gin Katún. We love it for its depth of flavor and nods to Mayan culture. It’s made with 17 botanicals, including four different varieties of local chili pepper, fresh herbs, three different citrus fruits, and various spices.
It generates a story that you not only have to read, but also savor. Highly underrated.
Malfy Gin
Wilson Craig, founder of Waterbird Spirits in Charlottesville, Virginia
ABV: 41%
Average Price: $30
Why This Gin?
Malfy Gin is unique, bright and the perfect introduction the category before diving deeper into the more juniper-heavy gins that are much more common in the market. A highly underrated gin, this Italian-produced spirit is known for its flavors of coriander, citrus, and bold, bright juniper.
Barr Hill Tom Cat
Melissa Katrincic, founder of Conniption Gin in Durham, North Carolina
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $50
Why This Gin?
As founder of the U.S. Gin Association, I’ve gotten to know Ryan Christiansen of Barr Hill, Caledonia Spirits. My favorite underrated gin is a specific style of gin, an aged Old Tom gin by Barr Hill. Their Tom Cat gin has the lovely dual aspect of being an old tom gin (in this instance sweetened by honey) and then it is aged in American oak casks.
This makes an amazing Martinez cocktail.
The Botanist Islay Dry Gin
Josh Miller, co-founder of Owen’s Craft Mixers in New York City
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $45
Why This Gin?
The Botanist Gin is delicious. I wouldn’t call it overly underrated, but it’s not at every single bar and definitely deserves more acclaim than it receives. It’s botanical, with all of the ingredients sourced from its home island of Islay, and brings our tremendous flavor when mixed properly.
Leopold Brothers Navy Strength
Rob Masters, head distiller at The Family Jones Spirit House in Denver
ABV: 57%
Average Price: $45
Why This Gin?
I’m a big fan of Leopold Brothers Navy Strength Gin. For me, gin is all about balance. Too much juniper and it tastes like a Christmas tree; not enough juniper, and it doesn’t taste like gin. Leopold Brothers did a great job balancing juniper with some beautiful citrus notes, a high navy strength level, and alcohol content.
Isle of Harris Gin
Adam Polonski, co-founder and head of whiskey sourcing at Lost Lantern in Weybridge, Vermont
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $75
Why This Gin?
I love the gins from remote Scottish islands, like Isle of Harris gin and The Botanist. When it’s made with botanicals local to the distillery, gin has a remarkable ability to reflect that region’s terroir. And The Botanist, made at Bruichladdich on the island of Islay in Scotland, does this wonderfully. It captures the feel of a unique and beloved place that is very familiar to Scotch drinkers but in a very different form. But, if you really want to get underrated, it’s tough to beat Isle of Harris Gin with its citrus, floral, and slightly sweet, briny flavor from the addition of sea kelp.
Conniption American Dry Gin
Jason Barrett, founder and master distiller at Black Button Distilling in Rochester, New York
ABV: 44%
Average Price: $32.99
Why This Gin?
Durham Distillery Conniption American Dry Gin is highly underrated. It’s refreshing and classic while being innovative and easy to drink. What flavors make it great? Obviously, for gin you need juniper, but it’s so soft and subtle with citrus and floral notes that pair perfectly with your favorite tonic water.
No. 3 Gin
Gabriel Urrutia, bartender at Gramps in Miami
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $39.99
Why This Gin?
I love No. 3 Gin. It’s great in a martini and also great in tropical and citrus cocktails. The grapefruit and orange really pop and also make for a great, refreshing southside. Juniper, spices, and citrus, this gin has it all. It deserves much more acclaim.
