Android will be coming soon, but like everything on The GIN is IN— it’s all coded by me. I had to choose only one to start. So please stay tuned.

Search by all SEVEN flavors

Search the entire archive of reviews by flavor— In 2024 we added “Fruited” to new reviews to emphasize a flavor that is becoming more common in gin.

For the first time, in our app you can search by all seven flavor dimensions.

Save your own scores AND flavor diagrams

Build your own database/archive of gins that you love or want to try. Like gins you love or save them for later to your personal list.

But also create your own flavor diagrams. Keep track of what you’re tasting in the gins you try! If you taste something else, keep track of it. We hope we’ve inspired you to try something new, but for the first time ever keep track of your own flavor journey on The GIN is IN.

Now available for iOS

Download today— available in all markets where alcohol related content is permitted. Use without an account to begin searching or sign up with your email to begin saving.

I hope you find a gin that you will love!

(And let us know in the app what you think or if you have any suggestions for the future. Down the road, I’d love to enable community reviews, flavor sharing and more! But for now, check it out!)

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And there’s a second thing that happened. ChatGPT and Google AI summaries happened. In May 2024 I was excited about this development. However, I didn’t realize what it would do to me as an independent writer.

With all of my content public— a user asking for a “Roku Gin Review” was given the answer, without ever visiting my site.

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But it’s Fiction. London Dry Gin does not need to be made in London. It can be made anywhere in the world.

The term neither describes a flavor nor a place-based production. London Dry Gin describes a distillation process. Originally designed to enforce a certain standard of quality in an era where that was anything but guaranteed. For more on the legal meaning, check out our description of what the London Dry Process is.

Why is it London in London Dry Gin?

Aeneas Coffey invented the “Coffey Still” in 1830. His invention allowed distillers to create spirits with a clean, neutral flavor. In other words, his invention led to the creation of neutral spirits we would recognize in the modern day as neutral. They didn’t require copious sweetening to make them palatable– in other words gin could be dry.

Because of this, the term “London Dry” wouldn’t have been used until at least the nineteenth century.

The term was popularized in the late nineteenth century where it first begins appearing in print throughout the world in reference to established London-based gin brands, especially on the export market.

As seen in an Australian newspaper in 1897

As seen in a United States newspaper in 1903

However, the more general term “London Gin” existed well before the addition of dry. In 1801 an advertisement for a book Every Man His own Brewer and Distiller (an update to the popular 18th century book Every Man His Own Brewer) advertised itself as having recipes for “London Gin.”

Several manuals created recipes for emulating “London Gin,” many of them simply were adding things like turpentine to neutral spirit.

In other words, you can see how a quality-based designation would have evolved.

And yes, turpentine is quite toxic and should never be ingested.

From The Morning Chronicle in 1803

From 1898’s The Beverages We Drink

However, while the term was used— it was not consistently defined. Marketers used it as an indication of “high quality,” while producers used it as a general term to refer to a broad category of drinks, flavored similarly to juniper.

In short, the “London” part of London Dry Gin simply dates back to gin’s popularity in London, the number of producers concentrated in London, and it was popularized by distilleries using the designation in their marketing material.

It would not be until much later that the term would be codified in law and take on the quality and production oriented term we have today.

Examples of London Dry Gins produced somewhere other than London

Astraea Meadow Gin (United States)

No. 3 Gin (Netherlands)

Belgravia Gin (South Africa)

Australian Distilling Co. Gin (Australia)

Long Table Gin (Canada)

Tanqueray Gin (Yes, now made in Scotland)

The post Fact or Fiction: London Dry Gin Needs to be made in London appeared first on the GIN is IN.

In other words, a distiller could take the same handful of botanicals and have a completely different product than another using the same raw materials.

For the sake of this exercise we’re going to begin with a Neutral Grain Spirit. Imagine a distiller starts with a clean, high proof vodka (distillers don’t have to start this way, but it is one way that many gins begin).

#1 Get the ratio right

An oft cited benchmark for the botanical quantity is 20-35 grams per liter. Because gin is defined by requiring juniper to be gin, most gin recipes will start at 60% juniper by volume. I hope it goes without saying here that if you ask ten distillers for their recipes, you’ll get ten different answers (provided they would share!)

There’s a late decision that comes into play here: dilution. If a distiller is looking to do a multi-shot, they’ll up the botanical quantity considerably. More on that in a moment…

From here the artistry really begins. Some will express their ratios relative to the juniper.

For example if you use 20g of juniper, you would do exactly half that in coriander (10g). Then for other core botanicals like angelica, cassia, or cinnamon you might go to one tenth your juniper (1g). Beyond that some botanicals are bold and you might go as low as one hundreth of your juniper quantity.

However, it’s in these smaller quantities that a gin really begins to distinguish itself. It’s hard to generalize at this level.

[Further reading: Reddit post about recipes, Home Distiller forum, Distillique, Love Brewing]

#2 A basket? 🧺 Or a long soak 🛁

A distiller can choose to macerate the botanicals in spirit or suspend them above the ethanol in a basket.

First, maceration sometimes means putting the botanicals in a tea bag and soaking them in the spirit, on a still, at room temperature. Many brands tout their maceration time— think Beefeater‘s 24 hour soak— before they are removed and the still is turned on.

Yet others will add them directly to the spirit at the time of distillation.

In another technique, often seen as “vapor infused,” a distiller will suspend the botanicals above the spirit, so that upon heating the evaporated ethanol will pass through the ingredients. This steam volatilizes the aromatic compounds in the botanicals.

The basket also varies based on distiller. High in the still, will increase the temperature and result in more volatiles. A lower placement can mean a slower process. Varied placements can be another tool the vapor distiller applies to get the desired flavors from their botanicals.

Bombay Sapphire and others in the Bombay Lineup are distilled in this way.

#3 👭 Together? Or not…

While those looking to make a London Dry Gin will not have a decision here— the process designation requires all botanicals to be distilled together.

However, a distiller could choose to distill each ingredient individually. Allowing them to perfect the cuts they make, tailored to that individual botanical. In this case, the distiller will need to blend the initial distillates.

Or alternatively, the distiller does them all together. This means that the botanicals all need to taste at their best at every cut the distiller decides to keep.

Aside on Cuts :

Distilling is based on time.

Imagine you start cooking some garlic on the stove. Capture the aroma of the first five seconds after you put the garlic in some oil, and set it aside.

Now let it turn gently golden in the pan. Capture those next few minutes of aroma and set it aside.

Finally, you leave it on too long. The garlic burns. Oh no! Capture that aroma and set it aside.

Imagine you’re assembling a single aroma from these three moments. Would you only keep the middle? Would you toss the last one?

With a little bit of suspended disbelief, this is essentially what a distiller does when they make a cut. They’re choosing what parts of the cooking process taste best for the mix or individual botanical they’re using.

If you’re fermenting and distilling from scratch— you will have things called foreshots and heads in that first cut that you need to toss, as well as some bitter and undesirable notes in the tails, that distillers sometimes recycle in future distillations or simply toss.

#4 Dilution🚰 and shots

In the more traditional single-shot approach, the botanicals come off the still and are merely diluted with water.

In the multi-shot method, the botanical strength is dialed up and it comes off the still at a higher than desired intensity. The distiller will dilute that highly intense botanical distillate with some more of the spirit they started with. Then, they will dilute it with water.

There is no established quality differences between the two methods. It’s often a matter of practicality— multiple distillations on a pot still can be energy and time intensive.

For a great, deeper read, Gin Magazine published an article on the two approaches.

How do distillers control the flavor in their gins?

It’s a complex process that each distiller will apply their own technical and creative skills to. In short, even with a blank canvas, a distiller can paint anyway they choose!

It starts with a neutral spirit.

Then the distillers choose the botanicals and the ratios.

You decide how you’re going to bring those botanicals flavors to the spirit— maceration, vapor, or even both. Together or separate.

Then the distiller makes the right cuts. And dilutes it to the proper strength.

While this is overly simplistic— entire books have been written about distillation — I hope this helps you better understand some of the decisions distillers are required to make when designing and developing a gin.

The post How do distillers control the flavor in gin? appeared first on the GIN is IN.

For the unfamiliar the Finnish Long Drink was first produced by Hartwall for the 1952 Summer Olympics. For students of Olympic history, this might be best remembered as the first summer olympics since 1912 where medals were not awarded for art (which is a shame that hometown talent Aale Tynni wasn’t able to defend her 1948 gold medal in Literature for Laurel of Hellas, but I digress). This meant that while the Hartwall Long Drink itself wasn’t eligible for any medals, the blend of grapefruit soda and gin would have to settle for wining hearts. And that it did.

The Finnish Long Drink is normally an about to 5%–8% alcoholic beverage generally composed as a combination of gin and grapefruit. The product was discontinued in the 1970s, however, due to popularity (and a good dose of nostalgia) that original Hartwall drink returned.

Since, others have made their own takes on it. Some have even tried naturally fermenting variations. But what’s interesting is that not too long ago the Finnish Long Drink was a thing that visitors to Finland would remember only in their scrapbooks. The Finnish long drink is making it way out of Finland and expanding across two continents. In 2015, Hartwall signed agreements to get the drink on shelves in the Netherlands, Sweden and Belgium. In 2016, they expanded to Asian markets including Japan. Outside of markets where it’s widely available, it inspires a cult following. Reviewers of a Brighton, UK bar point it out prominently in a Trip Advisor review: “Quirky bar serving the Finnish Long Drink.” The Finnish Long Drink is truly global. Hopefully (for me) it makes its way to North America soon.

Drinking the Finnish Long Drink in Finland

Hartwall Original Finnish Long Drink

White grapefruit flesh on the nose… The palate is much less sweet than I expected. Acidic grapefruit early, with gin notes coming on most strongly mid-palate. Crisp juniper and citrus depth. Heavy grapefruit notes predominate, but with a gentle crisp and gently dry finish. There’s no bitterness here, but it does have a certain crispness that calls to mind a Gin and Tonic. [Full Review]

Laitilan Gini Long Drink

A bit of Squirt on the nose, and a note of ruby red grapefruit as well, along with the more expected white grapefruit juice notes. On the palate, it’s grapefruit early and late. The juniper is rather dull and not very clear amidst the overwhelming grapefruit. While Laitilan Gini Long Drink has a nice grapefruit flavor, there’s not as much London Dry Gin here as I was hoping. [Full Review]

Making the Finnish Long Drink at Home

So naturally, with it not being available, I sought out to recreate the drink at home.

Long Drink #1: With Squirt

Given that the primarily flavor was grapefruit soda, I immediately thought that the widely available Pepsi product Squirt might make a good Long Drink.

I tried a couple of ratios. But no matter the combination, both the Gin Wife and I agreed: this one is too sweet. Here’s our preferred ratio of the ones we tried:

4 parts Squirt
3 parts Tanqueray Gin
1 part Tonic Water
Build over ice and stir gently to combine.

Long Drink #2: With Fresca

I used the same ratio as in the above example, but this time with Coca-Cola’s answer to grapefruit soda: Fresca. This was waaaaaaay closer to the Long Drink I had in Finland and actually comes fairly close to replicating the canned ones.

Recommended

Long Drink #3: With Grape Tonic

I found dialing the gin up to almost parity (1:1) created a nice balance of grapefruit and juniper. I’d suggest a more classic 1 part gin, 2 parts Grape Tonic, garnished with a lemon wedge to add a nice counterpoint to the grapefruit. Though sadly this option is probably for Finns only, as I haven’t seen Grape Tonic anywhere other than Finland. [Grape Tonic Review]

2 parts Grape Tonic
1 part Juniper forward gin
Build over ice and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Long Drink #4: With a Sparkling Grapefruit Juice

We used a Grapefruit Soda such as Izze, though there are many others on the market which come close. The key is to ensure that it has real grapefruit juice and sweetening among its ingredients.

1 parts Izze Sparkling Grapefruit Juice
1 parts Tanqueray Gin
a splash of Tonic Water
Build over ice and stir gently to combine.

This Long Drink comes close in terms of flavor, but leaves a lot to be lacking in terms of color. It’s one of my favorites to drink, but no one will dare mistake this for a Finnish Long Drink. If the color is important to you, sparkling grapefruit juices closer to San Pellegrino’s Pomplemo are worth taking a look at; however, for us the flavor was off. The white grapefruit flavor was far too tart and didn’t replicate the drink whatsoever.

Long Drink #5: With Fresh White Grapefruit

¾ oz. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
¼ oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
a scant ½ oz. of simple syrup
1½ oz. Tanqueray Gin
Shake ingredients with ice to combine, strain into a high ball glass with ice
Top with 3 oz. of Q Tonic
Stir and serve.

Fresh grapefruit alone didn’t provide as much of a similar flavor to the Long Drink. The touch of lemon juice brings it a bit closer in line with the flavor of Squirt and Fresca.

But the truth is that the Finnish long drink seems so reliant on that odd, nearly unreplicable note of Grapefruit soda that I’m not sure there is a combination of fresh ingredients that will replace it. This drink overall is a nice citrusy and slightly-sweeter-than-your-usual Gin and Tonic.

Final Thoughts

Until the Finnish Long Drink arrives stateside, these attempts are the best we have. My recommendation is The Long Drink with Fresca. It was the closest to the original.

Otherwise, for those of you fortunate enough to live in a place where the Long Drink is widely accessible, I recommend grabbing the real thing.

Cheers!

The post The story of the Finnish Long Drink appeared first on the GIN is IN.

In modern day bar culture, the Purl is often described as ale with a shot of gin added. This simple combination is said to date back to 18th and 19th century British bar culture. The gin of the era would have been an Old Tom style and the ale would have likely been a British Bitter and served at cellar temperatures.

However, the history of the Purl as told by the cocktail books that document the era tell of a far more complex drink, that mostly doesn’t resemble this simple drink.

It started as a plague remedy, where to a 17th century Londoner a Purl would have been ale or wine with wormwood added. Later, consumed recreationally, sometimes in the morning and to excess, spirits began to be added. The drink became more complex, adding eggs and spices— to the point where it looked nothing like the original. Then in the 20th century, we saw the occasional choice of gin as the added spirit, become the canonical spirit. This led to the modern day where purl simply means ale + gin.

Early recipes for the Purl— or “Early Birds”

William Terrington’s 1869 volume, Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks is often described as “the first British cocktail book.” It includes a recipe that features warmed beer, multiple eggs and was not automatically assumed to contain gin. While that glass of spirits could be gin, it could also have been brandy, whisky, or any other spirit common in a 19th century British bar.

In other words, the 1869 recipe for a Purl is a Flip. Here we see a recipe for the Rum Flip from Jerry Thomas’s 1862 Bartenders Guide.

William Terrington’s manual contains another recipe for a similar drink that does specifically call for gin and ale. While still a type of flip, the Ale Cup (one of multiple drinks with the name) is a dedicated gin drink.

“Pots of Purle” and wormwood

From The Grub Street Journal, September 1733.

Earlier accounts of the Purls and Purl-shops in London tell of a drink that was also not gin specific. Before gin was common, a Purl was a beer mixed with wormwood, and sometimes taken as a morning constitutional.

As with modern-day “morning cocktails” this drink is more than occasionally mentioned as a disparaging vice. Such as in this character attack from a 1733 newspaper, where smoking, gin drinking and purl consumption went hand-in-hand.

1665’s Directions for the Prevention and Cure of the Plague Fitted for the Poorer Sort features diet advice, which on page 1 recommends having “a draught or two of Purle…especially in the morning.” Given the audience of this book was “poorer” sorts, the presence of Purle here suggests that it was rather inexpensive.

Here, the Cider industry feels somewhat left out and affirms that a purl wide cider is just as good as a purl with ale. From 1684’s Aphorisms upon the New Way of Improving Cyder…

Here we again see in the 1690 An English Herbal, the benefits of wormwood being drank in a Purl.

The Modern Purl— Or the emergence of gin

In the 20th century, wormwood is long gone in cocktail recipes. But you also see the slow disappearance of the drink’s “flip” roots. The eggs start to disappear, but the warming of the ale remains.

We also see that Purl converges on the modern definition— gin and ale. Though the addition of bitters remains a key part of the recipe.

Summer Drinks and Winter Cordials (1925)

From The Art of Mixing Drinks (1935)

From Cocktail and Wine Digest’s The Barman’s Bible (1966)

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Hendrick’s has been releasing their Cabinet of Curiosities special editions for some time now. Some have been exceptional and others have been quite disappointing. The GIN is IN has endeavored to cover them all. Here is our list (as of September 2024) ranking all the releases in the Hendrick’s product line (including the original) from worst to best!

#8 Hendrick’s Flora Adora

Hendrick’s, known for pioneering the Gin renaissance, has expanded its product line with the “Cabinet of Curiosities” collection, introducing Flora Adora in 2023, a limited edition gin inspired by garden aromas, featuring botanicals like lavender, rose, and hibiscus. The gin presents a distinctly floral aroma with notes of honeysuckle, tuberose, and vanilla, and a taste profile that combines peach and rose with a dominant juniper mid-palate, complemented by lavender, lilac, and a hint of coriander. While suggested for cocktails like the Wildgarden Cup, Flora Adora’s intense floral and herbaceous qualities can be overpowering in some mixes, leading to a soapy taste. Despite Hendrick’s successful track record, Flora Adora is seen as excessively floral, reminiscent of old-fashioned perfumes, and is recommended only for serious Hendrick’s collectors, failing to fully meet expectations as both a gin and a mixer.

#7 Hendrick’s Neptunia

If it captures any coast, to me its a briny ocean wind kissing a citrus grove. Heady citrus segues into an herbal, savory finish that suggests Hendrick’s has noticed the rise of Mediterranean influenced gins.

Overall, fans of Hendrick’s will find Neptunia a not-too-radical departure from the product line. It’s closer to Hendrick’s classic than Midsummer or Lunar.

But Neptunia Gin for me falls a bit short. It’s a challenging mixer behind the bar. The briny and savory character, while growing in popularity, is not for everyone. Finally, it feels like it’s all over the place— its herbal, floral, savory, piney— and it’s a bit chaotic at times. While a critic might comment on it being cacophonous or unbalanced, Neptunia Gin is sure to find its place among fans of savory gins and Hendrick’s in particular.

#6 Hendrick’s Amazonia

Featuring two of my favorite gin botanicals— the tonka bean and pink peppercorn, Hendrick’s Amazonia should be an easy win.

However, a challenging over-emphasis on tropical fruit notes leads to a gin that seems more at home in a pina-colada than a Negroni.

It’s a fun, unusual limited edition offering that will surely win over some fans. However, I think that Hendrick’s has done the “fruit-heavy” gin better in many of their other limited edition releases. Check it out for the novelty, but there’s better gins in the Hendrick’s cabinet.

#5 Hendrick’s Lunar

Hendrick’s Master Distiller, Leslie Gracie, drew inspiration from the nocturnal ambiance of the Ayrshire coast of Scotland and her botanical garden at night to create Hendrick’s Lunar Gin. The gin features a moderate floral nose with hints of honeysuckle, violet, juniper, and coriander, and a palate that blends floral notes like violet and jasmine with a spice-led heart of juniper and black peppercorns. Although it emphasizes floral notes, the gin maintains balance with its spice and juniper elements, making it a versatile mixer in cocktails like Negronis and Gin and Tonics, but it may not appeal to those who prefer non-floral gins.

#4 Hendrick’s Orbium

Hendrick’s Orbium Gin is a limited edition variant of the classic Hendrick’s Gin, maintaining the original base spirit and botanicals but adding three post-distillation essences: Lotus Blossom for a floral anise and rose flavor, Wormwood for a bitter herbal profile, and Quinine, known for its distinctive bitterness. The gin is notably floral with an overtone of bitterness, particularly from the wormwood and quinine, making it a polarizing choice for those who dislike tonic water or Hendrick’s original gins. In cocktails, Orbium Gin shines in drinks like gin and tonics, Martinis, and Negronis, where its bitterness enhances the flavors, but it may not be suitable for sweeter, fruity, or dessert-like drinks. Overall, Orbium Gin is a unique, contemporary expression that appeals to fans of bitter and floral flavors, though it may not be as versatile in mixing.

#3 Grand Cabaret

Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret Gin is inspired by a 17th-century French stone fruit distilling recipe, with a likely focus on apricots and mirabelles, reflecting the stone fruit heritage of the Alsace region. The gin features a vivid stone fruit aroma, with strong notes of fresh apricot and sweet peach, and a flavor profile dominated by stone fruits like honey, apricot, and mirabelle plum, complemented by juniper and elderflowers. While its bold, fruit-forward character may appeal to fans of contemporary, floral, and fruity gins, it might not satisfy those preferring a more juniper-forward gin. This gin is recommended in simpler mixed drinks like gin and lemonade, but may not work as well in cocktails with bitter ingredients.

#2 Midsummer Solstice

Hendrick’s has expanded its gin line with Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice Gin, a limited edition product created by Lesley Gracie, who also designed Hendrick’s flagship gin. This variation maintains the brand’s characteristic style but adds post-distillation infusions of natural flavors and floral essences, similar to those found in popular seltzer drinks. With a sweet, floral, and fruit-forward profile, including notes of raspberry, rose, strawberry, and juniper, this gin is ideal for fans of contemporary, less juniper-centric gins and serves as an alternative to pink gins in cocktails like Gin and Tonics, Tom Collins, or Gin Brambles. Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice Gin is recommended for those new to gin or fans of contemporary styles, though traditional juniper lovers might find it straying too far from classic gin flavors.

#1 Hendrick’s (their flagship)

Hendrick’s Gin, launched in 1999 by William Grant & Sons, represented a significant moment in gin history, introducing a unique distilling process combining a Carter-head and traditional pot still method, and adding post-distillation essences of rose and cucumber. This distinct approach, along with its apothecary-style bottle and Edwardian era advertising, positioned Hendrick’s as a pivotal player in contemporary gin trends, making it stand out in a market that was less diverse at the time. Despite being overshadowed by newer gins in today’s market, Hendrick’s remains a well-made gin, appealing to both classic gin enthusiasts and newcomers to the spirit, with its balanced flavors of juniper, citrus, and unique floral notes, and its versatility in a range of cocktails from Gin and Tonics to Dirty Martinis.

The post Hendrick’s Gins: Ranked worst to best! appeared first on the GIN is IN.

In 2019, the European Union collected feedback from consumers and the distilling industry to help clarify its meaning. Though there are some changes in the new 2019/787 legislation since amended under 2021/1465, though the act in effect in the U.K. is the one that was when they left, the core of the matter has not changed.

Historically the term London Dry Gin has been a quality control designation and not a flavor designation. The term London Dry Gin is still a process designation. Though some efforts have been made to add clarity to the defining the flavor of gin, they continue to remain subjective and largely unenforceable.

The Details on Distillation

The purity standard of the base spirits has its origins in the 18th and 19th centuries. Gins were being distilled from all sorts of grains, some wholesome, some were destined to be waste. The grain spirits were often rough, and often were sweetened or otherwise adulterated to make them palatable.

The invention of the continuous column still made it easier for distillers to create clean, high proof spirits. A wine in a pot still may be close to 50% alcohol vapor, but that same wine in a column still can reach 96%, the limit able to be achieved through distillation.

Firstly, a “London Gin is Distilled Gin” (p. 41). Distilled Gin has its own set of requirements.

Section 21.a of Regulation 2019/787 requires a distilled gin to be made with the following:

The base spirit must be of agricultural origin. Secondly, it must be distilled to an “initial alcoholic strength of at least 96%.” In essence it says, “the base spirit must be distilled in a column still and be completely and truly neutral.”

The truly neutral base spirit is then redistilled “in the presence of Juniperus communis L. and other botanicals.”

Furthermore, “the combination of the product of such distillation and ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin with the same composition, purity and alcoholic strength; flavoring substances or flavoring preparations as specified in point (c) of category 20 or both may also be used to flavor distilled gin”

This clause means that gins like Martin Miller’s or Hendrick’s which add flavoring elements after distillation are still considered distilled gins as the first two steps are true. It further codifies that the “concentrate” method of distilling— where a distiller runs a super intense botanical run and then dilutes it with neutral spirit to appropriate intensity— also still qualifies as a “distilled gin.”

You can add flavoring and neutral alcohol to a distilled gin.

Further, a distilled gin may be designated as “dry” if it does not add more than 0.1 grams of sweetening products per liter.

Again dry means that a gin is (for the most part) unsweetened.

The ‘London Gin’ designation

The London Gin designation adds some additional quality focused regulations.

Firstly, all of the spirit involved, whether part of the initial distillation or added after the fact, must have fewer than five grams per hectoliter of 100% alcohol.

Aside: What is Methanol (and why do we care?)

During fermentation, both methanol and ethanol are produced. Proper distillation removes the methanol.

Methanol is toxic and sometimes referred to as “wood alcohol,” in reference to one common fermentable that produces it: wood. If you ever wondered why we no one distills wood, this is why. It’s poison.

Methanol boils at 64.7° Celsius. Ethanol boils at 78.2° C. And water naturally does so at 100° C. Methanol tastes and smells exactly like regular ethanol. This means that unscrupulous distillers (again, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries) might add some of the methanol to their ethanol to increase their yield.

The London Gin specifications are a guarantee of quality that the spirit you’re drinking doesn’t have methanol in it. This isn’t so much a problem in the modern day. Even distillers without the designation are meeting reasonable standards for methanol content and disposing of their heads accordingly.

Further, the London Gin designation specifies that the resulting distillate after distilling the 96% ABV neutral alcohol with juniper must come off the still “at least 70% alcohol by volume.”

London Gin must not be colored in any way shape or form. This means no butterfly pea flower gin can be London Dry.

It may also be made as a concentrate. Distillers are permitted to dilute the concentrate with neutral spirit (and water), as long as it comes off the still at 70% ABV or higher, and the added spirit meets the ABV and methanol requirements.

All botanical flavor in a London Dry Gin must be imparted through distillation.

Finally, though a distilled gin may be dry, a London Gin is codified that it must be dry. “It is not sweetened in excess of 0.1 grams of sweetening products per liter of the final product, expressed as invert sugar.”

In other words though 2019/787 doesn’t define “London Dry Gin” it defines London Gin such that all London Gins must also be dry gins.

Aside: Why Define “London” and not “London Dry.”

This is one of the most peculiar aspects of the wording of the European Union regulation. As late as 2015, there were efforts to afford the term the highest level of protection: GI status.

However, GI Status is onerous and requires highly specific technical files that specify the process down to an exact process. For example, the Gin de Mahon technical file specifies botanicals, maceration times, and exact distillation details.

It is unlikely that the wide range of distillers currently using the term “London Dry Gin” share enough similarities in their process— or were willing to disclose so much about their process to win the more stringent Geographical Indication protection.

In essence though, the current legislation is a de facto encoding of the term “London Dry Gin” without having to appeal for a more prestigious protection that would likely have resulted in many “London Dry Gins” losing the ability to use the term.

Standards for botanicals

The vague taste standards specified under previous European Union spirit drinks regulation in part led to why so many gin distillers wanted to recodify gin law.

However, there are no improvements. The vague “predominant flavor” clause remains.

Gin is defined under 20.c: “Only flavoring substances or flavoring preparations or both shall be used for the production of gin so that the taste is predominantly that of juniper.”

Distilled gin refines it under 21.a.i: “in the presence of juniper berries (Juniperus communis L.) and of other natural botanicals, provided that the juniper taste is predominant.”

London Gin inherits both of these clauses and refines it further to exclude any gin which adds flavors after distillation. “the flavor of which is imparted exclusively through the distillation of ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin in the presence of all the natural plant materials used.”

Again, I find it fascinating that the vague term “plant” is included. Technically speaking this means that a gin such as Radoune which uses mushrooms could not be considered a London Gin (mushrooms are fungi, not plants).

Further the “exclusively through” clause means that Portobello Road’s Directors Cut Pechuga-style London Dry Gin would no longer be afforded the “London” designation. Their pechuga is made by suspending raw meat in the still which is cooked through the distillation process, and whose flavor is imparted by vapor infusion. Meat, being from animals rather than plants, would also be excluded from London Gins.

This clause was present in the 2009 guidelines as well; however, it is not clear to what extent this will be enforced, given its rarity.

This does not mean that London Gin is vegetarian. The agricultural origin of base spirit is sufficiently expansive to include fermentable animal products like milk and whey.

This means that any flavors, macerations, or botanicals added after final distillation disqualifies a gin from being called a London Dry Gin. Several notable gins including Martin Miller’s Gin and Hendricks Gin are often mistaken for London Dry Gins. However, both Miller’s adds cucumber and Hendrick’s adds that and rose after distillation. Therefore, they cannot bear the name “London Dry Gin.”

Aside: How don’t these regulations specify flavor?

The choice to use the vague language of the old European Union spirit definitions caught many off guard. It is technically possible to evaluate flavor using laboratory apparatus. Some distilleries like Laverstoke Mill (home of Bombay Sapphire) use Gas Chromotography to identify volatiles in their gin.

They can compare the results of a new run against a standard-bearer. The job of tasting and quality control is often still the job of a master distiller; however, technology has afforded distillers another tool for ensuring consistency across batches.

Although the cost of this kind of lab work has declined dramatically in the last twenty years, it may still be too expensive for regulatory agencies to apply and too onerous for distillers without labs to design new products that meet a chromatogram requirement.

In short, it’s surprising that more concrete steps weren’t taken to address the “predominant” flavor problem. Until some numerical measures are added to the law, it remains subjective and largely symbolic. As of 2022, the key takeaway is that nearly nothing has changed in terms of the flavor of London Dry Gin is defined.

My guess would be that if distillers continue to confuse consumers, causing consumers to request more regulation: this is likely the future of gin designations.

Why is sweetening allowed in ‘dry’ gins?

When you catch the note about sugar in the London Gin specifications, it often catches people off guard. The word “dry” emerged to describe an unsweetened gin. Why would that be allowed?

In short, the sugar permitted by law is not necessarily used for sweetening, it’s primarily used for tracing. If London Dry Gins were prohibited from adding any sugar, the tracer molecules used by many big companies to deter counterfeiters would be prohibited. The dye is described as a “sugar dye,” and is present in brands, including Gordon’s Gin, seen by many as the quintessential London Dry Gin.

Around the world

London Gin is codified in the European Union spirits regulations; however, in the United States the terms specified by the TTB are a bit more inclusive and don’t use the word “London.”

“Spirits with a main characteristic flavor derived from juniper berries produced by distillation or mixing of spirits with juniper berries and other aromatics or extracts derived from these materials and bottled at not less than 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof)” [source]

TL;DR London Dry Gin

Going through the terms of the regulations regarding London Dry Gin, it’s worth noting that it says nothing concrete about flavor. A London Dry Gin can be either contemporary or classic in style. It’s perhaps one of the greatest misunderstandings about the term.

The second thing about the term is that it does not tell you anything about place. It does not mean the gin was made in London or ever was made in London.

It’s neither about place nor about taste. It’s only about process.

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The authoritative source for spirit type definitions is the Beverage Alcohol Manual, often abbreviated as BAM.

This guide should not be construed as legal advice. Please consult the manual for the most recent information if you’re making a gin.

The definition of gin is “[a spirit] with a main characteristic flavor derived from juniper berries produced by distillation or mixing of spirits with juniper berries and other aromatics or extracts derived from these materials and bottled at not less than 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof).” (4-5)

Note that the BAM does not cite any specific species of juniper berry. This is different from the European Union and UK regulations. Juniperus communis is the most common used in American distillation; however, it is not required by law.

Secondly, the lowest minimum ABV is higher than in many other places. 37.5 ABV gins from the UK are not legally able to be called gin in the United States. This is the origin of the need for “export strength,” and why some gins have a home market strength lower than their U.S. market strength.

Types of Gin

Distilled Gin is “produced by original distillation from mash with or over juniper berries and other aromatics or their extracts, essences or flavors.” (4-5)

Redistilled Gin is ” produced by redistillation of distilled spirits with or over juniper berries and other aromatics or their extracts, essences or flavors” (4-5)

Compounded Gin is “produced by mixing neutral spirits with juniper berries and other aromatics or their extracts, essences or flavors.” (4-5)

These classes, while specific are not necessary. Often simply “gin” will suffice. For example, “‘compounded’ may appear but is not required as part of the class and type designation. Compounded Gin may not be referred to or described as ‘Distilled'” (4-14)

Sloe Gin is defined as a Liqueur/Cordial which means a minimum 2.5% by weight of sugar, “deriving its main flavor characteristic from sloe berries.” The sloe gin is an interesting one because it doesn’t explicitly define the role of gin or juniper in its definition. (4-8)

Gin Liqueur/Gin Cordial is also defined under the general class of Liqueur/Cordial, “with the
predominant characteristic flavor of gin made with gin as the exclusive distilled spirits base, bottled at not less than 30% alcohol by volume (60 proof).” Wine may also be used, but at below a 2.5% by volume threshold. (4-9)

A dedicated category exists for Flavored Gin. “Gin flavored with natural flavoring materials, with or without the addition of sugar, bottled at not less than 30% alcohol by volume (60 proof).” Further “the name of the predominant flavor shall appear as part of the class and type designation.” The botanical/signature flavor should appear in the name— for example “Lime Flavored Gin.” Wine may also be added, but at certain thresholds it must be disclosed (4-11).

Aged Gin

For many years, distillers in the United States found creative ways to innovate around antiquated rules. In 2020, Aged Gin emerged from the darkness and the TTB modernized its rules regarding age statements and gin.

“TTB believes that the contemporary consumer understands the meaning of age statements and that there is consumer interest for innovative products such as aged gin […] as a result, TTB is amending the regulations in current §”‰5.40(d) to allow age statements on all distilled spirits except for neutral spirits (other than grain spirits)” (85 FR 18704)

The rules for age statements of gin mirror those of other spirits. “Statements regarding age or maturity […] are permitted only when the distilled spirits are stored in an oak barrel and, once dumped from the barrel, subjected to no treatment besides mixing with water, filtering, and bottling. If batches are made from barrels of spirits of different ages, the label may only state the age of the youngest spirits.” (85 FR 18704)

Gin may also be bottled in bond. It must be barreled for at least four years. Unaged gin may bear this designation too, if “[stored] in paraffin-lined […]wooden containers.” This is similar to the new designation which permits vodka to be labeled as “bottled in bond” but it must not come in direct contact with the wood surface during its four year barreling period. (85 FR 18704)

Legal additives and flavorings for gin

For distilled gin products, flavorings must be added prior to distillation. Compounded gin may add essences afterwards. For both the essences are narrowly defined to botanicals (7-8), though there is some leeway for artificial flavors (7-5) provided they fall within some very specific parameters.

The flavorings may exceed 2.5% by volume.

Gin category spirits do not permit added coloring (7-8). Sloe Gins (7-9) and Flavored Gins (7-7) do permit coloring, provided they are fully disclosed on the label.

Finally, all flavorings must be generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA (7-2)

Recognized Cocktails?

For labeling purposes, certain cocktails are recognized, and therefore regulated. Note that in the United States that the word Martini is regulated as “Gin and vermouth.” Vodka Martini is a separate class and must be labeled as such.

Gimlet, Sloe Gin Fizz and Tom Collins are also legally defined as gin cocktails.

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The most frequent question I get these days is, “is there gluten in gin?”

No, there is no gluten in gin.

For a TL;DR you could stop reading now. But if you still think that because there’s Red Winter Wheat in your gin, that it has gluten in it, please read on.

The Celiac Disease Foundation states clearly, “distilled products do not contain any harmful gluten peptides even if they are made from gluten-containing grains. Research indicates that the gluten peptide is too large to carry over in the distillation process, leaving the resulting liquid gluten-free.” [source]

How does distillation remove gluten?

During distillation, the flask on the left is heated until the liquid begins to turn into steam. The steam then passes through a chilled tube called a condenser. The condenser turns the steam back into a liquid.

In short, are you afraid of gaseous gluten?

No, because gluten is not volatile. It cannot be evaporated. Therefore gluten cannot possibly end up in the liquid on the right hand side. The gluten proteins cannot be turned into a gas. In fact, the very act of heating them can denature/destroy the proteins. But more often in distillation it’s left in one side of the still, and not the side that’s turned into gin.

What happens to the grain in gin?

The grain is part of the stuff on the left. Distillers let bacteria eat the grain before it enters in the still. In doing so, they release ethanol as waste. That is what all spirits begins as.

The distillers puts all this grain into the still. They heat it to the point where ethanol (and water) evaporate. That’s what ends up turning into liquid at the end.

When the distillation is done and the ethanol removed, many distillers give the used grain to farms where it can be used to feed pigs.

How come I can taste grain in gin?

Again, what you taste is what has been evaporated and re-condensed back into a liquid phase. What you taste are aromatic molecules which were present in the original grain. Unlike gluten, these aromatic molecules do boil.

If you miss the flavor of a grain, gin is safe place to taste that flavor with all of the gluten gone.

But I still feel sick.

This may surprise you, but alcohol is a stomach irritant.

Drinking any alcohol can cause bloating and if used excessively, it can damage the lining of the stomach.

In other words, even people who can eat gluten can feel this way when drinking.

I’m confused— but is there gluten in gin?

No, there is no gluten in gin. And there’s absolutely no debate or discussion about it. It’s fairly straight forward. The Celiac Disease Foundation finds the issue pretty cut and dry.

But it’s easy to see why you’re confused. There’s a ton of uneducated people who don’t understand how distillation or gluten works telling you things that are not true. This misinformation is everywhere, and it often goes unchallenged.

Being gluten-free is hard. I know, I started out as beer nerd over ten years ago. But I had to give it up. Because I too can’t process gluten. In the last ten years, I’ve reviewed a ton of gins made from wheat, several gins distilled from barley, distilled from rye.

I’m gluten-free too. Not by choice. But I’ve chosen gin. There is no gluten in gin. I hope you too will choose gin.

TL;DR: There is NO gluten in gin.

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