The 12 Best Gins in 2024

1. Aviation American Gin

Pair this nicely rounded dry gin with pizza. Seriously.

Origin: Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Price: $33 for 750 ml.
ABV: 42%

Oregano wafts under the nose, and the spirit’s savory, dry mouthfeel offers a nice break from overly piney, bitter versions. New gin drinkers will appreciate the underlying notes of cardamom and lavender.

> For more information, visit the Aviation American Gin official website.

2. Barr Hill Gin

Caledonia Spirits founder Todd Hardie started as a beekeeper, and maintains strong ties to local producers in Vermont.

Origin: Hardwick, VT, U.S.A.
Price: $42 for 750 ml.
ABV: 45%

Barr Hill begins with a corn base and locally sourced juniper; raw honey is added after distillation. The result is a supremely smooth gin with a delicate floral character. Its pale-yellow color varies from year to year depending on the flower bloom and the season in which the honey is collected. Neither a London Dry nor an Old Tom, this spirit borrows from both styles. Barr Hill works best in gin punches and less assertive cocktails where a sweet, flowery character defines the drink.

> For more information, visit the Caledonia Spirits official website.

3. The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

The Botanist may well be Scotland’s finest gin.

Origin: Islay, U.K.
Price: $40 for 700 ml.
ABV: 46%

Its complex mash bill is sourced from across the country, and includes hawthorn, white clover, angelica root, cassia bark, coriander seed, juniper berries, licorice root, orange peel and elderflower. In all, there are nine of the traditional botanicals and 22 plants unique to Scotland. This is an immensely floral gin, with the addition of apple, menthol, honey, coconut and a touch of peat bog. The intensity recalls that of its sister Islay whiskies. The flavors explode on the palate, and the finish is huge before settling into a lovely licorice-tinged warmth.

> For more information, visit the The Botanist official website.

4. Caorunn Gin

Distilled in the heart of Scotland’s single malt country, Caorunn is made with botanicals hand-foraged from the grounds around the Balmenach Distillery.

Origin: Grantown-on-Spey, U.K.
Price: $35 for 750 ml.
ABV: 41.8%

Locally harvested ingredients include rowan berry, bog myrtle, heather, dandelion leaf and Coul Blush apple. The result is an impressive balance similar to that of a London Dry — it’s juniper-forward, but emits a lovely sweetness after a few seconds on the tongue.

> For more information, visit the Caorunn Gin official website.

5. Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin

Germany checks in with an outstanding example of what quality ingredients can become in the hand of a master distiller.

Origin: Loßburg, Germany
Price: $55 for 750 ml.
ABV: 47%

Schwarzwald’s version does not monkey around, using six different types of pepper, plus a mind-boggling medley of botanicals, including acacia, angelica and spruce. This potpourri is elegantly steeped in French molasses alcohol for 36 hours prior to distillation. The resulting spirit then rests for three months in earthenware before the initial cut. All this skill and effort produces a worthy gin with indelible aromas of forest, ginger, hibiscus, jasmine, lime and sage with a hint of rose. The palate explodes with rare complexity. The dominant spice, floral and fruitiness are enveloped in a piney embrace. Finishing with discernible weight, it delivers all the ingredients as if they were one.

> For more information, visit the Monkey 47 official website.

6. Old Tom Big Sur Gin

This gin’s tagline is “Where Craft Beer Meets Gin” and brings together longtime neighbors Calwise Spirits and craft brewing pioneer Firestone Walker Brewing, both of which are located within a mile of each other in Paso Robles, California.

Origin: Paso Robles, CA, U.S.A.
Price: $39 for 750 ml.
ABV: 44%

In this version, Firestone Walker generated a mash of traditional brewing grains with a complement of wine grape juice, all fermented with native yeast and bacteria. This base was then distilled by Calwise, imparting a unique imprint into the flavor profile of its original Big Sur Gin and then infused the gin with organic wild herbs that are largely native to California’s iconic Big Sur coastline: white sage, yerba santa, bay, fennel and elderberry as well as the essential juniper and botanicals such as coriander, orange peel and rose petal.

Calwise also has released a separate “Rested in Oak” edition, which was matured for three months in American oak barrels inherited from Firestone Walker’s Double Barrel fermentation program, giving it an almost whiskey-like color and taste.

> For more information, visit the Calwise Spirits Co. official website.

Reviewed by Bob Barnes

7. 135⁰ East, Hyōgo Dry Gin

The Yonezawa family settled in Akashi City in 1856, where they started a distillery. By 1917, the family had mastered the rice spirit distillation. Generation after generation, the Yonezawas perfected the art, and 100 years later, Kimio Yonezawa honored his family with 135⁰ East Gin.

Origin: Akashi City, Hyōgo, Japan
Price: $32 for 750 ml.
ABV: 42%

This gin is named for the Akashi Meridian, which runs past the distillery in Akashi City at 135 degrees east longitude. In addition to the traditional spices and herbs used for London Dry Gin, it also boasts a boatload of Japanese botanicals such as yuzu (citrus scent), sencha (non-fermented green tea), shiso leaf (from the mint family), ume (Japanese plum) and sansho pepper. To embody the Japanese soul of this unusual gin, they also added a touch of distilled saké to the recipe.

135⁰ East Gin offers a powerful floral aroma over scents of citrus fruit. The silky, balanced palate delivers citrus, bitter and floral notes, peppermint and sansho pepper giving it a spicy, peppery finish.

> For more information, visit the 135° East | Kaikyо̄ Distillery official website.

Reviewed by Dirk Smits, GAYOT Wine & Spirits Editor

8. Sipsmith London Dry Gin

When Sipsmith opened for business in 2009, it was the first distillery in London to use a copper still in nearly 200 years.

Origin: London, U.K.
Price: $53 for 750 ml.
ABV: 57.7%

This old-fashioned way of doing business results in timeless gins with modern character. There is nothing new in terms of botanicals — juniper, Seville orange peel, Spanish lemon peel, orris, licorice, angelica, cinnamon bark, Spanish ground almonds and coriander are all familiar players in the gin game. Still, it’s the combination of ingredients and the distillation process that has brought Sipsmith consistent notice.

> For more information, visit the Sipsmith official website.

9. Staple Gin

This gin is crafted in partnership with Rachael Ray, one of America’s most well-known TV chefs, and Do Good Spirits Distillery located in the Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York.

Origin: Roscoe, NY, U.S.A.
Price: $38 for 750 ml.
ABV: 47%

The recipe-driven spirit includes plenty of culinary ingredients, as it’s distilled with juniper, coriander, orris root, Castelvetrano olives (a nod to Rachael’s love of Tuscany), dried bergamot peel, tarragon and extra virgin olive oil. This botanical ode to New York State boasts a balanced palate with juniper at the forefront, complemented by vibrant citrus notes of lemon and orange zest, a hint of spice from coriander and a delicate sweetness from elderflower. In May of 2024, Staple Gin won Double Gold in the 15th Annual New York International Spirits Competition, and Do Good Spirits was named New York Gin Distillery of the Year.

> For more information, visit the Staple Gin official website.

Reviewed by Bob Barnes

10. Uncle Val’s Restorative Gin

One whiff of this small-batch gin is enough to predict the ultra-dry taste to come.

Origin: Sonoma, CA, U.S.A.
Price: $37 for 750 ml.
ABV: 45%

Uncle Val’s doesn’t disappoint with its crisp, complex and refreshing palate. There is minimal distraction from the coriander, cucumber and rose petal notes that peek from behind the juniper, making Uncle Val’s Restorative Gin highly versatile in boozy, stirred cocktails — particularly martinis.

> For more information, visit the Uncle Val’s Gin official website.

11. Watershed Four Peel Gin

Ohio’s Watershed Distillery has nailed it with this light and modern gin, uniquely distilled from corn and fruit.

Origin: Columbus, OH, U.S.A.
Price: $35 for 750 ml.
ABV: 44%

Offering strong aromas of butter, the gin also tantalizes with hints of rosemary and orange peel. The flavors marry in a way that doesn’t overwhelm, resulting in a slightly sweet, herbal taste with a long finish. This gin is versatile enough to mix in a simple cocktail or sip over ice with a twist.

> For more information, visit the Watershed Distillery official website.

12. Wonderbird Spirits Gin No 61

North Mississippi’s first distillery, opened in 2019, Wonderbird Spirits is unique in that it ferments Mississippi Delta jasmine rice to make the base sprit, and is the only American distillery making a rice-based gin and only one of three in the world (the other two are in Japan.

Origin: Taylor, MS, U.S.A.
Price: $45 for 750 ml.
ABV: 45%

The approach is borrowed from traditional sake making, setting a clean foundation for subtly complex flavors and aromas. This flagship product offers a layering of 10 botanicals, including pine needles and red clover harvested directly from the distillery grounds. It has a balanced profile with sweet florals, lemon-citrus and spice being the most prominent nuances and the juniper notes are softer than most gins. This gin won two gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits competition in 2020.

> For more information, visit the Wonderbird Spirits official website.

Reviewed by Bob Barnes

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