We Requested 16 Bartenders: What’s the Greatest Gin for Mixing Traditional Cocktails?

Gin cocktails have lengthy been pillars of American drinks tradition. Classics just like the Bee’s Knees, Southside, and White Girl turned standard throughout Prohibition. Partially out of necessity: Their daring aromas and flavors helped drown out the cruel “bathtub gins” being crudely produced on the time. A century later, we’re nonetheless having fun with the fruits of this compelled ingenuity — although fortunately, with a lot better gin.

We’re additionally spoiled for alternative. At the moment’s gin market is huge, starting from traditional London Dry types to non-traditional labels emphasizing botanicals apart from juniper. For bartenders, this big selection means extra room to experiment, even with time-tested classics. Alongside the way in which, they’re more likely to encounter one they really feel works higher than the remainder, whether or not one thing new or an old-school model they’ve been utilizing all alongside.

So, we requested 16 bartenders: What’s the finest gin for mixing traditional cocktails? Right here’s what they needed to say.

The most effective gins for mixing traditional cocktails, based on bartenders

• No. 3 London Dry Gin
• Barr Hill Gin
• Beefeater Gin
• Fords Gin
• Las Californias Nativo Gin
• Grey Whale Gin
• Drumshanbo Gunpowder Brazilian Pineapple Gin
• Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Gin
• Gracias a Dios 32 Botanicals Gin
• Citadelle Jardin d’Été Gin
• Beespoke Gin
• Greenhook Ginsmiths American Dry Gin
• Xoriguer Mahón Gin
• Six Canines Blue Gin
• Bombay Sapphire Gin
• Hendrick’s Gin
• Plymouth Gin

“Cocktail recipes from the late 1800s and early 1900s usually name for “Dry Gin,” so I normally attain for a London Dry-style gin for mixing traditional cocktails. I believe No. 3 London Dry is a superb option to have readily available. It’s distilled in Holland in a brick-encased copper pot nonetheless, utilizing a wheat-based distillate that highlights simply six botanicals. The complexity of this gin lies in its simplicity. Bottled at 46 % ABV, it provides a gorgeous grapefruit aroma. Due to these qualities, I imagine No. 3 matches completely into traditional cocktail recipes.” —Marshall Minaya, beverage director, Valerie, NYC

“Barr Hill Gin is probably not a purist’s alternative, however in the case of mixing a traditional cocktail — particularly a Negroni — it brings one thing actually particular. The gentle floral sweetness from the honey rounds off the Campari’s bitter edges and provides a velvety texture. It smooths the drink’s general profile whereas nonetheless conserving the integrity. I additionally love the gin’s windflower end. It is a gin for many who respect the classics however aren’t afraid to interrupt a number of guidelines for taste.” —Lisa Beaumont, beverage director, Ladyhawk and Kimpton La Peer Lodge, West Hollywood, Calif.

“The most effective gin for mixing traditional cocktails usually depends upon the precise drink, however a flexible London Dry Gin is usually the go-to alternative. These gins have a juniper-forward profile with a dry end, making them preferrred for many traditional gin cocktails just like the Martini, Negroni, Gin & Tonic, and Tom Collins. In the event you’re stocking one gin for traditional cocktails, Beefeater or Fords are sometimes the highest suggestions by bartenders for high quality, worth, and steadiness.” —Mickey Stevenson, lead bartender, 4 Partitions, Nashville

“One among my all-time favourite gins is Las Californias Nativo. This gin is exceptionally clean — excellent for crafting vibrant fruity cocktails or trendy twists on timeless classics. Even the staunchest gin skeptics can be pleasantly stunned.” —Desiree Zavala, beverage director, Johnny’s Dock, Tacoma, Wash.

“I’ve all the time beloved the Saturn cocktail. What makes it stand out is that it’s gin-based, not like most traditional tiki drinks. The flavour profile is vibrant and refreshing, with citrus, spice, and a contact of almond. Once I’m making one, I’m utilizing Drumshanbo Gunpowder Brazilian Pineapple Gin, which works with these tropical notes. The Saturn it makes is balanced, summery, and somewhat style of the tropics!” —Megan Staniford, bartender, Miss Nellie’s, NYC

“We all the time suggest that our company select Grey Whale Gin for gin-based cocktails. It’s simply the very best gin I’ve ever tried: clear but a bit dense, and its botanicals are completely balanced. Additionally they donate a portion of every sale to Oceana, which helps to guard and restore the world’s oceans. We love supporting manufacturers that stand for an excellent trigger.” —Chad Bertelsman, director of meals & beverage, Angad Arts Lodge St Louis, Tapestry Assortment by Hilton, St. Louis

“Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin is a private favourite. Whereas it might be overpowered in easy mixes like a Gin & Tonic, Monkey 47 shines in cocktails comparable to a Dry Martini, Negroni, and French 75, the place its depth may be appreciated. Every batch is meticulously crafted in conventional copper stills, emphasizing high quality over amount. Usually favored for its potential to raise traditional cocktails, this gin provides a complicated twist that delights the palate.” —Will Dasco, director of meals & beverage, The Ned NoMad, NYC

“The Negroni was the drink that bought me into cocktails, together with the Final Phrase and the Martinez. These days, I’ve been swapping gin for mezcal in these classics, which brings me to considered one of my go-to spirits: Gracias a Dios 32 Botanicals Agave Gin. It’s this lovely bridge between gin and agave, with natural, floral, and citrus layers plus a smoky agave punch. In a Negroni, it performs so nicely with Campari and vermouth: daring, smoky, citrusy. In a Final Phrase, you continue to get that juniper chew, however with further depth — virtually like a smoky Margarita in disguise. And in a Martinez? It’s the right twist; lighter than a Manhattan, softer than a Martini, with a contact of smoke that nods to a Rob Roy. Utilizing it offers a enjoyable, flavorful spin on the classics.” —Bobby Mitchell, mixologist, Casa Don Alfonso, St. Louis

“Citadelle Jardin d’Été. The place plenty of your ‘summer season gins’ can go on a botanical bonanza that may kill steadiness, Jardin d’Eté has the restraint to make it a really panoramic gin.” —Alexander Lopez, resort beverage director, Tryon Worldwide, Mill Spring, N.C.

“I really like to spotlight native spirits behind the bar, and considered one of my favorites is the Beespoke Gin, made by Pollinator Spirits within the Catskills Mountains. This grape-distilled gin is made with some traditional gin flavors but it surely additionally pays particular consideration to botanicals which are pollinator pleasant, like rose hips, cardamon, and milkweed (which is crucial to monarch butterflies). The producer, Claire Marin, can be a beekeeper; provided that Pollinator Spirits donates 3 % of every bottle to avoid wasting bees, butterflies, and combat local weather change, utilizing Beespoke Gin in a Bees Knees brings the cocktail again full circle to the gin’s mission.” —Ryan Garrison, senior bartender, Sugar Monk, NYC

“Greenhook Ginsmiths American Dry Gin. Our Could Peel’s Corpse Reviver No. 2 is a real celebration of every of the spirits that comprise the drink, with Greenhook American Dry Gin because the star. The gin was chosen as a result of it’s vibrant and traditional, but additionally comforting and warming, with notes of cinnamon and chamomile. These notes draw out the ginger end within the orange liqueur we use.” —Rae Doyle, director of meals & beverage, Lodge Granada, Atlanta

“It’s exhausting to not choose Xoriguer Mahón Gin for all traditional wants. This gin hails from the island of Menorca, Spain, and is extremely singular. Utilizing wood-fired pot stills, wild-harvested juniper from the mountains, and native wine as its base distillate, this checks each ‘cool’ field you possibly can consider. Anticipate oceanic and coastal flavors — definitely, a gin of a spot! This gin flexes with traditional cocktails of every kind, particularly drinks like a Final Phrase, Bees Knees, or a traditional Martini. Lastly, this will likely make the very best Gin and Tonic you ever had.” —Jordan Joseph, beverage director, Crawford and Son/Jolie, Raleigh, N.C.

“I attain for Six Canines Blue Gin for a gin that brings a singular aptitude and taste to traditional cocktails. Infused with butterfly pea flowers, it’s not only a showstopper that provides visible attraction. It’s additionally extremely versatile resulting from its balanced flowery taste. The floral notes mix seamlessly right into a Negroni or G&T, whereas the pure color-changing impact provides an interactive twist for company when combined with citrus or bitters. We love the way it elevates each presentation and palate. It’s a dialog starter that respects the foundations of a terrific gin.” —Shavonne Hylton, companion, Pig & Butter, NYC

“If I had to decide on only one gin for traditional cocktails, it could be Bombay Sapphire. With 10 balanced botanicals starting from citrus, floral, and juniper to earthy, natural, and spicy, it’s extremely versatile. In a Negroni, it brings out heat spice and citrus. In a White Girl, its floral and lemony notes shine. In contrast to different gins with dominant taste profiles, Bombay Sapphire doesn’t impose one taste throughout all drinks. Its subtlety and concord make it a go-to for classics, letting every cocktail’s character come by means of clearly and cleanly.” —Andrey Bolshakov, beverage and advertising director, NAHATÉ Dubai, Dubai

“When searching for a gin to combine in traditional cocktails, I look to a confirmed favourite: Hendrick’s Gin. Its delicate floral and cucumber notes lend itself to a wide range of cocktails, permitting your entire drink to shine with the gin in a supporting position.” —Ryan Manka, director of beverage, Butler’s Pantry, St. Louis

“Plymouth Gin has that softer, much less juniper-forward profile that’s excellent for stirred cocktails. Beefeater’s daring, clear juniper taste is right for classics which are shaken. And Monkey 47, with its 47 botanicals, delivers a fancy, herbaceous core that makes it extremely enjoyable and versatile to combine with. There’s no want to vary a phrase when the flavour speaks for itself. Every of those gins brings one thing distinctive to the bar, and we don’t mess with what already works.” —Matthew Belanger, bar supervisor, Dying & Co., Los Angeles