# Gin recommendations! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 7, 2014, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122 "2014-03-07T16:03:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/21 "2014-03-07T21:56:38Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > My go to gin at a bar is Beefeater. Plymouth is another one I like. > I’m always surprised that when Beefeater isn’t in stock (at a bar) they’ll sub in Bombay Sapphire. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it has so little taste. I’m surprised to read this, because I would think it’s the other way around. Bombay Sapphire has a pleasing floral taste to it that stands out from other gins (and I’ve done a blind taste test of this). I’m not sure how I would characterize Beefeater, though admittedly I don’t have it very often. I do like Plymouth also, though - it’s probably my 2nd favorite. Some people think Plymouth is too strong flavored for a martini, but I disagree. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/22 "2014-03-07T22:56:28Z")
Lately, I’ve been buying [Broker’s Gin](http://www.brokersgin.com/about-brokers-gin/). What’s the consensus about it around here? ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/23 "2014-03-07T23:33:13Z")
Oh, I like Broker’s a lot, too. I skeptically bought a bottle of that when it was on sale and it turned out to be great for all purposes. I also like the little hat they put on the bottle. ---
**Author:** ![Astral\_Rejection](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@Astral\_Rejection](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astral_Rejection)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/24 "2014-03-08T00:14:18Z")
My favorite two gins: 1. The Botanist. Created by Bruichladdich (a pretty solid scotch maker), it uses 22 botanicals only found on the Isle of Islay. Delicious stuff, perfect neat or as part of a gin & tonic. It’s my very favorite gin. 2. Hayman’s Old Tom Gin. The bottle describes it as “botanically intensive and delicately sweetened,” which I think is pretty accurate. I like this one a lot. I’ll also second New Amsterdam, and throw out the Bluecoat, a nice American dry gin. The best thing about being a gin fan is how inexpensive a bottle can be. My other hobby, scotch, isn’t nearly so accommodating! ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/25 "2014-03-08T06:26:52Z")
Depending on my mood/what it’s mixed with, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Hendricks, or something local like Crater Lake Gin. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/26 "2014-03-08T09:07:55Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Depending on my mood/what it’s mixed with, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Hendricks, **or something local like Crater Lake Gin.** I like Crater Lake too. It has a nice licorice/anise taste to it. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/27 "2014-03-08T14:01:56Z")
Beefeater is my go-to. Lately, though, I fell in love with [Barr Hill Gin](http://caledoniaspirits.com/gin/), a local product that won a bunch of awards and is amazing. I’ll drink it chilled, neat. Probably a little sweet tasting for a martini, but on it’s own it’s a great alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/28 "2014-03-08T14:08:41Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > Oh, I like Broker’s a lot, too. I skeptically bought a bottle of that when it was on sale and it turned out to be great for all purposes. I also like the little hat they put on the bottle. Me too. Broker’s is good stuff. Boodles is good as well. Both are in that fairly juniper-forward London Dry variant with Beefeater, which is another favorite. Probably the best I’ve had in a very long time though, was Leopold Bros. Navy Strength gin. That was excellent! If you’re willing to throw out a few bucks, Cadenhead Old Raj is also stellar stuff, especially the 110 proof version, as is Fritz Maytag’s Junipero. Bluecoat is pretty good as well. Believe it or not, the Seagram’s Distiller’s Reserve gin is excellent for the price as well. The Botanist is also excellent. Plymouth Gin is also very good, although technically it’s own style. It’s not London Dry gin, it’s Plymouth Gin- one of the big 3 British styles- London Dry, Old Tom & Plymouth. I don’t care for Citadelle, Aviation or Martin Miller’s gin; Citadelle was too earthy tasting- kind of like dirt, Aviation was passable , but had a touch of that dirt flavor, and Martin Miller’s gin was just weird. ---
**Author:** ![turner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@turner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turner)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/29 "2014-03-08T14:36:12Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Beefeater for martinis and Bombay for G&T. I’m another who thinks people who drink Tanqueray just like to say the name. It’s not very good gin. this ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/30 "2014-03-08T16:05:52Z")
Hendricks or New Amsterdam. But I also like this one when I can find it–209 > **[Distillery No. 209 | Age](https://www.distillery209.com/age?r=%2f)** > > Enjoy Gin 209, a gin that reflects the heritage of small batch hand-crafted distilling but is a unique and modern 21st century spirit. ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/31 "2014-03-08T16:26:49Z")
I have a bottle of Ransom Old Tom Gin I’m enjoying quite a bit. I’ve been using it to make Martinez cocktails (using [this recipe](http://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/10/12/martinez-cocktail-recipe), but substituting in the Ransom Old Tom and Punt E Mes vermouth). ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/32 "2014-03-08T18:27:08Z")
At home, Seagram’s gin when I feel cheap (which is most of the time) and Bombay Sapphire when I feel like splurging. Although the new Bombay Sapphire East is a nice twist - bits of pepper and lemon grass flavor on top of the usual botanicals. In any case, I drink it neat. In a restaurant or bar, it’s always Sapphire in a straight-up martini. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/33 "2014-03-08T23:13:59Z")
I also vote for Tanquerey. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/34 "2014-03-08T23:28:15Z")
Gin is pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/35 "2014-03-08T23:44:01Z")
It’s usually Bombay Sapphire, up, dirty, stinky olives. If it is G&T Appreciation Month, I might go with Seagram’s. I haven’t tried the Sapphire East, or, surprisingly, Beefeater (or a lot of gins in this thread). I wonder if I’d switch allegiances if I tried many brands? I like [Magellan’s](http://www.magellangin.com/home.html). French, Iris flavored gin. Iris! Aesthetically it is similar to Sapphire- blue gin in a clear bottle instead of the other way around. I guess this gin feels a little ‘softer’. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/36 "2014-03-08T23:50:26Z")
> [@Astral\_Rejection](#): > > M > > 1. The Botanist. Created by Bruichladdich (a pretty solid scotch maker), it uses 22 botanicals only found on the Isle of Islay. Delicious stuff, perfect neat or as part of a gin & tonic. It’s my very favorite gin. Came here to say this. The Botanist is a favorite of mine for sure. I also pick up Junipero from the Anchor Steam folks, a well balanced, powerful gin. I have no idea why it doesn’t get more attention. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2014, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/37 "2014-03-09T01:24:01Z")
> [@Astral\_Rejection](#): > > 1. The Botanist. Created by Bruichladdich (a pretty solid scotch maker), it uses 22 botanicals only found on the Isle of Islay. Delicious stuff, perfect neat or as part of a gin & tonic. It’s my very favorite gin. Ooo… I’m intrigued. Gonna have to look for that next time I’m out at the liquor superstore. I like Bruichladdich’s scotches, so I’m encouraged that they would do a very good job with their gin, too. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2014, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/38 "2014-03-09T01:43:01Z")
My martini go-to is Beefeater. If I’m feeling a little ritzier I’ll go for North Shore Distillery (they have a couple gins, I can never remember which # I prefer unless I’m looking at the bottles). For G&T, I particularly love Hendricks. Especially with good dry tonic and a couple cucumber slices. Most refreshing drink I’ve ever tasted. ---
**Author:** ![Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ec9cab/32.png) [@Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122/39 "2014-03-10T01:39:50Z")
I was brought up with Gordons Gin and Tonic. There was no other choice. ☹ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gin-recommendations/683122.md?page=1)