The popularity of gin seems to keep on growing and just when you thought there couldn’t be any more gin brands to discover, more and more keep emerging. I love gin and I love finding a new gin I’ve never heard of before. I love the different shaped bottles and the intricately designed labels, I love the subtle, and the not so subtle, flavors. But one of the best things I’ve found about unearthing new gins is that this journey can take you all around the world. Here are 11 gins you can try from all over the world.
1. Malfy Gin, Italy
The first time I tried Malfy Gin was in a bar in my hometown. It was the bottle that first attracted me to it. It feels nautical in design and the colors used, and it speaks straight from the sea. I tried the rosa, a tangy pink grapefruit gin, and soon bought a bottle of my own. I’ve since tried the lemon and this zesty gin that’s bursting with a simple mix of lemon and juniper has quickly become my favorite. Distilled at Torino Distillati, Moncalieri, Italy, Malfy Gin actually tastes like Italy!
Pro Tip: It’s a shame to mix it with anything other than tonic water, as the flavors in the gin are so intense, but it’s also great in a champagne cocktail.
2. Fair Gin, France
Established in 2009, Fair is the leading independent, international brand of ethical, fair trade spirits. It offers high-quality, environmentally friendly spirits, sourcing natural ingredients from local farming communities across the globe. Never compromising on taste, this human-centric organization involves everyone from a small farmer in a hidden corner of the world, to a Charente region distiller, all the way to the final consumer. I love how floral it tastes, almost like a French perfume.
3. Minke Gin, Ireland
Minke Gin from award-winning family-run Irish Distillers Clonakilty is inspired by the Minke whales that swim off the Atlantic coastline. On the sea cliffs, the distillers harvest Rock Samphire (Sea Fennel), the unique botanical which gives Minke Gin its distinctive flavor. The base spirit is derived from whey, produced from the family’s 9th-generation farm near Galley Head Lighthouse.
Pro Tip: This one is a little on the strong side and I definitely need a mixer for it! Its strong taste means you can mix it with flavored tonics or even ginger ale. I love it with a pink peppercorn tonic.
4. Jaisalmer Gin, India
Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin has been called “The whole of India in one bottle.” Triple-distilled in traditional copper pot stills and handcrafted in the foothills of the Himalayas at one of India’s oldest distilleries, Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin encapsulates the rich heritage of the Indian city of Jaisalmer, with a recipe that combines the ancient knowledge of herbs and spices, vibrant juniper berries and handpicked botanicals from all four corners of India. Wonderfully spicy,
Pro Tip: Jaisalmer is great for cocktails. Here’s the recipe for the Peppertini.
- Ingredients: 3 Tbsp. Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin, 1 Tbsp. pink peppercorn syrup, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. pink grapefruit juice.
- Method: Pour Jaisalmer Gin, peppercorn syrup, fresh lemon juice, and pink grapefruit juice into a shaker.
- Shake and double strain into a pre-chilled coupe glass (a stemmed glass with a shallow bowl.)
- To make peppercorn syrup: Add crushed pink peppercorns to a simple Monin sugar syrup to infuse.
5. Fok Hing Gin, Hong Kong
Fok Hing Gin’s signature Edition 852 gin pays homage to its hometown of Hong Kong, concocting a complexity of flavors that embodies the light, color, sound, atmosphere, variety, and chaos of the city. A floral jasmine green tea scent greets with citrus notes at your palate, finishing off with a spicy Szechuan pepper kick. All 10 natural botanicals are sourced from a century-old spice shop in Hong Kong. It has taken 13 formulations to build the perfect recipe and the right balance of flavors to produce this harmonious botanical blend.
6. Herno Gin, Sweden
Herno Gin is Sweden’s first dedicated gin distillery and the world’s northernmost gin distillery. A smooth London dry gin is used, with a juniper character, fresh citrus notes, and a floral complexity, which makes the gin very enjoyable on its own. Using eight carefully selected botanicals from around the world, all are certified organic. Juniper berries from Hungary, coriander seeds from Bulgaria, hand-peeled lemon, lingonberries from Sweden, meadowsweet (an herb in the rose family) from the United Kingdom, black pepper from India, cassia (cinnamon’s cousin) from Indonesia, and fresh vanilla from Madagascar.
Pro Tip: Mix with Azaline Vermouth, either shaken or stirred, for a martini full of rich flavor. Use 1 part vermouth and between 3 and 5 parts Herno gin, depending on how strong you like your martini. Use ice in the mixing, but strain out the ice to serve.
7. Elephant Gin, Germany
Elephant Gin combines rare African botanicals to create award-winning handcrafted premium gins that give back to African elephant conservation efforts. Made in Germany, Elephant Gin is launching its newest creation, the Orange Cocoa edition. It’s concocted using fresh, organic Spanish oranges and roasted cocoa beans to create a bright, zesty, and velvety flavor. The elegant glass bottles are custom made, adorned with handwritten labels. I love the Elephant Orange Cocoa Gin label, it echoes the vibrant colors of a fresh orange. The bottles are a work of art, embossed with a crest and sealed with natural cork.
8. Ealing Gin, London
Created by husband and wife team Amanda and Simon Duncan, whose family has been residents of Ealing for four generations, Ealing Gin is designed to embody the welcoming spirit and rich cultural heritage of the west London borough. The gin is distilled using a traditional Felicity copper still in the heart of Ealing in a small distillery built by its creators. The recipe combines classic gin botanicals with a few modern twists, and some inspired by the very English parks and gardens of Ealing. Flavors include chamomile flowers, garden mint, scented rose petals, and rosemary. The bottle and packaging design pay homage to the Art Deco architecture scattered across Ealing borough, such as the iconic Hoover Building. The Duncans have also built a social promise into the brand, with 20 percent of profits pledged to charities addressing loneliness and social isolation.
Pro Tip: I love how herb infused this gin is. Serve with an Indian tonic water, or even soda water, it really doesn’t need anything that might influence the flavor, and a mint garnish.
9. Dorothy Parker Gin, New York
Led by Allen Katz, one of the world’s foremost authorities on cocktails and distilled spirits, New York Distilling Company is based in an independent distillery in the heart of Brooklyn where it produces Ragtime Rye whisky and Dorothy Parker premium gin. I was initially drawn to this gin because it’s named after the popular American writer and socialite, and the name of the gin really can have an impact on our decisions to buy. The New York Distilling Company also makes Perry’s Tot, a strength gin in tribute to Matthew Calbraith Perry, who served as Commandant of the Brooklyn Navy Yard in the 1800s and founded the Naval Lyceum. The Dorothy Parker gin is my favorite, and not just because of the awesome labeling.
10. Brookie’s Gin, Australia
Brookie’s Gin is from the Cape Byron Distillery located in the backcountry of Byron Bay. The gin is distilled with the finest regional botanicals such as Byron sunrise finger limes, aniseed myrtle and native raspberry. Out of the 25 botanicals, 17 are native to the surrounding regenerated rainforest. Flavor-wise, citrus takes the lead and once tonic water is added, along with a little time and aeration, juniper and coriander enter the scene, bringing the depth and distinction that one expects from a high-quality gin. At 46% ABV, the gin can hold its own with tonic water and the punchy flavors of licorice, aniseed, and wild ginger are able to come through.
11. Procera Gin, Kenya
I have yet to get hold of a bottle of this intriguing gin to try it, but I can’t wait. The bottle looks adorable and I love how distinctive Procera sounds. The land in Kenya where this gin is distilled has an influence on the taste and the juniper grown here will be subtly different from the juniper grown anywhere else in the world. These sundrenched junipers reportedly produce an earthy, almost nutty taste in the gin. Procera is the first gin in the world to use these junipers, so it is, for now, one of a kind.