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Cocktails

The Best Gin for a G&T, According to Bartenders

May 29, 2023

Story: Punch Staff

photo: Punch

Cocktails

The Best Gin for a G&T, According to Bartenders

May 29, 2023

Story: Punch Staff

photo: Punch

Experts share the best gins to mix into the classic, at every price point.

“The world of gin is constantly growing, and now you can find a gin with a flavor profile of just about anything,” says Tony Roehr, bar manager at Mabel’s Gone Fishing, a gin-focused bar in San Diego. That makes the range of possibilities for a Gin & Tonic, a template that is always expanding, even more vast.

So how do you know which gin is best for the G&T? To find out, we asked a handful of bartenders. Those surveyed shared common criteria: Many favored a London dry style, with a palate that’s able to shine through when mixed with tonic water. “I look for florality, astringency and citrus,” explains AJ Johnson, managing partner at Washington, D.C.’s Serenata and Zumo. While a juniper-forward profile was favored by many, in the two-part drink, “the tonic is providing the herbaceous qualities,” says Johnson, making those characteristics less of a consideration. 

Beyond that, bartenders’ picks considered versatility, approachability and, especially on the higher end, a singular botanical makeup. Here are five gins to seek out.

THE BEST GIN FOR GIN & TONICS

Fords Gin

According to Harrison Ginsberg, bar director for Overstory and Crown Shy in New York, Fords Gin “has all that you can ask for when it comes to the G&T.” The most-cited brand among surveyed bartenders, this bottling has a straightforward appeal. “It’s a gin that was made for cocktails and it was made to be affordable,” explains Roehr. Brendan Dorr, owner of the gin-focused bar Dutch Courage in Baltimore, agrees, noting that Fords is a great “new-school London dry” option, with a crisp, yet classic, profile.

  • Price: $19
  • ABV: 45%

Roku Gin

In the past few years, Japanese gins have gained a cult following among bartenders. Roku, which comes from Osaka, is one of the most affordable options of the bunch and is made with botanicals like green tea, sakura leaf and yuzu peel. Ali Martin, head bartender at New York’s The Up & Up, favors its unique floral yet citrusy profile. “I often order Roku gin when I am out,” she adds, noting that the gin is widely available at most bars.

  • Price: $27
  • ABV: 44%

St. George Terroir Gin

The West Coast “has been a hub for innovation in gin for the last few decades,” notes Patrick Smith, senior beverage manager for Union Square Hospitality Group. One of these trailblazing gin producers is St. George, whose Terroir bottling is made with botanicals local to Northern California, such as coastal sage and California bay laurel. In particular, the Douglas fir in this gin “packs an incredible flavor punch,” according to Smith, who says the spirit is “one of the most unique gins in the world.”

  • Price: $35
  • ABV: 45%

Nikka Coffey Gin

For a citrus-forward take, James Bolt, owner of Charleston’s The Gin Joint, recommends Nikka Coffey Gin. The Japanese gin is made with green sansho pepper and Japanese citrus fruits alongside more traditional botanicals such as juniper berries and coriander, which “make for a zesty and bright G&T,” according to Bolt. The sentiment is echoed throughout the industry; in our survey of the best top-shelf spirits, bartenders praised the gin’s mouthfeel and luxurious flavor profile in the G&T and other gin-based drinks.

  • Price: $45
  • ABV: 47%

Monkey 47

Monkey 47 differs from the typical dry profile many turn to for a G&T. Made with 47 botanicals, many of which are native to Germany’s Black Forest, Monkey 47 is ideal when combined with crisp tonic “to bring out all the wonderful herbal and vegetal notes that it offers,” according to Bolt. A molasses-based spirit infused with lingonberries makes up the base of this gin and sets this bottling apart. Despite its sophisticated makeup, “Monkey 47 just has an overall amazing and complex botanical build that still lets it shine through in a cocktail,” says Bolt.

  • Price: $60
  • ABV: 47%

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