The world's finest gin distilleries and the classic gin cocktails that defined cocktail culture from London to the world.
The Negroni — equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth — is cocktail culture's most perfect drink: simple, balanced, and eternally sophisticated. Invented around 1919 when Count Camillo Negroni asked for his Americano strengthened with gin, it requires no skill to make and rewards high-quality ingredients profoundly.
London's Sipsmith Distillery revived copper pot still craft distillation in London after a 200-year absence when they opened in 2009, pioneering the modern craft gin movement. Their Very Junipery Over Proof expression delivers an authentically juniper-forward gin that celebrates the botanical that defines the spirit's character.
Black Forest distillery Monkey 47 uses 47 botanicals sourced from around the world in a complex, highly aromatic gin that challenged the dominance of British gins in international markets. Its lush botanical complexity — including cranberries, lingonberries, and spruce tips alongside classic gin botanicals — is unlike anything from London.
Hendrick's unconventional use of rose and cucumber botanicals in a small-batch copper pot still created an entirely new gin category when it launched in 1999, inspiring thousands of craft gin distilleries worldwide. Its distinctive apothecary bottle and association with eccentricity made it the craft gin revolution's founding brand.
The pre-Prohibition Clover Club cocktail — gin, lemon juice, raspberry syrup, and egg white — is one of cocktail history's most elegant sours, its silky texture and tart berry flavor making it a natural starting point for exploring classic gin cocktails. Its revival in neo-classic cocktail bars has reestablished its rightful place in the gin canon.
Suntory's Roku Gin uses six Japanese botanicals — sakura flower, sakura leaf, yuzu, sencha, gyokuro, and sansho pepper — to create a distinctly Japanese expression of London Dry style that is delicate, subtle, and exceptionally food-friendly. Its seasonal botanical approach reflects Japanese culinary philosophy.
The Gin & Tonic's global dominance stems from extraordinary simplicity — gin, tonic, ice, and garnish — and virtually unlimited customization potential through botanical gin selection, artisan tonic varieties, and garnish combinations. Spanish-style copas glass service revolutionized G&T culture in the 2000s.
The Tom Collins — gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda water over ice — is one of the oldest and most refreshing gin drinks, a tall, sparkling sour of supreme summer-drinking suitability. Its name derives from an 1874 practical joke hoax and its longevity speaks to its genuine, uncomplicated deliciousness.
Master Distiller Desmond Payne's Beefeater 24 adds Japanese Sencha and Chinese green tea to the classic London Dry botanical recipe, creating a sophisticated, slightly floral gin that works beautifully in cocktails where the gin's character needs to complement rather than dominate other ingredients.
Aviation American Gin pioneered the New Western dry gin style — emphasizing floral and savory botanicals over juniper dominance — in Portland, Oregon before Ryan Reynolds purchased the brand and made it one of America's best-selling premium gins through his comedic marketing genius.
The Martini — gin and dry vermouth with olive or lemon twist — is cocktail culture's most debated drink, with arguments about ratio, dilution, stirred versus shaken, and garnish filling volumes of literature. James Bond's vodka martini popularized a variation that purists still resist, but gin remains the original and arguably finest base.
Tanqueray's No. Ten expression uses fresh citrus fruits — whole grapefruit, orange, and lime — alongside chamomile flowers to produce a fresh, bright gin perfect for martinis. Its small-batch production and superior quality established it as the benchmark premium London Dry gin.
“The Negroni”
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