5 Of The Smoothest Gin Brands On The Market

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You either love gin or you hate it and think it tastes like pine trees. Some people love it because it tastes like pine trees. Regardless, for a spirit to be classified as a gin, it needs to have juniper involved, which is an evergreen shrub that bares berry-like cones. Gin is either made by steeping the juniper berries and other botanicals or via vapor infusion. Either way, you know you can count on gin for that piney, botanical element.

Whether you like to sip your gin on the rocks, shake it up into a gimlet or go for a simple gin and tonic, here are five of the smoothest gin brands on the market you’ll want to try.

1. Hendrick’s Gin

Hendricks is like the recently-turned-21-year-old of the gin world. With an ABV of 44 percent, it’s approachable enough for the non-gin drinkers and bold enough for the gin lovers. Hendrick’s is smooth, fresh and has the perfect balance of botanicals. The Scotland-distilled gin is infused with rose and cucumbers. It starts out with a zesty punch of botanicals, followed by juniper and coriander and a sneaky floral aroma of violets and rose. You can find a bottle of Hendrick’s Gin here for $33.

2. Bombay Sapphire

One of the most well-known gins out there, Bombay Sapphire is the usual go-to on restaurant and bar menus around the country. With an ABV of 47 percent, Bombay Sapphire is made with up to 12 different botanicals — including licorice, juniper berries, almonds, coriander, lemon peel and grains of paradise — through vapor infusion.

Vapor infusion involves hanging the botanicals over the spirit while it’s distilling. As the vapor rises from the heated spirit, it becomes gently infused with the aromatic flavors and drips right back into the distilling spirit. You can buy a bottle of the company’s Distilled London Dry Gin here for $21.

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3. Tanqueray

The Scotland-produced Tanqueray London Dry Gin has an ABV of 47 percent and it’s made with only four botanicals: Tuscan juniper, coriander, angelica root and licorice. Tanqueray’s London Dry Gin is a popular bartender’s choice for a gin and tonic.

The brand’s other spirit, Tanqueray No. Ten, is a small-batch gin that’s crafted with citrus fruits and has an ABV of 47 percent. The latter spirit has eight different botanicals along with an infusion of lime and grapefruit. Tanqueray No. Ten is best for any kind of citrus cocktail. You can buy a bottle of the original here for $19, or the No. Ten here for $38.

4. Beefeater Gin

For the gin newbies, Beefeater will do the trick. All of the botanicals — angelica root and seeds, juniper, coriander seeds, almonds, licorice, Seville oranges, lemon peel and orris root — are steeped for 24 hours before distillation to fully extract all of the flavors. With an ABV of 50 percent, Beefeater is best sipped straight or turned into a gin and tonic. You can find a bottle here for $20.

5. Aviation American Gin

Ryan Reynolds is the owner of Aviation American Gin. It was love at first sip when the heartthrob and filmmaker first tried the spirit. There are seven major botanicals involved in Aviation American Gin: Juniper, coriander, lavender, cardamom, Indian sarsaparilla and orange peel.

Aviation is thought of as the summery cousin to London Dry Gin with juniper only as a background flavor. This is a new breed of gin with a big and bold flavor and floral taste. Aviation American Gin is made from a 100-percent neutral rye base, which allows all of the botanicals to stand front and center. The Reynolds-backed gin is perfect for a Tom Collins, gin and tonic or its namesake aviation cocktail. You can buy a bottle here for $30.

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