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The Esquire Gin Guide: 29 of the Best Gins To Drink in 2024
Tested by Callum BlackFood and Drink Testing Manager
While we’re all for sticking to the classics when it comes to, say, linen shirts or Quentin Tarantino films, if you’re yet to venture far from that trusty bottle of Gordon’s when it comes to your G&T... well, we’re not angry, just disappointed.
Looking for a new libation to add to your bar cart in 2024? These are the best gins to buy, according to our spirit experts. They tested over 100 varieties to crown their winners, so you’re in for a treat.
Best gin 2024
How to drink gin in 2024
We may be a nation of gin and tonic devotees, but that doesn’t mean your imagination has to stop at ‘ice and a slice’ when mixing up your chosen tipple. We suggest reading the gin’s label to find out which botanicals feature, and then choosing a few as your garnish.
Cucumber, coriander, chilli, a bay leaf, a twist of black pepper... when it comes to the perfect G&T, variety is the spice of life. One of the reasons why gin remains so popular is that it can carry big flavours, so make the most of them.
The boom in gins has led to an accompanying explosion in gin cocktails, particularly the negroni, although the classic martini is also enjoying a resurgence (note that, in our experience, it’s best to maintain a three-martini max). Both are best created with drier gins, because broad and flowery flavours tend to get lost; you need a blend that's going to give your drink a kick.
If all else fails, make like the purists and pour your best gin on the rocks to savour straight up.
Types of gin explained
London Dry
This is the UK’s tried and tested style. It absolutely does not have to come from London, or from England at all, but it does have to be dry in the traditional sense of the word – by not using much sugar.
It also cannot have any artificial flavours in it, and the flavours it does have must have been imparted during the redistilling process – no adding in afterwards. These examples are likely to be sharp and clean tasting with more pronounced citrus notes, rather than anything too aromatic.
Distilled gins
These are similar to London Drys, but their flavours can be added after re-distillation and can be natural or artificial. They account for a lot of the wackier combinations (and colours) out there.
Old Tom
This gin will be sweeter than a London Dry but not quite as sweet as genever (it’s often called “the missing link” between the two). The name comes from the tomcat-shaped wooden signs that apparently adorned the outsides of certain pubs in Victorian times, surreptitiously advertising shots of gin when the nation’s thirst for the stuff had panicked the government into hiking taxes on it as a deterrent. Today’s examples tend to be gentler and less tart than London Drys, often with big hints of liquorice and a notably smooth consistency.
Navy-Strength
There are myriad stories surrounding the origins of the name of this gin but the name tells you all you need to know. Approach with caution, but remember that a beefier alcohol content can temper flavours, so you’re unlikely to get any nasty surprises with these (bar the hangover).
Plymouth Gin
It's pretty straight forward: it can only be made in Plymouth and has been trademarked to one brand, so you should know exactly what you’re getting.
How we test gin
Our trusted panel of experts and consumer boozehounds sipped their way through over 100 different gins from leading distilleries and producers across the globe. Each was fully appraised for its complexity, length and finish, with a lot of thought given to how best to serve it.
Once the scores were tallied, these 27 bottles were crowned the best for your bar cart in 2024.
Seventy One Eau de Nuit Gin
Seventy One Eau de Nuit Gin
Do not adjust your screens. This may look like an expensive cologne bottle, but rest assured, it contains some of the smoothest gin we’ve ever tasted. Fashion photographer Mert Alas dedicated four years to concocting the perfect blend to get the party started, and for that, we’re eternally grateful.
It’s exceptionally complex, with a soft whisky-like touch thanks to the precise 71 nights it spends in three different oak casks. The botanicals are next level, including a rare cactus that flowers for just one night a year. With so much going on, you’d be a fool to add tonic, so sip this one neat before heading out for the night.
70cl, 40%
No.3 London Dry Gin
Know your Bourdeaux from your Burgundy? Then you’ll also be familiar with Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchants Berry Bros & Rudd, aka the brains behind this bottle.
It’s a suitably classy affair, delivering a strong herbaceous note, warming spice and a whiff of citrus — and at 46% ABV, they’re not mucking about. We’d serve it with a light tonic and fresh herb garnish.
70cl, 46%
Silent Pool Black Juniper Gin
Silent Pool Black Juniper Gin
Made with only the rarest and purest juniper berries found in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, along with unusual botanicals including oud and cloud tea, this extra special gin would make an excellent choice for a Dirty Martini.
Our panel loved the nose on this which is packed with bold black peppercorns, spicy black tea and rich, mature juniper. The flavour is equally bold, with aniseed, liquorice, cinnamon bark and ground ginger, along with hints of warming black pepper.
100cl, 43%
Cygnet 22 Welsh Gin, 70cl
Cygnet 22 Welsh Gin, 70cl
Forget piña coladas – this is summer in a bottle. This delicious gin from classical singer Katherine Jenkins is made using Manuka honey and 22 botanicals for a sipper that reminds us of sunny days and packed beer gardens.
Delicate aromas of orange zest, lavender, cardamom, clove, honey and subtle juniper make this a pleasingly complex gin from the first sniff. The palate reflects this, with beautifully balanced flavours that are notably long-lasting. Pair with your favourite tonic water for a zippy G&T.
70cl, 44%
You’ll find Hepple gracing the leather-bound menus of Britain’s finest drinking dens – and with good reason, too. Distilled in the Northumberland wilds, a heady blend of botanicals undergoes a three-stage extraction, resulting in a vibrant gin that jumps out the glass from the get-go.
If you like your spirit to lean heavily on the citrus and herbs (green juniper, pine, Douglas fir, savoury lovage, sandalwood), then you need to add a bottle to your line-up.
70cl, 45%
Hendrick's Neptunia Gin
Building on the brand’s renowned cucumber-infused gin, Hendrick’s has updated its Scottish spirit with refreshing coastal botanicals.
Our testers found the gentle blend of elderflower, chamomile and coriander just the ticket for an easy-breezy, daytime-G&T-by-the-coast kind of situ. Seafaring shanty optional.
70cl, 43.4%
The Botanist Islay Gin
From the makers of Bruichladdich whisky, The Botanist gin has a sophisticated citrus-forward flavour that pairs well with tonic and ice.
Made with a combination of 22 local Scottish herbs, it tastes like adventuring through the hedgerows of the Scottish Isles — and is the ideal base for a punchy gin martini.
70cl, 46%
Bareksten Botanical Gin
Born in Bergen, Norway, Bareksten uses indigenous herbs and wild berries in its gin to create a spirit quite unlike anything else we tasted – in a good way.
It’s exceptionally floral-forward, with lavender, rose and honeysuckle at the fore, before building to a crisp, citrus finish. For that reason, it only needs a splash of Mediterranean tonic to make, quite possibly, the best G&T you’ve ever tasted, but it would also bring a whole new dimension to a dry martini.
50cl, 46%
Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin
This funky dry gin from the Black Forest in Germany has cultivated a fanbase thanks to its unique flavour profile. The bottle takes its name from the 47 botanicals it contains, including local lingonberries, spruce and floral acacia flowers, alongside the more traditional.
It kickstarted the current wave of complex gins, and moves between floral, fruity and sour with each sip. If you’re going to try it in a G&T, go for a light tonic to allow the more exciting botanicals to come to the fore.
50cl, 47%
Silent Pool Rare Citrus Gin
Bittersweet, zesty and fantastic when paired with campari and vermouth, Silent Pool makes some of the best modern gins coming out of England.
Produced next to a lake nested in the Surrey Hills, the brand has turned its signature blue bottle bright orange to reflect the rare line-up of citrus fruit this expression contains. Lingering citrus oils on the finish, most notable yuzu and pomelo, ensure this is a gin you won’t forget in a hurry.
70cl, 43%
Beefeater Crown Jewel Gin
Beefeater Crown Jewel Gin
Taking inspiration from the rare gems and jewels housed in the Tower of London, Beefeater Crown Jewel is the brand’s most premium edition to date. Consider it an elevated version of Beefeater’s signature house style; they haven’t tinkered with the award-winning botanical make-up too much, instead simply upping the ABV and adding a generous number of ripe grapefruits to the blend.
Our panel praised its bright, citrus complexity and smooth mouthfeel, deeming it the perfect choice for the eminently popular prohibition-era cocktail, The Last Word.
1l, 50%
Four Pillars Olive Leaf Gin
Four Pillars Olive Leaf Gin
Gin is now available in every fruit combination imaginable, but we love the sophisticated flavour of olive leaf, which Australian gin maker Four Pillars uses at the centre of its bottle.
Mellow on the juniper and very smooth, our testers picked up on faint olive oil notes alongside lighter rosemary and bay leaf. It’s like an exceptional pre-batched dirty martini for easy home drinking.
70cl, 43.8%
You may know Amarula for its long-loved cream liqueur, but the brand’s first foray into gin-making has been nothing short of spectacular. The base of wild marula fruit spirit gives it a distinctly tropical lilt, while brighter bursts of orange peel and lightly spiced grains of paradise round out the blend.
The juniper isn’t particularly forthcoming here, so don’t drown it with tonic (alternatively, don’t hold back on the measure... the choice is all yours).
70cl, 43%
Tarquin's British Blackberry
Thought flavoured gin was all sugary sweet? Think again. The initial hit here is fiery, with black pepper and cinnamon, before it comes up with the jammy goods. Low in sweetness, big on flavour, it’s calling out for a bramble cocktail.
70cl, 38%
Hendrick's Flora Adora Gin
Hendrick's Flora Adora Gin
Flora Adora builds on the brand's unmistakable juniper and coriander backbone with a secret medley of English garden botanicals.
The result sings of spring, with an intriguing floral bouquet led by elderflower, rose and lemon balm. Pair it with lemon juice, soda, mint and cucumber wheels for a refreshing spritz that will help recreate the feel of warm summer days (even in the bleak mid-winter).
70cl, 43.4%
As the birthplace of gin, we had high expectations for this Dutch bottle – and it delivered. There’s nothing run of the mill about it; the wheat-based spirit eschews the traditional botanical line-up in favour of a complex, fruit-forward mix of white peach, raspberry and Turkish rose.
Clocking in at just shy of 48%, it’s the highest ABV gin in our list, but the smooth, balanced mouthfeel ensures it’s worthy of sipping straight up.
70cl, 47.6%
Proving less can be more, Edinburgh-based Height of Arrows has stripped it all back. Juniper is the only botanical you’ll find here, which might sound simple, but means you’re hit with notes of earthy black pepper and zingy citrus.
Perfectly balanced and oh-so-fresh, this is exactly how gin should taste.
70cl, 43%
If you’re after a traditional Plymouth gin, this is it. A must for any home bar, expect a punchy medicinal flavour with juniper and citrus at the fore.
Our testers found the herbal, grassy flavours gave way to some faint sweetness, all wrapped up in a gently warming, bitter finish.
70cl, 41.2%
Infused with sugar sea kelp hand-harvested from the surrounding Scottish shoreline, Isle of Harris pays homage to its Hebridean roots in every sip.
Though the backnote is predominantly savoury, lingering lemon and bitter orange peel bring balance. A mainstay for an unmatched gin martini.
70cl, 45%
Oxley Cold Distilled London Dry Gin
Oxley Cold Distilled London Dry Gin
Made in exclusive batches, you won’t find Oxley lining the shelves of your local — which is exactly why we love it. A cold distillation process captures botanicals at their freshest, resulting in a powerful gin and a higher ABV to match.
Flavour-wise, there’s fresh grapefruit, orange peel and bitter lemon on the nose, so our advice is to keep it simple, with a heady 50ml measure, Indian tonic and citrus peel garnish.
70cl, 47%
Callum is our Food and Drink Testing Manager and has been part of the world of professional catering for 10 years, from cheffing to food manufacturing. While working in manufacturing he specialised in bespoke product and menu development for several start-ups and well-known brands such as Wrap It Up! and HOP Vietnamese. He holds the WSET Level 2 in wine, a Level 3 in spirits and has a particular interest in agave spirits.
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