16 Of The Best Artisan Gins To Try On New Year's Eve
Going to a party tonight? There will probably be drinks. If you're a gin fan, here's what we suggest.
Twisted Nose
This London Dry gin combines traditional distillation methods with watercress and New Forest Spring water, which the company says creates a light and peppery finish.
Cotswold Gin
Better known for its beers, Cotswold Brewing Co. also makes gin, featuring flavours like coriander and oris root (the perfumed root of the iris flower) found nearby. It's a 100% traditional grain gin and works particularly well with elderflower. How very British.
Pickering's
Based on an original Bombay recipe, supposedly handwritten on a fragment of paper dated July 17, 1947, it's been a secret for over 66 years, resurfacing only in 2013. Today the nine botanicals have been tweaked for contemporary palates, and the gin is made in an old copper still.
Anno
Venture deep into rural Kent and you'll find Anno, a gin made with a secret blend of local hops, lavender, and other botanicals. Its most unusual ingredient, however, is samphire - more often found in fish dishes.
Tarquin's
Next we turn to Cornwall, to an independent, family-run company that handcrafts its bottles in tiny batches. It's a modern take on a classic London Dry, making use of fragrant Devon violets and orange zest.
Sacred
Remarkably, Sacred Gin is so small it's made in a microdistillery in Highgate, north London, in someone's home. Made of 12 botanicals, it is created using vacuum distillation, which is set at a lower temperature than others.
Little Bird
Price: £20 from Maltby Street Market in Borough
This new London Dry is also made in London, but south of the river in Peckham. It's big on citrus, notably grapefruit, which makes it refreshing and good in a Negroni.
Da Mhile
Price: £30
This Welsh seaweed gin launched on St David's Day and is designed to complement seafood. Alongside regular perfumes, it's infused with fresh seaweed from the Newquay coast for three weeks.
Berkeley Square
Berkeley Square Gin is made by hand in Warrington using a bouquet garni distillation method with botanicals wrapped in muslin.
Elemental
Back to Cornwall, home of Elemental Cornish Gin. Inspired by the artisan producers of London, the business makes use of local herbs and a copper distilling process.
Whitley Neill
This relative newcomer uses the idea of adventure, and a big batch of aromatics, as the basis for its gin. It's also made by Johnny Neill, a descendant of Thomas Greenall (if necessary, see Greenall's gin).
Burleigh's
Burleigh's comes from Leicester, which is unusual as the town isn't famed for its breweries or distilleries. The distillery says it's crisp, complex, and has a piney, citrus finish. It's good as a collins, or served long with Parma violet liquor.
Liverpool Gin
Brand new and very exciting, Liverpool Gin is the work of the Liverpool Organic Brewery, which is hoping to breathe new life into a city that once boasted a flourishing gin trade. It's apparently often served with watermelon or mint leaves.
SW4
As the name suggests, SW4 Gin is another of London's offerings, made in Clapham - where gin flows as if water. SW4 (which is also the Clapham postcode) is described as clear and pure, which makes it nice in a martini.
Lakes Gin
The Lakes Distillery in Cumbria has managed to produce popular small-batch whisky and vodka, and it has now turned its hand to gin. This one is made in 1,000-litre pot stills and is served without any fruit or garnish.
King of Soho
As the name suggests, this gin hails from the heart of London, Soho. It's a typical London dry, hailed as smooth and full-bodied, but is set aside with additions like lots of angelica root and cassia.
