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Gin: styles, history and what to mix

What makes gin gin, the difference between London dry, Old Tom and Plymouth styles, and which bottle suits which drink.

Gin is a neutral spirit flavoured with botanicals, and juniper has to lead. Under EU rules it must be at least 37.5% alcohol and taste predominantly of juniper; in the United States the minimum is 40%. Beyond juniper, almost every gin uses coriander seed and angelica root, then adds its own mix of citrus peels, orris, cassia, liquorice or more unusual plants.

The styles you meet in recipes

London dry
A method, not a place. All flavour comes from botanicals distilled with the spirit; nothing but water and a trace of sugar may be added afterwards. Dry, juniper-led and the default for nearly every modern recipe on this site.
Old Tom
The softer, slightly sweetened style common in the 18th and 19th centuries, before London dry took over. Old recipes such as the Martinez and the original Tom Collins were built for it, and it is worth trying in them.
Plymouth-style
Earthier and a little softer than London dry, with less sharp juniper. The Pegu Club and many old naval recipes call for it by name.
Genever
The Dutch and Belgian ancestor of gin: a malt-wine spirit with a bready, whisky-like body. Mixed like whiskey rather than like gin.
Navy strength
Gin bottled at about 57%. Stronger flavour that stands up to citrus and sugar; use a little less.

A short history

Juniper-flavoured spirits were made in the Low Countries by the 1500s and reached England as genever. Cheap, unregulated gin flooded London in the first half of the 18th century, the "Gin Craze" that Parliament spent decades trying to curb with a series of Gin Acts, most effectively the one of 1751. Better stills and licensing in the 19th century produced the cleaner, drier gins that made the Martini, the Gimlet and the gin and tonic possible.

Choosing a gin for a drink

Bottles in this group and the strengths we assume

IngredientTypical ABVRange on the shelfDrinks here
London dry gin43%37.5–47%21
Old Tom gin42%40–47%1
Plymouth-style gin41.2%fairly uniform0
Sloe gin26%25–30%0

Cocktails that use gin (22)

Aviation Gin, lemon, maraschino and a touch of violet liqueur. Tart, floral and pale lilac-grey in the glass. Sours · Shaken · ~19%
Bee's Knees Gin, lemon and honey shaken cold. A gin sour where honey's floral roundness replaces plain sugar. Sours · Shaken · ~16%
Bramble Gin, lemon and sugar over crushed ice with blackberry liqueur bleeding through. A modern London classic. Sours · Built · ~16%
Clover Club Gin, lemon, raspberry and egg white under a pink foam. Tart, fruity and silky rather than sweet. Sours · Shaken · ~12%
Corpse Reviver No. 2 Equal parts gin, quinquina, orange liqueur and lemon with a breath of absinthe. Bright, citrusy and lightly bitter. Sours · Shaken · ~16%
Dry Martini Gin and dry vermouth stirred very cold. A short, clean, aromatic drink whose dryness is set by how much vermouth you use. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~26%
French 75 Gin, lemon and sugar topped with dry sparkling wine. Bright and festive, and stronger than it tastes. Sparkling and spritzes · Shaken · ~13%
Gimlet Gin and lime, sweetened just enough. Sharp, cold and simple; originally made with preserved lime cordial rather than fresh juice. Sours · Shaken · ~17%
Gin and Tonic Gin and quinine tonic over plenty of ice. Bitter, bright and dry, and only as good as its ice and tonic. Highballs · Built · ~11%
Gin Fizz Gin, lemon and sugar shaken hard and lifted with soda, served short with no ice. Brisk and quickly drunk. Fizzes and Collinses · Shaken · ~11%
Gin Rickey Gin, fresh lime and soda over ice, with no sugar at all. Bone-dry, sharp and very refreshing in heat. Highballs · Built · ~13%
Hanky Panky Gin and sweet vermouth with a sharp edge of bitter, minty amaro. A Savoy classic created by Ada Coleman. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~21%
Last Word Equal parts gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino and lime. Herbal, sweet-sour and much more than the sum of its parts. Sours · Shaken · ~20%
Martinez Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, a little maraschino and bitters. The rich, rounded forerunner of the Martini. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~21%
Negroni Equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and red bitter aperitivo. Bittersweet, strong and easy to remember. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~20%
Pegu Club Gin, orange curaçao, lime and two kinds of bitters. Dry, citrusy and spiced; a colonial-era club drink. Sours · Shaken · ~22%
Ramos Gin Fizz Gin, citrus, cream, egg white and orange flower water shaken long and topped with soda. A tall, silky, floral New Orleans fizz. Fizzes and Collinses · Shaken · ~9%
Singapore Sling Gin, cherry liqueur, pineapple, lime and a few spiced liqueurs. Long, fruity and pink, in the Raffles Hotel style. Fizzes and Collinses · Shaken · ~9%
Southside Gin, citrus, sugar and fresh mint, shaken and fine-strained. Like a Gimlet that has walked through a herb garden. Sours · Shaken · ~16%
Tom Collins Gin, lemon, sugar and soda over ice in a tall glass. A long, sharp-sweet lemonade for adults. Fizzes and Collinses · Shaken · ~8%
Vesper Gin, vodka and a quinine aperitif wine, shaken. James Bond's own Martini, strong and lightly bitter. Spirit and vermouth · Shaken · ~24%
White Lady Gin, orange liqueur and lemon, often with egg white. A gin Sidecar with a pale, silky finish. Sours · Shaken · ~20%