What are the different types of gin? Gin Styles explained
Love gin but do you know the different styles? If you’ve been to the bottle store recently or a gin show you probably noticed the differnt types of gin. Gin today is produced from a wide variety of botanicals, giving rise to a number of distinct styles. Gin is an alcohol beverage of no less that 37.5% ABV.
What is Gin?
The word gin is derived from the Dutch word jenever (genever), which comes from the Latin word juniperus.
Gin was originally used as a medicinal liquor made by monks in the 13th century and became the drink of choice by the 17th century.
In its simplest definition, gin is a spirit that includes juniper berries and other botanicals. A spirit cannot be labelled gin unless it includes juniper.
Botanicals used in gin vary widely, and in Australia Indigenous Australians have been using native Australian flora as bush tucker for thousands of years. Native Australian botanicals are bursting with flavour and are superfoods, contains tons of vitamins and minerals
Different Types styles of Gin
There are so many styles of gin available, each with its own unique character. Most gins, can be categorized as one of the following types:
London Dry
London Dry Gin is what most people think of when they think of gin. It’s what you typically get when you order a G&T or martini. You’re definitely going to get juniper because it is the most dominant flavour within the gin. The juniper berry is associated as the Christmas-tree flavoured berry with pine, and citrus as the dominant flavours of Juniper.
London Dry Gin is a style of gin that originated in London. It’s known for its dry profile with juniper being the dominant botanical. Other common botanicals included in gin worldwide include coriander seed, angelica root, citrus peel, and orris root, and licorice, and cassia bark.
London Dry Gin doesn’t have to be made in London, but it does have strict productions regulations, including being distilled to a high level of purity and not adding any artificial flavours or sweeteners after distillation. Tara Distillery’s Pot Still Gin is a traditional London Dry Style. Big common brands are Beefeater, Tanqueray, and Bombay Sapphire.
Navy Strength Gin
Navy Strength Gin is a high ABV (alcohol by volume) gin, typically around 57-58% ABV. Historically it was made for the British Navy and was added to the unpleasant taste of quinine which they took to prevent scurvy. The higher alcohol means its more potent that other gins, however it’s a great base for cocktails where you can enjoy the full character of the gin.
Pink Gin
Pink Gin is typically made by incorporating fruit, flavours or colours after distilling gin that make it pink. It can be made by infusing fruit, herbs, botanicals, or spices. Tara’s Blooming Gin uses the same recipe as our Pot Still Gin but infuses natural locally grown rhubarb, strawberries, and blackberries for a soft fruity flavour that still carries the classic notes of juniper and citrus.
Contemporary Gin
Contemporary gins use an extensive array of botanicals in addition to juniper and are usually sweeter than the traditional London Dry style. Contemporary gins are a relatively new style of gin, that put a greater emphasis on other botanicals allowing for more creativity and experimentation. They can have a wide array of flavours from floral, to spicy, herbal, and even chili flavoured.
Sloe Gin
Sloe Gin is a flavoured gin. It’s made by steeping sloe berries in gin and sweetening it with sugar. Sloe berries are small tart fruit which are related to plums. Usually sloe gin has a lower alcohol content than most gins, at about 25-30% ABV. It’s purple in colour with a rich fruity dry character. It’s a sweetened gin-based liqueur commonly used for mixing in dessert cocktails.
Aged Gin
The practice of ageing gin has been going on for 500 to 600 years because gin was traditionally stored in wooden barrels as a means of transport. Gins are typically aged for 3 to 6 months. The white liquor of gin turns a golden brown from the barrel and the botanicals smell and taste become rich with oak and spice notes.
Genever
Genever, is a traditional juniper-flavoured spirit that originated in the Netherlands and Belgium. It’s the first style of gin and usually has a distinct malt wine flavour and a dense heavy mouthfeel due to its production process, which involved distilling a malted grain mash.
Genever, referred to as Dutch gin is the original style of gin, the malted base grains give this spirit a more robust flavour. Unlike London Dry Gins, you won’t taste a lot of citrus flavour here.
Old Tom Gin
Old Tom Gin is a richer and sweeter gin than London Dry, as sweeteners such as sugar or licorice can be added after distillation. Old Tom Gins are sometimes coloured due to the use of a malt base or barrel ageing, and they are the bridge between the drier London Dry style and the sweeter Dutch Genever. Old Tom Gin was popular in the 18th century and the name ‘Old Tom” allegedly refers to an old tradition. Pub owners would place a wooden black cat, called Old Tom outside their establishments. Patrons would insert coins into the cat’s mouth and receive a shot of gin.
The addition of sugar or barrel ageing has a pronounced effect on the flavour and viscosity, though the classic botanical notes associated with London Dry gin are still present. It has a softer more viscious mouthfeel and its softer demeanor lend itself to cocktails like the Martinez and Tom Collins.
Plymouth Gin
Plymouth gin hails from the historic naval town of Plymouth in England, and is a style with its own geographical indication, meaning it can only be produced in Plymouth. Plymouth Gin was created in Plymouth England in 1793, at a distillery built by the Black Friars monks.
Plymouth is notable for only being produced by a single distillery, however as Plymouth had already become a brand name and protected by trademark unders owners Pernod Ricard, the company allowed PGI designation to lapse in 2014. Despite its changing legal status, the recipe and gin remain the same. It boasts a slightly sweeter and fruitier profile compared to London Dry.
Love gin but do you know the different styles? If you’ve been to the bottle store recently or a gin show you probably noticed the differnt types of gin. Gin today is produced from a wide variety of botanicals, giving rise to a number of distinct styles. Gin is an alcohol beverage of no less that 37.5% ABV.
What is Gin?
The word gin is derived from the Dutch word jenever (genever), which comes from the Latin word juniperus.
Gin was originally used as a medicinal liquor made by monks in the 13th century and became the drink of choice by the 17th century.
In its simplest definition, gin is a spirit that includes juniper berries and other botanicals. A spirit cannot be labelled gin unless it includes juniper.
Botanicals used in gin vary widely, and in Australia Indigenous Australians have been using native Australian flora as bush tucker for thousands of years. Native Australian botanicals are bursting with flavour and are superfoods, contains tons of vitamins and minerals
Different Types styles of Gin
There are so many styles of gin available, each with its own unique character. Most gins, can be categorized as one of the following types:
London Dry
London Dry Gin is what most people think of when they think of gin. It’s what you typically get when you order a G&T or martini. You’re definitely going to get juniper because it is the most dominant flavour within the gin. The juniper berry is associated as the Christmas-tree flavoured berry with pine, and citrus as the dominant flavours of Juniper.
London Dry Gin is a style of gin that originated in London. It’s known for its dry profile with juniper being the dominant botanical. Other common botanicals included in gin worldwide include coriander seed, angelica root, citrus peel, and orris root, and licorice, and cassia bark.
London Dry Gin doesn’t have to be made in London, but it does have strict productions regulations, including being distilled to a high level of purity and not adding any artificial flavours or sweeteners after distillation. Tara Distillery’s Pot Still Gin is a traditional London Dry Style. Big common brands are Beefeater, Tanqueray, and Bombay Sapphire.
Navy Strength Gin
Navy Strength Gin is a high ABV (alcohol by volume) gin, typically around 57-58% ABV. Historically it was made for the British Navy and was added to the unpleasant taste of quinine which they took to prevent scurvy. The higher alcohol means its more potent that other gins, however it’s a great base for cocktails where you can enjoy the full character of the gin.
Pink Gin
Pink Gin is typically made by incorporating fruit, flavours or colours after distilling gin that make it pink. It can be made by infusing fruit, herbs, botanicals, or spices. Tara’s Blooming Gin uses the same recipe as our Pot Still Gin but infuses natural locally grown rhubarb, strawberries, and blackberries for a soft fruity flavour that still carries the classic notes of juniper and citrus.
Contemporary Gin
Contemporary gins use an extensive array of botanicals in addition to juniper and are usually sweeter than the traditional London Dry style. Contemporary gins are a relatively new style of gin, that put a greater emphasis on other botanicals allowing for more creativity and experimentation. They can have a wide array of flavours from floral, to spicy, herbal, and even chili flavoured.
Sloe Gin
Sloe Gin is a flavoured gin. It’s made by steeping sloe berries in gin and sweetening it with sugar. Sloe berries are small tart fruit which are related to plums. Usually sloe gin has a lower alcohol content than most gins, at about 25-30% ABV. It’s purple in colour with a rich fruity dry character. It’s a sweetened gin-based liqueur commonly used for mixing in dessert cocktails.
Aged Gin
The practice of ageing gin has been going on for 500 to 600 years because gin was traditionally stored in wooden barrels as a means of transport. Gins are typically aged for 3 to 6 months. The white liquor of gin turns a golden brown from the barrel and the botanicals smell and taste become rich with oak and spice notes.
Genever
Genever, is a traditional juniper-flavoured spirit that originated in the Netherlands and Belgium. It’s the first style of gin and usually has a distinct malt wine flavour and a dense heavy mouthfeel due to its production process, which involved distilling a malted grain mash.
Genever, referred to as Dutch gin is the original style of gin, the malted base grains give this spirit a more robust flavour. Unlike London Dry Gins, you won’t taste a lot of citrus flavour here.
Old Tom Gin
Old Tom Gin is a richer and sweeter gin than London Dry, as sweeteners such as sugar or licorice can be added after distillation. Old Tom Gins are sometimes coloured due to the use of a malt base or barrel ageing, and they are the bridge between the drier London Dry style and the sweeter Dutch Genever. Old Tom Gin was popular in the 18th century and the name ‘Old Tom” allegedly refers to an old tradition. Pub owners would place a wooden black cat, called Old Tom outside their establishments. Patrons would insert coins into the cat’s mouth and receive a shot of gin.
The addition of sugar or barrel ageing has a pronounced effect on the flavour and viscosity, though the classic botanical notes associated with London Dry gin are still present. It has a softer more viscious mouthfeel and its softer demeanor lend itself to cocktails like the Martinez and Tom Collins.
Plymouth Gin
Plymouth gin hails from the historic naval town of Plymouth in England, and is a style with its own geographical indication, meaning it can only be produced in Plymouth. Plymouth Gin was created in Plymouth England in 1793, at a distillery built by the Black Friars monks.
Plymouth is notable for only being produced by a single distillery, however as Plymouth had already become a brand name and protected by trademark unders owners Pernod Ricard, the company allowed PGI designation to lapse in 2014. Despite its changing legal status, the recipe and gin remain the same. It boasts a slightly sweeter and fruitier profile compared to London Dry.
