The 5 best gins to drink neat

You want to drink gin neat? You’re hardcore, and we like your style. We’ve done the hard work for you (it was tough, but you’re welcome), and present to you the whichgin.com list of the best gin to drink to neat:

1. Tanqueray Dry London Gin
2. Eden Mill Love Gin
3. The Botanist Islay Dry Gin
4. Death’s Door American Gin
5. Brockmans Gin

Joking apart, many modern gins can be taken neat. This is testament to how far gin has progressed. We’ve come from the more mass-market brands that always needed a mixer, to the more balanced and considered gins we see today. So what makes a gin that tastes great neat?

We think the key to a gin that you can drink neat is ensuring that it’s either smooth and/or has a distinctive enough taste that allows it to speak for itself. We consider that some gins naturally work better with tonic or other mixers. So what about the gins we list? You can read more in our A-Z gin reviews but, in summary:

Tanqueray Dry London Gin

It’s interesting that this gin isn’t normally associated as a gin best taken neat. However, we think it works well neat (with a wedge of lime). We said:

“A top selling gin in the USA that seems to have generally not been tried by others. A really good all-rounder to have.”

Eden Mill Love Gin

Possibly it’s the rhubarb root an goji berry botanicals that give this subtle gin the ability to be taken neat. We said:

“We love the love gin. We think best served neat with or without ice, and without any strong citrus fruits.”

Try it in the UK by buying from Amazon.

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

The Scottish island of Islay can be bracing even in the summer, so it’s no surprise that all that clean (and fast) air results in a fresh and smooth gin. We think it’s a gin that works well neat with a cucumber garnish. We said:

“Forget trying to pronounce the name of the island of Islay, and don’t even try Bruichladdich [the name of the distillery]. Sit back and enjoy a super-smooth gin instead.”

Try it in the UK by buying from Amazon.

Death’s Door American Gin

This is a great, straightforward  gin that has few botanicals. As we said in our preamble above, some of the more robust gins can really stand up for themselves, and we like this gin neat with a lime garnish. We said:

“Short on botanical numbers, but high on taste. A thumping good gin that can hold its own in any company.”

Try it in the UK by buying from Amazon.

Brockmans Gin

We have a dilemma with Brockmans Gin. We think it works well with almost anything. However, taking it neat remains our preference. We prefer it with a grapefruit garnish, but it works with lemon, lime and orange too. It’s a good problem for a gin to have really. We said:

“The positive reviews alone make it worth giving Brockmans a try. A smooth gin that you can drink over ice.”

Try it in the UK by buying from Amazon.

So, there you have it. The best gins to drink neat according to whichgin.com. Have any suggestions of your own? Let us know in the comments below.