3 Easy Ways Beginners Can Identify Quality Gin

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Gin is an essential spirit, and worth learning to love. So we reached out to two experts, bartender and cocktail educator Tiffanie Barriere, the author of the newly published cocktail book, "Good Spirits: The Joy of Cocktails and the Stories Behind Them," and Cody Nicoll, a sommelier, mixologist, and the owner of Hospitable Nicoll Inc., as well as the managing partner of Ember Live Fire Grill and co-owner of Bar Ocelli. And we asked them both how newbies can learn to identify a quality gin.

To start Barriere and Nicoll gave us some of their favorite gin brands, which can help you understand what a quality gin will taste like. Barriere says, "Tanqueray No. TEN is always in my world. I love its beautiful citrus, botanicals and structure, especially in a Martini." If you like something a little softer, Barriere recommends Plymouth Gin. If you want something versatile, she tells us, "Fords Gin is wonderfully balanced and incredibly cocktail-friendly," while adding St. George has an especially complex option that can help you appreciate all the different botanical notes gin can have.

Nicoll seconds both Tanqueray No. TEN gin and Plymouth as great places to start, and adds a few options from his native Canada. He tells us, "Empress Gin, produced by Victoria Distillers on Vancouver Island is a personal favourite," and recommends its flavored gins if that is something you are interested in, as well as Spirit of York Distillery, which uses a rye base for more spicy notes.

The hints of gin quality are on the label. Barriere notes, "Location is always exciting when choosing a gin, just like anything else you purchase," and local variations in ingredients can be a sign of craft. For starters Barriere says, "wherever it's made, juniper must be present for it to be gin," and that, along with other ingredients, should be clear on the label. The best gins will be open about exactly where they are distilled, not just bottled, how strong they are, and what the flavor profile is. Barriere explains, "Citrus, flowers, herbs, roots, spices. I love seeing ingredients that make my eyes excited before I even open the bottle."

However Nicoll notes, "unfortunately labels don't always tell the true story." He explains that many distillers use artificial flavors and colors. Instead he recommends additional research for popular gin brands, saying "consumers must educate themselves on the producers, and raw ingredients used in the process of making good quality gin."

There is one thing both Nicoll and Barriere agree you should not rely on: price. Barriere says, "I don't believe price automatically equals quality," adding, "there are fantastic gins at approachable prices and expensive bottles that simply may not be for you." And if you are still worried about the price Nicoll says, "typically I would recommend leaning into the mid-tier priced gins, as they can be the best bang for your buck in terms of quality versus price."

The first place you will really detect a quality gin is the fragrance. And because smell has such a big effect on how we taste, getting a whiff of your gin's aroma before you sip your drink will make the experience that much better.

There are quite a few different scents a good gin can have, with Barriere telling us to look out for, "Juniper! Citrus peel, flowers, herbs, spice, roots, even tea depending on the gin." It's actually a good sign if you take a whiff and the glass almost smells like a spice cabinet, as that's a sign of depth and complexity. You can even take note of what jumps out at you more strongly than the piney juniper that forms the backbone, and which are more subtle than the juniper. These won't be the same in every gin, but being able to sense them is good sign of the balance a distiller has achieved.

There are red flags as well. Nicoll notes that because there are so many aromatics and botanicals that can be used in gin, no one note is a sign of quality, but he says, "I will typically look for the presence of undesirable aromatic notes, like nail polish remover." Smells like that can indicate the base spirit of the gin was low quality. For Barriere the red flag is smelling flat, telling us, "I'm looking for definition and something that doesn't smell like water."

Finally it's time to take a drink. So take a whiff, sip, and let the gin fully coat your tongue before swallowing. You can also look out for texture, as some gins will be more crisp, or smooth and oily than others. Pay attention to how the flavors develop on your palette. Not just what you taste when it first hits you, but how the notes reveal themselves and linger at the end.

Nicoll tells us, "There aren't necessarily specific aromatic notes that I look for that indicate a good quality gin, primarily because so many different unique botanicals can be used in different variations, depending on the style of gin." London dry, which is the most common style of gin, will have that juniper flavor, along with citrus, and herbs, and finish dry. However newer more modern gin brands often tone down on the juniper and emphasize other botanicals.

So what should you look for? Barriere says, "Think about what a tea bag does when it hits hot water. Every flavor opens up." She says with a good gin, you have citrus, herbs, florals, and you want to taste each one on your palette, explaining that "It should feel like a party, but everybody at the party still has their own personality." Nicoll adds that no flavor should overwhelm the others saying, "As bartenders we're always looking for balance."

Of course a gin isn't truly great if it doesn't work in your favorite cocktails, so trying a few recipes out is the final test. Nicoll says two classics are perfect for showcasing different sides of a gin. He explains, "a great way to introduce someone to gin is with a simple gin & tonic, or club soda if tonic is not appealing to a consumer's palate," although he notes that tonic has a lot of sugar, so you may want to try club soda instead. If you want a drink that is more gin-forward, Nicoll suggests the classic martini, with just some dry vermouth, and a twist of lemon or an olive. If you want to cut the gin with a little vodka, he says, "the vesper martini, popularized by the James Bond franchise, is also a wonderful variation of the martini."

Barriere also says a gin and tonic is the place to start, but adds that juices like grapefruit or lemonade are great as easy-drinking options too. She also has two more popular cocktails to try, suggesting a gimlet or a classic Tom Collins. But she also notes that you shouldn't be tied down by the classics, telling us, "gin is one of the most exciting spirits because there's so much room to smell, taste, explore, and find your own lane," adding, "a good gin should give you options. Explore it!"