Gin sips well all year round, but the spirit lends itself particularly well to summer: ice cold Martinis with a twist, Gin & Tonics, and French 75s are all excellent drinks for hot weather and long evenings spent sipping with friends. And while it’s easy to get into a rut by enjoying the same classic bottles over and over, gin is an expressive medium for all kinds of botanicals and spices. To find some inspiration for the summer gins we should all be sipping, we asked bartenders to name their go-to bottles right now. Here’s what they said.
Go-to gin, according to bartenders:
- East Indies Gin
- Arbikie Scottish Gin
- St. George Spirits’ Terroir Gin
- Revivalist Equinox Gin
- Portobello Road Gin
- Bombay Sapphire
- Sipsmith London Dry Gin
- Fords Gin
- Tanqueray No. 10
- Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin
- Boatyard Double Gin
- Roku Gin
- Branchwater Farms Gin
- Neversink Gins
- Castle and Key Roots of Ruin London Dry Gin
- Porter’s Modern Classic
- Atwater Cocktail Club Drunken Orange
“My favorite locally made go-to gin is East Indies Gin, which showcases locally sourced ingredients from Indonesia such as kecombrang, ginger flower, and andaliman pepper. It’s such a unique gin, and is sure to surprise and delight as you imbibe. It works well in a Gin & Tonic, garnished best with ginger flower or a slice of lime. A simple Gimlet spotlights more of its botanicals, while it stands out most when you make a Negroni or Hanky-Panky.” —Panji Wisrawan, head mixologist of Apéritif Bar at Viceroy Bali, Bali, Indonesia
“Gin is the ultimate spice rack. They are all so different and add their own unique qualities to any cocktail. The Japanese are making less juniper-heavy gins that are nice to use in cocktails. I sip on a Scottish gin called Arbikie. Just mix with a little Angostura bitters, and you have a Pink Gin. It’s the new tequila shot.” —Jason Jeffords, beverage director, Pando Park and Pando 39, New York City
“When thinking of gin outside of tonic, a lot of bartenders would note that gin is typically a spirit that excels most in a mixed cocktail. I tend to think the same way when I look at gins to bring into [a streamlined] bar program. Gins that have simplified recipes tend to highlight the cocktail as a whole as opposed to any single ingredient. My exception to this would be Revivalist Equinox Gin. A semi-local PA spirit, Revivalist has many expressions that take inspiration from seasonal ingredients and flavor profiles. Equinox has the juniper bomb that gin is known most for, predominantly in the aromatics. On the tongue, though, it starts up with big punches of citrus, then mellows out with refreshing notes of mint and spiced, grassy herbs. It has become one of my favorite gins to incorporate into our house cocktail menu, doing most of the work in the spirit and elevating simple, modern riffs of mules and gimlets. A testament to how using quality ingredients in the spirit and in the cocktail can make all the difference.” —Matthew Myers, beverage director, Fabrika, Philadelphia
“Portobello Road. A very spice-forward London Dry, which is my favorite style of gin. The flavors hold up in cocktails and stand out in Gin & Tonics. Just a perfect gin in my opinion.” —Derek Tormes, general manager & beverage director, Joliet & Tropezon, Miami
“My go-to gin would be Bombay Sapphire. It is a classic and incredibly versatile for mixing or alone in Martinis. Botanical and refreshing, it’s a crowd favorite.” —Daniel Bishop, head sommelier and beverage director, Fiola Miami, Miami
“Our barometer for go-to gin is versatility, value, and integrity. Sipsmith London Dry Gin checks all three of these boxes. Distilled with a historical London Dry Gin-style purity in mind, this gin is equally at home in a dry Martini, Negroni, Tom Collins, or other classic gin cocktail. It’s delicious!” —Brandon Ristaino, co-founder and beverage director, Good Lion Hospitality, Santa Barbara, Calif.
“Tanqueray 10 is my Martini gin. Super light and crisp, and isn’t afraid of juniper. I also love Fords Gin for a G&T. Has a great roundness to it.” —Kimberly Patton Bragg, beverage director, Palm&Pine, New Orleans
“Tanqueray No. 10 is my go-to for an all-purpose gin. With high citrus notes and botanicals, it is just a super-versatile gin for any classic gin cocktail: Martinis, Gin & Tonics, etc.” —Simon Sebbah, beverage director, Grand Tour Hospitality, New York City
“My go to gin is Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin. It’s a great gin because it has more herbal and citrus flavors compared to the typical juniper. On the palate, you get interesting flavors of green tea and citrus notes that makes it a great gin to use in cocktails, and it’s easy to pair it with sushi. We feature it in one of our most popular cocktails called a Lychee Lover, which is a riff on a lychee Martini. Drumshanbo also goes great in a French 75 or Last Word.” —Brian Christie, assistant general manager and beverage manager, Union New American, Tampa, Fla.
“Boatyard Double Gin came to the U.S. market a couple of years ago and has quickly become a favorite for many bartenders, myself included. It is a beautiful classic gin where the botanicals come through nicely, but not in an overpowering way. It makes a smooth and clean Martini but also has enough power to stand out in shaken citrus cocktails. For me, a gin needs to highlight the classic juniper and citrus botanicals, and Boatyard really does that well. Definitely one to try and have at home or in your bar.” —Sondre Kasin, principal bartender, Cote Korean Steakhouse, New York City
“I find that Roku gin offers the most versatility when making cocktails. It drinks like a London Dry, with the key botanicals really showcasing the citrus notes, but the gin itself is well balanced. Roku is at its best when served neat, but also makes a great Negroni. And if that’s not enough, it’s very fairly priced, which is a good thing for gin lovers because you’ll be going back for more, and often.” —Kevin Bratt, concept wine director, Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
“The same gin that makes a great Martini does not make a great Dirty Martini, and super-floral gins don’t necessarily play well in other spirit-forward cocktails such as Negronis, for example. We love supporting local producers when we can at Ilili NYC, and Branchwater Farms and Neversink Gins from the Hudson Valley are both excellent examples of very different gins. The former is produced using grain grown entirely on Branchwater Farms and run on a still designed by the great Austrian distiller Hans Reisetbauer. The Neversink is made entirely [from] New York State apples and showcases a nuanced apple quality that shines quietly through the spirit despite no post-distillation apples being added.” —Chris Struck, beverage director, Ilili NYC, New York City
“I’d have to say Gunpowder Drumshanbo Gin is one of my current favorites. The light use of botanicals in this gin helps create the most flavorful yet delicate cocktails. Hints of gunpowder tea bring forward all the right notes for a bright green tea-esque cocktail, making it one of my favorite go-to’s.” —Erin Green, bartender, Haven, Tampa, Fla.
“Currently, my favorite gin has to be Bombay Sapphire. At 47 percent ABV, you can feel the gin’s heat even in cocktails on the fruitier side. I’m a huge fan of gins that primarily have citrus-forward notes, such as this one, while still maintaining the balance of a floral aroma without an overpowering amount of juniper like other gins. Citrus-forward gins are great for many reasons: The citrus gives a fresh feeling to my favorite cocktail, the dry Martini, and is a great complement to sour gin cocktails.” —Andy Cabrera, Bartender, Café La Trova, Miami
“My go-to gin is Roku Gin. It is a Japanese gin that uses only six botanicals, including yuzu, lemon, and cherry blossoms. I love using it in craft cocktails because it’s bright and lightly floral, and therefore doesn’t overpower the other ingredients. It’s especially delicious in a Martini with a lemon twist.” —Bernadette James, sommelier, Stages at One Washington and The Living Room, Dover, N.H.
“When it comes to gin selection for cocktail curation, I typically attempt to find a gin that marries whatever flavor combination I’m obsessing over at the moment. But no matter which direction I take a cocktail, I can count on Castle and Key Roots of Ruin London Dry Gin to enhance my recipe. With notes of ginger, chamomile, and rosemary, this spirit can take any ‘basic’ or classic gin cocktail up a notch.” —Em Sego, food and beverage manager, Hotel Genevieve, Louisville, Ky.
“My go-to gin is Dorothy Parker from New York Distilling, found right in my own backyard. I love to support local brands any chance I get, and Dorothy Parker in particular makes a high-quality spirit while also being very involved in both the industry and the neighborhood.” —Brenda Riepenhoff, head bartender, Thief and Thief LES, New York City
“There’s a reason Porter’s Modern Classic lives in our well at Gair, and it’s simple: The gin is absolutely delicious. Resting somewhere in the space between London dry and modern, it’s bright and citrus-forward, with the unique and delightful addition of Buddha’s Hand as an incredible botanical. It’s crisp enough to utilize in any classic cocktail, and round and bold enough to hold its own in savory beverages like dirty Martinis. I can’t say enough kind words about this spirit, and I hope it finds a place in more bars across the world.” —Rob Struthers, Beverage Director, Gair, New York City
“When it comes to mixing cocktails, I like a very streamlined gin. With so many varieties with such varying flavor profiles available now, it can be difficult to balance [blend] with other ingredients. Fords Gin is a classic style London dry gin with a juniper-forward bouquet that gives me the flavor and workability I look for. Easily acquired with a great price point, Fords Gin is a go-to for myself and at Apotheke.” —Nicolas O’Connor, director of mixology and culinary arts, Apotheke NoMad, Los Angeles
“My go-to gin for this summer is the Atwater Cocktail Club Drunken Orange. I love it for the warmer months because it has big bold notes of orange and bergamot that play really well in refreshing and citrus-y summer crushers, while still having enough of a juniper backbone to stand out as a proper gin.” —Thomas Yeo, co-owner and bartender, Bon Délire, Montreal
