London Dry Gin

London Dry Gin is the benchmark gin style: a gin made under strict production standards by redistilling a neutral spirit of at least 96% ABV with natural botanicals built around juniper berries and classic botanicals such as coriander seeds, angelica root, lemon peel, orange peel, and orris root, with no sugar, sweeteners, or anything sweetened permitted after distillation. The word “dry” refers to that unsweetened process; the name suggests a style rather than gin made only in London, and the difference from sweeter styles such as Old Tom Gin—an older style often sweetened with sugar or syrup—is immediate in the glass. London Dry Gin can now be made in many countries around the world, not just London. The final gin usually falls between 37.5% and 55% ABV for a crisp, aromatic, juniper-forward profile, with coriander adding spicy nuttiness and ginger-like lift, angelica root bringing musky, nutty, earthy depth, lemon and orange peel adding bright citrus, and orris root contributing a bitter, perfumed root note.

For gin enthusiasts, cocktail lovers, and anyone comparing bottles to buy, this guide explains what defines London Dry, the rules behind its distillation, how its flavor profile works, and which authentic bottles are worth considering for a cocktail, a Tom Collins, or a sip neat. Contemporary bottles may push bright citrus, floral, earthy, or spice notes, and paying attention to smell and taste is the fastest way to identify those flavors and notes in the glass—whether you want Beefeater as a classic cocktail option, Tanqueray for assertive spice, Sipsmith's Gin for floral easy drinkability, Bombay Sapphire for a Martini with lemon twist, or Citadelle for a recipe built on 19 botanicals. Gin developed from jenever, and genever is distilled from malted grains with a richer body than London Dry Gin.