5 Great Black-Owned Gin Brands to Try This Black History Month — and All Year!

February is Black History Month, an annual observance of the success and struggles of African Americans in U.S. history. Black History Month was officially observed in the U.S. in 1986 when it was declared a time “to celebrate the many achievements of African Americans in every field from science and the arts to politics and religion.” 

Here, we highlight five excellent black-owned gin brands that have made a splash in the field of spirits. Find out about these gins now, but be sure to enjoy and support them all year round!

InGenious Gin

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InGenious Gin is owned by three Navy Veterans (The Doc, The Chief and The Sir) who crafted the brand using their worldly knowledge of spirits. After deciding that none of them had ever truly fallen in love with a gin yet, they went on to produce “an intelligent spin on the original gin.”

What’s the “original gin” the brand is referring to? Why, our favorite sweetened gin style Old Tom, of course!

InGenious is made with lavender, hibiscus and juniper — other ingredients used in the brand’s “masterful blend of botanicals” are kept a cool secret. Whichever covert herbs and spices InGenious Gin is using, they yield quite the tasty gin, as consumer reviews frequently regard the spirit as smooth and sippable. As for the spirit’s rose gold hue, all color is naturally derived from a post-distillation botanical infusion. 

Enjoy this modern take on an Old Tom gin on ice or in simple cocktails that allow its floral-forward tasting notes to shine. InGenius Gin is bottled at 43.8% ABV and can be found for around $30 per 750 ml bottle.

Spearhead Spirits Bayab Gin

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Bayab Gin was created after its founders, Chris Frederick and Damola Timeyin, who noticed a lack of diverse representation in the spirits industry. With a focus of sharing the many flavors and cultures of Africa with the world, Spearhead Spirits launched Bayab Gin and Vusa Vodka.

Bayab Classic Dry Gin is made with juniper, rosemary, cinnamon, coriander, lemon peel, orange, Baobab fruit and sea salt. The spirit is bright and citrus-forward with dominant notes of herbal rosemary and tangy Baobab fruit.

Find this 43% spirit for around $30 per 70 cl bottle. Also, look at how cute that bottle is!

Other expressions of Bayab Gin include Burnt Orange & Marula and African Rose Water.

Du Nord Prominence Gin

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Du Nord Social Spirits, known as America’s first legal black-owned distillery, was founded by Chris Montana and his wife Shanelle Montana.

Du Nord Prominence Gin is made with juniper, orange, lemon, coriander, angelica, licorice and ginger for an elegant, classically dry gin profile. What stands out here is the ginger, which offers imbibers a spicy little kick to compliment the juniper’s leading notes.

In 2020, amid the pandemic and following George Floyd’s death, the spirits brand launched the Du Nord Foundation. By providing business leaders and entrepreneurs of color with immediate relief and long-term investments, the foundation addresses racial inequities and helps to “build economic justice in the Twin Cities.”

Du Nord also produces a limited edition barrel-aged gin, perfect for whiskey lovers who crave a little more caramel and vanilla. The distillery ages its Prominence gin in its whiskey casks, producing a spirit worthy of a neat sip. Or, try it out in a Negroni for a complex spin on the classic gin drink.

Find Du Nord Prominence Gin here for $37.99 and Du Nord Prominence Barreled Gin here for $44.99.

HH Bespoke Gin

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HH Bespoke Gin is produced by Harlem Haberdashery, a family-run fashion boutique that pays homage to the rich history of Harlem, New York. The company’s spirits are made in collaboration with distiller and distributor AstraLuna Brands and first launched in 2018. 

HH Bespoke Gin is a contemporary dry gin made with juniper, lavender, rose hip, cranberry and beach plum. The spirit is predominantly floral and fruity with soft notes of coriander and juniper.

Enjoy this gin in sweet gin cocktails like a Monkey Gland, Singapore Sling or a Salty Dog.

Find HH Bespoke Gin for around $50 per 750 ml bottle. The brand also sells a rum and vodka, but we of course recommend the gin. 

Tom Bullock’s Old Tom Gin

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Tom Bullock’s is owned by former NBA player Alan Henderson. The gin brand was launched in 2021 and is inspired by Tom Bullock, a prolific bartender and the first Black American to publish a cocktail recipe book.

Henderson Spirits Group “diversifies the bar” by highlighting lesser-known African Americans who have made significant contributions to the spirits world. Every bottle of the brand’s spirits prominently features each historical figure’s face, name and story.

Tom Bullock’s Old Tom Gin is imported from a 200-year-old London distillery, where it’s made with sweet lime, juniper, coriander, lemon peel, bay leaves, angelica and licorice. As an Old Tom-styled gin, anticipate a pleasant sweetness. According to the brand, this gin’s signature serve is a “dash of sugar and a squeeze of lime.”

Tom Bullock’s also sells a Burnt Orange Bourbon, so give that a go if gin isn’t your spirit of choice (it’s okay, we won’t hold that against you too much).

Find Tom Bullock’s Old Tom Gin for around $37 per 750 ml bottle.

Read next:

Bee’s Knees Cocktail: Make This Easy, Delicious Gin Drink While Reading up on Its History

What Is Old Tom Gin? The Spirited Bridge Between the Original Gin and London Dry

7 Must-Try Riffs on the Beloved Gin and Tonic

Here at Gin Raiders, we do more than write about current events in gin and spirits. We are the only media property reviewing gins and aggregating the scores and reviews of other significant voices in the gin world in one place. If you’re interested in getting a shot of gin in your morning email, sign up for our Deal of the Day newsletter.