The 6 Best Gins We Tasted in December 2023

As December concludes and we ring in the new year, we here at Gin Raiders would like to commend the exceptional gins we’ve tasted this month, whether freshly released or just crossing our desk for the first time.

For those new to Gin Raiders, we evaluate gins based on our Chief Spirits Critic Jay West‘s reviews, aggregated reviews from other reputable critics and our managing editor’s tasting notes. If a gin has been reviewed by enough experts, you’ll see an average score in the top left corner of its spirit image. Read more about our process here.

Out of the juniper spirits sampled in December 2023, these six stood out as our favorites!

6. Purity Old Tom 34 Gin

This Old Tom gin comes to us from Purity Distillery in Sweden. There, the spirits producer employs Leif Nerhammars’ revolutionary copper surface distillation method, maximizing contact between spirits and copper for elevated purification and flavor extraction.

Old Tom gin, a classic gin style, originated in 18th-century England. Sweeter than London Dry, it bridges the gap between the latter and the earlier genever style. Typically featuring a touch of sweetness, it has experienced a revival in the modern craft cocktail scene, offering a historical twist to mixology.

If you’re new to Old Tom gins, Purity’s is a great entry into the category with its candied floral palate, supported by notes of cacao, licorice and basil. Due to its style’s historical nature, this cane-sugar-sweetened gin is begging to be in a Martinez, the predecessor to the modern-day martini.

Find Purity Old Tom 34 Gin for about $30 here.

5. Warner’s Rhubarb Flavoured Gin

In December, United Kindgom-based distillery Warner’s officially entered the U.S. market with four of its award-winning expressions. Out of these four, its Rhubarb Flavoured Gin stood out as the juiciest — perhaps because 1/3 of every bottle is real rhubarb juice. Yum.

Incredibly tangy, richly fruity and just the right amount of sweet, this charming pink gin is a stellar pick for anyone on the fence about flavored gins. And unlike the cloying and artificially flavored expressions that are known to pop up in the category, Warner’s Rhubarb Flavoured Gin has a pleasant boozy quality at 40% ABV. Serve it simply with soda water and some softly muddled fresh strawberries.

Find Warner’s Rhubarb Flavoured Gin for just $32.99. Read more about Warner’s Distillery, a B Corp-certified business, in our “Top 7 Eco-Friendly Gin Brands” roundup.

4. Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin

Aggregated Reviews

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, hailing from Ireland’s The Shed Distillery, stands as a highly awarded spirit renowned for its global botanical infusion. This includes juniper from Macedonia, meadowsweet from Drumshanbo, cardamom from India, coriander seed from Romania, orris root from Morocco and star anise from China. These worldly ingredients join the gin with a slow distillation in medieval copper pot stills, while gunpowder tea and three different citruses are vapor-infused.

With tasting notes of green tea, bright juniper, makrut lime, grapefruit and herbal meadowsweet, this 43%-ABV spirit is truly a superstar in the modern gin scene. Mix it into any number of gin classics, or get creative with some craft cocktails in need of a citrus zing.

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin is easily available for under $40.

3. Tommyrotter Cask Strength Bourbon-Barrel Gin

Aggregated Reviews

Tommyrotter Distillery in Buffalo, New York, ages its American Gin for over a year in virgin White American Oak char #3 barrels to produce this amber-hued sipper.

Barrel-aged gin undergoes a transformative journey as it rests in wooden casks, adopting rich, nuanced flavors from the aging process. The infusion of botanicals and spices, combined with the influence of the barrel, creates a distinct and complex profile that helps set the category apart in the world of spirits.

Tasting notes for this barrel-aged darling include crisp pine, lime zest, oak, cinnamon and warm baking spices. Bottled at a cask strength of 61% ABV, serve this over a big chunk of ice or get creative with a gin-based old fashioned. As with most aged gins, this one also works in cocktails that call for dark rum, bourbon and rye whiskey.

A bottle of Tommyrotter Cask Strength Bourbon-Barrel Gin can be purchased for around $50.

2. Purity Navy Strength 34 Gin

Purity Distillery’s Navy Strength Gin rests at 57.1% ABV. This bold expression is made using the brand’s Purity Craft Nordic 34 Dry Gin, which spotlights thyme, basil, blueberry and lingonberry.

Navy strength gin, originating in the 18th century, carries a robust legacy and a minimum alcohol content of 57%. Rooted in Royal Navy tradition, it ensured gunpowder could ignite even in the case of gin spilling on top of it during sea voyages. This bold spirit, born from necessity, now entices adventurous gin enthusiasts with a distinctive and powerful flavor profile.

Purity’s navy strength offers oodles of effervescent juniper, warm aromatic herbs notes and a shockingly long finish. As with any properly punchy Navy Strength gin, you’ll want to temper this one with keen mixology. We suggest using it to craft a Negroni or Gimlet.

Find Purity Navy Strength 34 Gin for $36.99.

1. Warner’s Harrington Dry Gin

Aggregated Reviews

Another fantastic gin from Warner’s, Harrington Dry stands as the brand’s flagship expression. This 44%-ABV spirit is made using spring water from the distillery’s farm (as all of its gins are), alongside juniper, coriander seed, elderflower, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, angelica root, orange peel, lemon peel — and a secret ingredient (is it love?).

We particularly appreciated this one for how its bottle’s label, describing the gin as “aromatic, smooth & spiced,” was incredibly accurate. With a nose like elderflower perfume, an ultra-silky mouthfeel and tingly smacks of black pepper and nutmeg, you’re going to want to sip this one neat! Of course, if you’re one for mixing, you’ll have to go with a British classic and unite this joy of a gin with high-quality tonic water and your favorite citrus.

Warner’s Harrington Dry Gin can be yours for $34.99.

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