Netherlands

35,0cl. 40,0% Aviation Gin, Oregon Our second gin comes from over Stateside. Although gin is distinctly European in origin, America has created its own unique expressions. Often made by distilleries to keep things ticking over while they wait for their whiskeys to age, American gin has now created an identity all of its own, and Aviation has taken it one step further. Juniper is widely considered to be the very heart, soul and lifeblood of gin so, for Aviation founders Ryan Magarian and Christian Krogstad, to relegate it to merely a note in the background is a brave step into the unknown. Sharing the stage in equal measure with juniper are sarsaparilla, orange peel, coriander, cardamom, anise and lavender. And this bold move has certainly paid off, garnering an aggregated score of 90 points from our critics. If you are looking for a unique gin with a bit of a twist, then look no further – for an average of $31, this will give any cocktail a bit of a lift.

70,0cl. 40,0%

70,0cl. 40,0% Zuidam Dry Gin, Netherlands Our first gin fittingly comes from the Netherlands. Founded in 1975 by Fred van Zuidam, the distillery started small, comprising of one copper still and a production line – all in all covering just 300 square meters. Since those early days, the distillery has expanded to 3600 square meters, four copper stills and the enlistment of his wife and sons. So family aside, what of their gin? The Zuidam Dutch Courage Dry Gin is distilled from nine carefully selected botanicals, starting with juniper berries and orris root from Italy, coriander from Morocco, lemons, oranges and angelica from Spain, licorice root from India, and, finally, cardamom and vanilla bean from Madagascar. The resulting spirit has won several awards at the highest level and with a score of 91 points from our aggregated critics, it is the highest scoring on our list. Not bad for an average price of $22.