The easiest way to choose a gin is to start with what you already enjoy tasting, then match the style to how you plan to drink it. If you like pine and citrus, look for a juniper-forward gin. If you prefer something softer, floral or fruity, look for a contemporary gin. Then check the label, and pour it the way it was made to be poured. This guide takes you through that process step by step, so the bottle you bring home is one you will finish.
TL;DR
- Decide how much juniper you like. It is the one botanical every gin must have, and it sets the style more than anything else.
- Read the botanicals, not the brand. Citrus, florals, spice and native Australian ingredients tell you what the gin will taste like.
- Match the bottle to the use: a G&T, a Martini, a Negroni, a gift or an event each favour a different profile.
- Spirits in Australia don’t have to list ingredients, so ask the maker if additives or colouring matter to you.
- Buy a bottle you can taste in three ways: neat, with tonic and in a simple cocktail.
Table of Contents
- Start with juniper: how much do you want?
- The main gin styles, in plain words
- Read the botanicals, they tell you the flavour
- How production changes what you taste
- Choose by how you will drink it
- Choosing a gin if you are new to it
- Choosing a gin as a gift or for an event
- What the label can and cannot tell you
- Does price tell you which gin is better?
- A simple way to match a gin to you
- Where our gins fit
- Our view: flavour first
- FAQ
- Sources
Start with juniper: how much do you want?
Every gin is built around juniper. According to WSET, it is the only botanical legally required to be in gin, and it gives gin its pine-like quality. Everything else is the distiller’s choice.
That makes juniper the best first question. Ask yourself:
- Do I like the smell of pine, rosemary or a fresh forest? Then you will probably enjoy a juniper-forward gin.
- Do I find classic gin harsh or “perfumey”? Then a gin where juniper sits behind citrus, flowers or fruit will suit you better.
- Am I not sure? Then start in the middle, with a balanced gin where juniper is present but not shouting.
If you are curious about how far a gin can move away from juniper while still being gin, we explored it in our piece on gins that get close to “no juniper”. The short answer is that Australian law still expects juniper to be there.
The main gin styles, in plain words
You do not need to memorise every category. Four or five cover almost everything on the shelf.
| Style | What to expect | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| London Dry | Juniper-dominant, crisp, dry, often citrusy | G&T, Martini, Negroni |
| Contemporary | Juniper takes a back seat; floral, fruity, savoury or spicy | G&T with a twist, sipping, creative cocktails |
| Pink or fruit-led | Softer, often sweeter or fruitier, sometimes naturally coloured | Spritzes, lemonade serves, gifts |
| Old Tom | Slightly rounded, a touch sweeter | Tom Collins, Martinez |
| Barrel-aged | Warmer, rounder, a little spice from the wood | Sipping, Negroni |
The Wine Companion guide to gin describes London Dry as the juniper-dominant style and contemporary gin as the category where juniper is not dominant, with wine, pink and barrel-aged gins as further options. It adds that contemporary examples range from savoury and salty to fruity and vibrant.
It also notes that contemporary gin has become the largest category in Australia, with an emphasis on non-juniper botanicals such as lemon myrtle, pepperberry, macadamia and seaweed. In other words, if you are buying in Australia, you will meet a lot of contemporary gins, and it helps to know what that label really means.
For a deeper walk through each style and how to read them on a label, see our guide to seven gin styles.
Read the botanicals, they tell you the flavour
The botanicals are the most honest preview of what is in the glass. A rough translation:
- Citrus peel (lemon, orange, grapefruit, finger lime): bright, fresh, easy to drink with tonic.
- Florals (lavender, rose, hibiscus, chamomile): soft and aromatic, lovely in a spritz.
- Spice (coriander seed, pepper, cardamom, cassia): warmth and dryness, good in stirred drinks.
- Native Australian botanicals (lemon myrtle, pepperberry, wattleseed): a sense of place, from lemony and herbal to peppery.
- Earthy and savoury (seaweed, olive, roots): salty or herbal, often best in a Martini or sipped.
If you want a closer look at one popular native ingredient, our article on lemon myrtle gin covers its flavour and how to pick a bottle.
Not every botanical listed on a bottle will be loud. Brands list what goes in, but the balance decides what you taste. That is why the second step is to look at how the gin is made.
How production changes what you taste
Two gins with the same botanical list can taste quite different, because the distiller’s choices shape the result. WSET explains that distillers decide whether to distil botanicals together or separately, whether to macerate or boil them, or use vapour infusion, and which cut points to use to collect different aromatic compounds.
BKWine’s production overview outlines the three main methods: distilling botanicals straight in diluted spirit, macerating them in diluted spirit before distilling, and vapour infusion, which gives a lighter, subtler style. It also points out that the timing of the cut points matters, because different aromatic compounds evaporate at different times.
What does that mean at the bottle shop?
- A gin that describes a hands-on, small-batch process is usually trying for a defined, expressive flavour rather than a neutral one.
- A vapour-infused gin tends to feel lighter and more delicate, which suits people new to gin.
- A bolder, more oily style often comes from distilling the botanicals directly in the spirit.
We go into more detail in how each distillation method shapes flavour.
Choose by how you will drink it
This is where most buying decisions are actually made, and it is the part many guides skip.
For a gin and tonic
A G&T is forgiving, which is why it is the best test of a new gin. Citrus-led and balanced gins work well. A very floral gin can turn soapy with the wrong tonic, so keep the tonic simple and cold. Garnish with something that echoes a botanical on the label: a strip of lemon peel for a citrus gin, a sprig of rosemary for a herbal one.
For a Martini or Negroni
Stirred drinks need structure. Choose a juniper-forward, dry gin. Its backbone stands up to vermouth and bitter Campari, where a delicate floral gin would simply disappear. If you want to taste what that looks like, we put together a tasting of three juniper-forward gins from our Denim Collection.
For long drinks and spritzes
Fruity, floral or pink gins shine here. Add soda, a little citrus and plenty of ice. They are also a good starting point if someone says they “don’t really like gin”.
For sipping
Look for depth: a gin with a long finish, and perhaps a barrel-aged or savoury profile. WSET suggests judging complexity by how flavour develops in the mouth and on the finish, and notes that quality gins have a well-defined, expressive aroma and a lingering finish. Try it neat at room temperature and then with a single ice cube.
Choosing a gin if you are new to it
Beginners often ask for the smoothest gin. Smoothness is partly personal, but a few guidelines help:
- Go for balance over intensity. A gin with a gentle juniper note and a citrus or floral lift is easier to enjoy than a very piney one.
- Try a contemporary or fruit-led style first. These tend to be softer and less sharp.
- Drink it long. Tonic or soda with plenty of ice makes any gin more approachable.
- Taste before you commit. Ask a bottle shop if you can try a sample, or buy a smaller bottle.
If you are weighing gin against another white spirit, our four steps for choosing between gin and vodka is built around flavour, not hype.
Choosing a gin as a gift or for an event
A good gift gin is one the person will actually use, and you do not have to know their taste to get it right.
- For a confident gin drinker: choose something distinctive, such as a native-botanical gin or a limited release.
- For someone who “doesn’t like gin”: a pink or fruit-led gin is a friendly entry.
- For a home bartender: a juniper-forward dry gin is the most versatile for classic cocktails.
- For someone who cares about ingredients: look for a gin that is vegan, gluten free and free of added colours and sugar, and check the maker’s own statements.
For events, think about how much you need before you think about which gin. Our guide on how much gin to pour, mix and buy will help you work out quantities for a party, and it is also worth knowing that standard drinks matter in Australia when you are planning how people will get home. Offering two gins, one classic and one contemporary, covers most guests.
What the label can and cannot tell you
Labels are useful, but they leave things out. Under Standard 2.7.5 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, a spirit, gin included, is a potable alcoholic distillate that can contain added water, sugars, honey or spices.
That is why “natural” claims deserve a closer look. According to a summary of Australian spirit labelling rules, spirits do not have to carry a full list of ingredients, though specified allergens must be declared, and labels must not mislead. The same source notes that you can ask suppliers or bottlers for written advice on additives and production processes.
So if any of these matter to you, ask the maker directly:
- Is the colour natural, or added?
- Is any sugar added after distillation?
- Is the gin vegan and gluten free? (Our article on whether gin is vegan in Australia shows how to check.)
- Where do the botanicals come from?
A maker who is proud of the process will answer plainly. If you also care about the environmental side, see what counts as sustainable gin and what doesn’t.
Does price tell you which gin is better?
Not on its own. Price reflects ingredients, batch size, the distilling method and packaging, as well as marketing. A sensible approach is to set a budget, then spend it on a gin that suits how you drink. A mid-priced gin that you love in a G&T will always beat an expensive one you never reach for.
Two habits keep you out of trouble. First, avoid buying a big bottle of anything you have not yet tasted. Second, favour makers who tell you what is in the bottle and how it was made. For gins sold by us, current pricing is on each product page, so you can compare without guessing.
A simple way to match a gin to you
If you want a quick decision, run through this checklist:
- Pick your juniper level: high, medium or low.
- Pick your flavour direction: citrus, floral, spice, native, savoury.
- Pick your main serve: G&T, stirred cocktail, spritz or sipping.
- Check the label and ask the maker about colour, sugar and dietary needs.
- Buy one bottle, taste it three ways, then decide what to add next.
Here is how that might look in practice:
- You love a crisp G&T with lots of lemon: a juniper-forward, citrus-led gin.
- You want something to impress a friend who loves bold flavours: a contemporary gin with native botanicals.
- You are buying for a Negroni fan: a dry, structured gin with a firm juniper backbone.
- You are choosing for a spritz-loving host: a pink or fruit-led gin.
Where our gins fit
We make our gins in small batches from natural, locally sourced botanicals, and they are vegan and gluten free. Our Denim Collection is built so each bottle has its own clear character: Dry Cut for a classic, dry style, Slim Crop for a different expression, and Pink Fit for a naturally coloured option. If you are still undecided, our personalised gin match quiz on the site is a quick way to narrow it down, and you can browse everything in our full gin range. Planning something bigger? We also supply retailers, bars and venues.
Our view: flavour first
We have found that people choose better when they stop asking which gin is best and start asking which gin is best for them. That is the idea behind everything we do: tailor-made spirits, naturally vibrant.
We distil with a flavour-first approach. We choose botanicals thoughtfully, we care about the cut points and the balance, and we leave out additives, so that what you taste comes from the plants and the process. A gin should be expressive without being loud and distinctive without being difficult. If a bottle is balanced and you want another glass, it has done its job.
Our advice is simple: buy for your palate, ask the maker questions, and taste a gin three ways before you judge it.
— Winston
FAQ
What gin should I buy if I am not sure what I like?
Start with a balanced gin where juniper is present but not dominant, with a citrus or floral lift. Try it with tonic first, then in a simple cocktail. Our personalised gin match quiz can also point you to a style.
What is the smoothest gin to drink?
Smoothness is personal, but softer, fruit-led or contemporary gins and vapour-infused styles usually feel gentler than punchy, juniper-heavy ones. Serving a gin long, with plenty of ice, makes it feel smoother again.
Is a London Dry gin always the best choice?
No. London Dry is a reliable choice for Martinis, Negronis and classic G&Ts because of its juniper backbone. If you prefer floral, fruity or native-botanical flavours, a contemporary gin may suit you better.
Do I need to pay a lot to get a good gin?
Not necessarily. Choose by flavour and use first, then set a budget. Makers who explain their botanicals and process are usually a good sign, whatever the price.
Can I tell if a gin has additives from the label?
Not always. Spirits in Australia do not have to list ingredients, so if added colour or sugar matters to you, contact the maker and ask for written confirmation.
Sources
- Understanding flavours in gin, WSET
- Introduction to Gin and Types, Wine Companion
- The Renaissance of Gin, 2: Production of Gin, BKWine
- Food Standards Code Compilation, May 2025, FSANZ
- Labelling requirements for spirits in Australia
