This April 9th, us here at Irish Drink Shop will be celebrating a day near and dear to our hearts: National Gin Day!

The word ‘gin’ comes from the Dutch word ‘jenever’ which means ‘juniper’. The Dutch made spirits distilled with juniper berries since the Middle Ages, mostly for medicinal purposes. Quinine, or tonic, was added over time to give the drink more sweetness, which is where the iconic cocktail first began.

In 1688, the ‘Gin-assisance’ really started and gins became popular in England.

One reason for its popularity was that King William was Dutch, and the upper classes wanted to show their support for him by drinking a Dutch spirit. He also imposed a blockade and high taxes on many alcoholic spirits, and so, the price-sensitive people under his rule moved on to gin and as a result, gin’s popularity truly took off.

The iconic G&T is a cocktail we all know and love, but there are of course numerous different iterations, with more adventurous takes on the drink using various other herbs and fruit as ingredients as well to add a unique take on the classic. So be sure to read on and mix yourself up a G&T with one of these fantastic gins. Enjoy!

 


 


1. Dingle Gin


The award-winning gin from Dingle Distillery. Made in the likeness of the classic London Dry Gin, this takes a unique spin on it by distilling in pot stills with a range of local botanicals including Rowan Berry, Fuscia, Bog Myrtle, Heather, Chervil and Hawthorn.


Serving recommendation: We recommend using Dingle Gin to create a firm favourite of ours: the Blasket! Made with Dingle Gin, Galliano, and Dolin Chambery Vermouth Rouge.


ABV: 42.5% | €37.00



 

2. Echlinville Single Estate Irish Pot Still Gin


Country Winner for Best Contemporary Gin at World Gin Awards 2021! An artisan small-batch Irish Gin from Echlinville Distillery, Co Down. This is delicately infused with a carefully selected collection of botanicals including gorse flower petals and sweet kelp seaweed. As a result, you can expect crisp zesty notes as well as floral and lavender aromas, supported by flavours of anise, juniper and coriander.

Echlinville Gin is the only lrish gin to have been awarded the coveted Three Star rating at the Great Taste Awards. Describing Echlinville Gin as ‘exceptional’, ‘quite stunning’ and ‘truly outstanding’, the judging panel stated, 'In a world filling with gins, this one stands out.”


Serving suggestion: Try this neat or enjoy with elderflower tonic, a slice of lemon and some mint.


ABV: 46% | €47.95




3. Method & Madness Gin


A much-loved Irish gin from Method & Madness! This makes use of sixteen different botanicals including black lemon and Irish gorse to create a harmoniously balanced gin that is micro-distilled in the oldest pot still in Ireland. Expect distinctive herbal and citrus notes!


Serving suggestion: Premium tonic water, lemon peel & lots of ice.


ABV: 43% | €50.00




4. Glendalough Rose Gin


Country Winner for Flavoured Gin at the World Gin Awards 2021! A rose gin from the Glendalough Distillery in Co. Wicklow that has been created using different rose petals, including Wild Rose, Heritage Rose and Damask Rose. We recommend serving up this small batch gin with premium tonic, a wedge of lime and some fresh mint leaves.


Serving suggestion: We recommend serving up this small batch gin with premium tonic, a wedge of lime and some fresh mint leaves.


ABV: 37.5% | €37.00



 


5. Tipperary Boutique Distillery Gin


Distilled on the family farm at Ballindoney, Grange, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary by Jennifer Nickerson, manager of Tipperary Boutique Distillery. Every batch of Tipperary gin is unique and handcrafted with love in the boutique stillhouse. A very citrus forward, sweet and heady, gin with strong juniper notes. Perfect to celebrate spring. It uses an unusually high volume of botanicals which, combined with a lack of chill filtration, causes a beautiful pearlescent cloud to appear when ice or tonic is added.


Serving suggestion: Make the perfect G&T with Tipperary Boutique Distillery Gin, a tall glass of ice, premium tonic water, and a curl of orange peel or a slice of grapefruit.


ABV: 40% | €35.00





6. An Dulaman Santa Ana Gin


Crafted by the wild Atlantic Sea, An Dulaman is a unique gin that captures the coast of Donegal. The Santa Ana edition is aged in Rioja barrels and bottled at traditional Armada (Navy) Strength of 57% to commemorate the loss of the Duquesa Santa Anna off Loughros Mor in 1588.


Serving suggestion: Enjoyed neat or over ice as a beautifully complex sipping gin. Pair with a premium tonic for an upgraded G&T, or with a simple dash of soda water over ice to relish the gin without any added flavours. A simple Martini is the perfect vehicle to showcase the strength and subtle notes of Santa Ana.


ABV: 57% | €55.00



 


7. Bertha's Revenge Navy Strength Gin


Joining the herd at Ballyvolane House, is the Bertha's Revenge Navy Strength Gin. A high ABV gin that is bottled at 57.1% (please note that this percent may vary slightly during batches) whereby the botanicals have been arranged to pronounce spicier notes.


Serving suggestion: We recommend sipping this gin over ice or why not try in a gimlet!


ABV: 57.1% | €42.00




 


8. Edinburgh Strawberry and Pink Peppercorn Gin Liqueur


A bright and bold Strawberry and Pink Peppercorn Gin Liqueur in both flavour and colour. This fresh and fruity expression delivers succulent strawberry sweetness followed by a soft trace of pepper and warming heat from the pink peppercorns.


Serving suggestion: Try it on its own, over ice or why not add it to some bubbles with a leaf of basil for a decadent treat!


 ABV: 20% | €23.00


 


9. Dodd's Old Tom Gin


Based upon an older style of gin, which is traditionally sweeter than London Dry gins and older Genevers. On the palate, a big liquorice root sweetness carries the juniper until the citrus notes from lemon and lime peel cut through. The finish is herbal with spiced notes from the black and green cardamom with a mellow fennel finish.


Serving suggestion: Makes a superlative Martini!


ABV: 46% | €44.00



 

10. Langley’s No. 8


Made in small batches using the purest 100% English Grain Spirit, Langley's No.8 Distilled London Gin is hand crafted specifically to let the eight selected botanicals do the talking. An old-fashioned gin at heart. Offers enticing flavours of juniper and coriander with distinctive sage notes, delicate sweetness with citrus notes, lingering liquorice, cracked black pepper, and some spicy notes.



Serving suggestion: Makes a fantastic Dry Martini when paired with a good Vermouth and also a wickedly good Gin and Tonic they call a 'G&B'. 


ABV: 41.7% | €41.99



We hope you enjoyed this blog post and are able to raise your favourite G&T for the most Gin-teresting day of the year! If all this reading made you thirsty, then be sure to check out our full range of gins on Irish Drink Shop, where we offer a wide range and are bound to have something for everyone! 


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