Which Gin? Beefeater or Bombay Sapphire or Gordon's or Tanqueray?

One of the questions we're most frequently asked by gin and tonic lovers is which of the classic favourite gins we would recommend out of Tanqueray Gin, Beefeater Gin, Bombay Sapphire Gin and Gordon's Gin. Here's our guide to comparing and choosing the ideal gin for you.

While there is a plethora of diverse gins available from around the world, demand is also soaring for these popular global brands. But are they high quality gins and is there much difference between them? Well, yes and yes.
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Below, starting with our comparison table, we take you through each of these gins with key information, tasting notes, serving suggestions and our thoughts. We also asked distillers and fans of The Gin Guide which of these gins they preferred - see the results at the end of the article!

Gin Comparison Table

	BEEFEATER	BOMBAY SAPPHIRE	GORDON'S	TANQUERAY
ABV	40% (44% in US)	40% (47% in US)	37.5% (40% in US)	43.1% (47.3% in US)
Country	England	England	Scotland	Scotland
Price (70cl)	£15 - £18 ($20 - $25 USD)	£19 - £22 ($25 - $30 USD)	£13 - £16 ($15 - $20 USD)	£18 - £21 ($25 - $30 USD)
Owner	Pernod Ricard	Bacardi	Diageo	Diageo

Beefeater Gin

• ​ABV: 40%
• Distillery: Beefeater Gin Distillery (Kennington, London)​
• Price Band: £15 - £18 (70cl)
• Garnish Tip: Lemon or Orange
  
  

Beefeater Gin is an iconic gin with a history dating back to the 1860s when James Burrough bought a distillery in Chelsea. Now owned by Pernod Ricard, the distillation process and recipe used has been largely retained, produced a reliable, classic gin.

How Does it Compare: It is smooth and delivers flavours of orange and coriander and a slight sweetness. A popular option for gin and tonics and martinis. Read The Gin Guide's full review and tasting notes for Beefeater Gin.

• Buy Beefeater Gin:
  • ​UK: Amazon.co.uk or Master of Malt​​
• Also Try: Beefeater 24 Gin, Beefeater Pink Gin, Beefeater Blood Orange Gin, Beefeater Blackberry Gin
• Visit Beefeater Distillery: Beefeater Distillery Tours

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Bombay Sapphire Gin

• ABV: 40%
• Distillery: Laverstoke Mill Distillery (Hampshire, UK) 
• Price Band: £19 - £22 (70cl)
• Garnish Tip: Lime or Orange Peel
  
  

Bombay Sapphire is owned by Bacardi, has the instantly recognisable blue bottle and is the youngest of these four gins. The name refers to the popularity of gin during the British Raj in India, but the brand itself has no connection to Bombay.

How Does it Compare?: Bombay Sapphire features 10 botanicals and is slightly more aromatic on the nose and delivers more spiced, peppery and earthy notes to taste. Read The Gin Guide's full review and tasting notes for Bombay Sapphire Gin.
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• Buy Bombay Sapphire Gin: 
  • UK: Amazon.co.uk or Master of Malt​
• Also Try: Star of Bombay Gin, Bombay Dry Gin
• Visit Laverstoke Mill: Bombay Sapphire Distillery Tours

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Gordon's Gin

• ABV: 37.5%
• Distillery: Cameron Bridge Distillery (Fife, Scotland) 
• Price Band: £13 - £16 (70cl)
• Garnish Tip: Lime or Lemon
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Dating back to the 1760s and the creation of Scotsman Alexander Gordon, Gordon's Gin is 1st or 2nd highest selling gin in the world (depending on which data you read!). It is the only gin to display the royal coat of arms on its bottle, by appointment of Her Majesty the Queen.

How Does it Compare?: Gordon's Gin is dry and fresh, with a core taste of juniper and citrus being most prominent whilst not straying too far in any direction of flavour. Read The Gin Guide's full review and tasting notes for Gordon's Gin.

• Buy Gordon's Gin: 
  • ​UK: Amazon.co.uk or Master of Malt​
• Also Try: Gordon's Pink Gin, Gordon's Sloe Gin, Gordon's with Elderflower

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Tanqueray Gin

• ABV: 43.1%
• Distillery: Cameron Bridge Distillery (Fife, Scotland) 
• Price Band: £18 - £21 (70cl)
• Garnish Tip: Lime or Pink Grapefruit
  
  

Launched in London by Charles Tanqueray in the 1830s, Tanqueray is a classic London Dry Gin. Now distilled in Scotland by Diageo, the same recipe continues to be used from almost 2 centuries ago.

How Does it Compare?: The recipe includes just 4 botanicals and delivers a gin that is juniper-heavy, fresh on the nose, and dry on the palate with juniper and citrus. The highest ABV option, it makes an excellent gin and tonic. Read The Gin Guide's full review and tasting notes for Tanqueray Gin.

• Buy Tanqueray Gin: 
  • UK: Amazon.co.uk or Master of Malt​
• Also Try: Tanqueray 10 Gin, Tanqueray Rangpur Gin, Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla

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The Gin Guide Consumer Poll

In 2016 and 2019 we asked 200 gin lovers which was their favourite - Beefeater Gin, Bombay Sapphire, Gordon's Gin or Tanqueray Gin. Here's how they responded:

2016 Responses

2019 Responses

And what do Gin Distillers think? In our 'Meet the Maker' interviews we always ask distillers about their favourite gins. The most frequent response out of these popular 4 gins is... Tanqueray Gin!

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