How to Choose an Aged Gin

16/8/2023

With a growing number of Aged Gins available, each with their own unique character, how do you choose an Aged Gin that you'll love? We take you through the key characteristics, from the base gin, the common barrel types and what flavours they impart, the length of ageing, and more.

The flavours and quality of a Cask Aged Gin are primarily determined by 4 key factors:

The flavours and character imparted by the cask;
The flavours, character and quality of the base gin;
The skill of the producer in pairing the base gin and cask type to complement each other;
The skill of the producer in identifying the ideal point of ageing.

So let's take a look at what you need to know about the cask type, the base gin, and the length of ageing to help you find your perfect Aged Gin!

1. THE CASK TYPE

We are often asked questions such as 'what does Cask Aged Gin taste like?' and 'does Cask Aged Gin taste like whisky?'. And the answer is that a key factor is the type of cask that the gin has been aged in. If a gin has been aged in an ex-Whisky cask, you can expect to detect subtle or prominent notes that you'd associate with whisky, but if the gin has been aged in an ex-Port cask it will have a very different profile.

The types of casks used for ageing gins can vary hugely, from whisky and bourbon casks, and port, sherry and red wine casks, to new American oak and European oak casks. Therefore Aged Gins can have a wide range of flavours and characters, from malty whisky and smokey notes to fruity, caramel and vanilla notes. So knowing the type of wood or cask used for ageing is key to understanding more about the character that the gin will have taken on.

Each type of cask is different and many other factors influence the character that the gin will take on, but as a broad guide, these are the types of characteristics imparted into gins from popular cask types:

New American oak cask: soft, sweet notes of vanilla and caramel.
New European oak cask: woody tannins, dry and warm spiced notes.
Bourbon cask: vanilla and honey, with subtle spice and smokey notes, and light sweetness.
Port cask: jammy red fruit sweetness, red grapes, vanilla and woody spice.
Sherry cask: rich sweetness, honey, dried fruits, and subtle vanilla, nut and spice notes.
Whisky cask: wide variety depending on the wood (typically American Oak or French Oak) and the whisky style (e.g. Scotch, Irish Whiskey, Rye Whiskey), ranging from malty and smokey notes to woody vanilla.

N.B.: Also consider if an Aged Gin has been aged with other elements, such as Palma Gin's Oak Aged Spiced Gin, aged in red wine casks with the addition of cinnamon, cloves and vanilla, or Broken Bones Borut's Special Gin which sees their Ljubljana Dragon Gin blended with a small amount of whisky before being aged.

Discover must-try gins aged in each cask type in our Aged Gin Guide.

2. THE BASE GIN

A second key element of an Aged Gin is of course the gin that is being aged. When choosing an Aged Gin, understand if the base gin is a traditional gin, a spice-led or citrus-led gin, or even an Old Tom or Flavoured Gin, as this can heavily influence the character of the finished product.

More subtle gins can result in more prominence for the characters from the cask, while bolder gins are more likely to share some of the limelight. Examples of different gin types being used include Broken Bones Old Tom Cask Finish Gin which is made with their Old Tom Gin aged in whisky casks, and Cuckoo Cask Aged Sunshine Gin, made with their Sunshine Gin which features honey and raspberries and is aged in Bourbon casks.

Especially when using bolder gins, it is down to the skill and palate of the producer to pair the base gin with an ideal cask type so that the flavours harmonise to produce an exceptional finished product.

3. LENGTH OF AGEING

Other common questions that we are asked are about the duration of ageing, especially 'how long does it take to make Aged Gin?' and 'how long should Aged Gin be in the cask for?'. Gin is typically not aged for as lengthy periods as other spirits such as rum and whisky, and it can take on the desired characters from the casks in just a few months, with most Aged Gins being aged from between 1 and 6 months. But does longer ageing make for a better Aged Gin? Not necessarily. It must be considered on a case by case basis as there are a range of factors to note:

Cask Size: gins aged in small casks have more contact with the wood and therefore the character can imparted more quickly, while it can take much longer to achieve the same from larger casks.
Desired Character: if aiming for a more subtle Aged Gin, shorter ageing may be needed, while a bolder aged character may required longer ageing. However, if it is important to note that different characters from the casks can be imparted at different stages of ageing, making the judgement of the producer a critical factor.
Cask Type & Base Gin: as well as being critical to the character of the finished product, these two factors also dictate the necessary length of ageing. A more subtle base gin may require less ageing, but equally a bolder gin may also take just short period of ageing to add the desired additional subtleties. Ageing the judgement of the producer is crucial.

So, now you're ready to find yourself your ideal Aged Gin based on these key characteristics! Head over to our Aged Gin Guide to discover more about Aged Gin, including:

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