Spiced Gin Guide
'Must Try' Spiced Gins, Reviews & Cocktails
Discover 'must try' Spiced Gins, how to choose a Spiced Gin, the history of Spiced Gins, ideal garnishes, serving suggestions and more in our ultimate guide to classic Spiced Gins - covering Traditional and Winter Spiced Gins. You can also explore contemporary spiced gins inspired by the flavours of Asia in our guide to Asian Spiced Gins. Whether you are a seasoned drinker of Spiced Gins or exploring them for the first time, there's something new and interesting to enjoy.
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Introduction to Spiced Gins
Especially since the 1600s, and ahead of gin's production reaching its previous peak in the UK in the mid-1700s, spices such as cinnamon, ginger, peppers and nutmeg have been brought to Europe from Asia and increasingly used in recipes for food and of course also gin. In recent years the popularity of more boldly spiced gins has risen greatly, from seasonal editions for Autumn, Winter and Christmas with warming spices such as cloves, nutmeg and ginger, to contemporary Asian Spiced Gins with spices such as peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise and cardamom. There are also a rising number of Chilli Gins infused with hot chillis for a fiery flavour profile and you can find out more about these in our upcoming Chilli Gin Guide.
Classic Spiced Gins: A-Z
Discover 14 of the best Spiced Gins available in the UK and internationally, from Cuckoo Spiced Gin from Lancashire and Ludlow Spiced Gin from Shropshire through to Edelwhite Winter Gin from Switzerland and Palma Spiced Gin from Mallorca, Spain. While not all of the classic Spiced Gins listed below were part of The Gin Guide Awards 2024, the acclaimed Winners in the Spiced Gin category this year are each highlighted as a TGGA 2024 Winner to help you pick them out.
- Click on each distillery name for more information about the distilleries, interviews with the distillers, and more.
- Click on the 'Buy' button to visit the website of the distillery or their preferred retailer.
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How to Choose a Spiced Gin
A great place to start is to look for Spiced Gins from distilleries and brands that you already know and enjoy, or if you're looking for something new or different, here are some key considerations to help you make the perfect choice:
The Type of Spices
A key variation in Spiced Gin is in the spices in them, with every distillery having their own combination and recipe. If you're looking for a warming winter spiced gin, recipes including cloves, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon will be right up your street (and be sure to read our Christmas Gin Guide for some festive options too). For flavour profiles inspired by Asian gastronomy, look for gins featuring start anise, Kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass, cassia bark and cardamom. Gins prominently featuring ginger, peppercorns or chilli may give you a spicier and more fiery flavour profile, while gins focused on cinnamon, cassia bark and cardamom will fit the bill nicely if you're looking for something with softer, aromatic spice.
Spiced Gins with a Twist
As well as classic Spiced Gins, you can also discover a wealth of wonderful Spiced Gins with a twist. For example, gins combining spices with fruits, including St Giles Spiced Orange & Cranberry Gin, Taplin & Mageean Spiced Orange Gin, and Junimperium's Winter Gin which features spices and lingonberries. Some Spiced Gins are aged in barrels or with wood from casks, such as Palma Spiced Gin, others are inspired by baking recipes such as GWYR Bara Brith Gin, and you can even get high ABV Spiced Gins such as Inspirited Navy Strength Spiced Gin (57.1% ABV).
Awarding Winning Spiced Gins
If you'd like to try the Spiced Gins that entered The Gin Guide Awards 2024 and were Winners in the Spiced Gin category, be sure to try AmberChes Christmas Gin from Australia, Goldings Christmas London Dry Gin from England, and James Gin's Asian Parsnip Gin from England.
The Type of Spices
A key variation in Spiced Gin is in the spices in them, with every distillery having their own combination and recipe. If you're looking for a warming winter spiced gin, recipes including cloves, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon will be right up your street (and be sure to read our Christmas Gin Guide for some festive options too). For flavour profiles inspired by Asian gastronomy, look for gins featuring start anise, Kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass, cassia bark and cardamom. Gins prominently featuring ginger, peppercorns or chilli may give you a spicier and more fiery flavour profile, while gins focused on cinnamon, cassia bark and cardamom will fit the bill nicely if you're looking for something with softer, aromatic spice.
Spiced Gins with a Twist
As well as classic Spiced Gins, you can also discover a wealth of wonderful Spiced Gins with a twist. For example, gins combining spices with fruits, including St Giles Spiced Orange & Cranberry Gin, Taplin & Mageean Spiced Orange Gin, and Junimperium's Winter Gin which features spices and lingonberries. Some Spiced Gins are aged in barrels or with wood from casks, such as Palma Spiced Gin, others are inspired by baking recipes such as GWYR Bara Brith Gin, and you can even get high ABV Spiced Gins such as Inspirited Navy Strength Spiced Gin (57.1% ABV).
Awarding Winning Spiced Gins
If you'd like to try the Spiced Gins that entered The Gin Guide Awards 2024 and were Winners in the Spiced Gin category, be sure to try AmberChes Christmas Gin from Australia, Goldings Christmas London Dry Gin from England, and James Gin's Asian Parsnip Gin from England.
Spiced Gin Cocktails & Servings
We are often asked 'how do you serve Spiced Gin?' and 'what cocktails are Spiced Gins good for?'. As well as classic Tonic Water, Ginger Beer and Ginger Ale are very fitting mixers for a simple long drink. And while Spiced Gins can vary greatly in character depending on the spices used, there are certainly some recipes that are a great starting point, including creating a warming Negroni, mixing a spiced twist on a Martinez, complementing the tomato juice in a Red Snapper with spice, or conjuring up a hot Mulled Winter Punch. For some inspiration, we have brought together some of the most popular Spiced Gin cocktail recipes for you to try:
Mulled Winter Punch |
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Spiced Negroni |
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Red Snapper |
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Spiced Martinez |
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For more gins with festive and warming spices, read our Winter Gin Guide and Christmas Gin Guide.
