Gin Botanicals: What Makes that Unique Gin Flavor? — Eight Oaks (2024)

FAQs

Gin Botanicals: What Makes that Unique Gin Flavor? — Eight Oaks? ›

In fact, if there is no juniper, the spirit cannot legally be called gin. But there are typically other botanicals added to the spirit during the process, such as herbs, seeds, flowers, plants, or spices. It's these aromatics that provide each gin with its distinct flavor profile.

The only botanical that all gins require is juniper berries; beyond that, it's dealer's choice. Juniper berries are what give gin its signature herbal, piney, almost-medicinal flavor — although distillers can add more or less juniper depending on their preference.

Gins are basically neutral spirit flavoured, either by compounding or distillation, with juniper and various other seeds, berries, roots, fruits and herbs. These are known as botanicals.

Gin has an herbal flavor marked with citrus and spices. Most gin is dry with a noticeable pine flavor because juniper dominates traditional recipes. The oldest styles tend to be sweeter while modern styles put less emphasis on the juniper and may focus on another herb, fruit, or spice flavor.

A definition of gin

It's also possible that a gin is obtained by adding essences or aromas to ethyl alcohol - the so-called "compound gin". Let us start by introducing the four main gin botanicals, namely: juniper berries, coriander seeds, citrus fruit peels, and orris root.

The influence of botanicals

Juniper is the only botanical that must be included in gin by law. Juniper berries give gin its characterful and invigorating pine-like quality. Coriander seeds are present in most gins. They add spicy notes and, depending on their source, sometimes peppery ones – such as ginger or sage.

Juniper is what gives gin its distinct smell and taste. It's bright and floral with a citrusy-pine notes that conjure up memories of springtime walks in the forest. The cones of juniper (often referred to as berries) impart an assertive aroma that livens up co*cktails, balances out tonic water, and makes citrus sing.

The most important botanical in gin is juniper berries, which give gin its characteristic piney and slightly medicinal flavor. Coriander seeds are often used as a complementary botanical to juniper; they provide a gentle spice and citrusy notes.

Juniper berries are the most important botanical in gin. They are what give your favourite spirit its piney, woody and slightly sweet flavour.

The flavours of a gin come from its botanicals (that's the herbs, seeds, flowers, plants or spices added during production), and, crucially, all gins must contain juniper. In fact, the predominant flavour in gin must be juniper, otherwise the drink can't be defined as gin, by law.

What makes a gin a good gin? ›

Juniper berries remain a key ingredient, though these gins tend to highlight other (often locally sourced) botanicals—whether that means in-season berries and lavender or shiso and yuzu. Since some bottlings lean more floral and citrusy, they “open doors to people who just cannot stand piney gin,” Blackmon says.

Gin typically has a strong aroma and taste of citrus because citrus peels are often used in the gin making process. Most gin will start with these two flavours and then move into hints of other aromatics, like cardamom and coriander.

'Pretty much every gin in the world will have four base botanicals: juniper, coriander seeds, a root (usually angelica), and then a citrus peel,' says Tom Hills of East London Liquor Company.

The root of angelica is the part most commonly used in gin production, though there are some gins that use the flower or the seeds instead. Beefeater for example, uses both the root and the seed in their botanical line up. Once distilled, angelica has an earthy flavour.

Juniper is the only botanical required to make a gin, a gin. In general, juniper manifests in gin with one of five primary facets: pine-forward, herbaceous, green, resinous and waxy.

All gins include juniper and coriander as an ingredient along with other botanicals. Typically, a fine gin contains 6-10 botanicals, although the Dutch Damask Gin has 17, and the French Citadelle Gin has 19 - but this could be more for marketing reasons and has been criticized for lacking direction.

Gin (/dʒɪn/) is a distilled alcoholic drink flavoured with juniper berries and other botanical ingredients.

Gin is a beloved drink among many, and its unique flavour comes from juniper berries. Juniper berries are an essential part of London dry gins and other gin types, adding a distinctive taste and aroma to the spirit.

The main difference is that gin must always contain juniper. As well as the base ingredient, it's the nuanced botanicals that define one gin from another – but they all have that crucial juniper in common.