9 Gins That Mix a Great Martini

There are a ton of amazing gins on the market that can be used to mix a quality Martini.

But if you’re looking for the most perfect iteration of the drink, we think these nine bottlings are tops. The next time you’re craving a classic Martini, reach for these expressions to make the most of your cocktail hour.

Hendrick’s Orbium Gin ($41 for 750ml)

This limited edition gin takes Hendrick’s original formula and instills additional extracts of quinine, wormwood, and blue lotus blossom before it’s packaged in a beautiful, dark-blue bottle. These extra botanicals add some bitterness, but the resulting flavor is balanced and round on the palate. It creates a bold Martini that we love garnished with an expressed lemon peel.

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Tanqueray London Dry Gin ($22 for 750ml)

It doesn’t get more classic than this. Tanqueray is our go-to London Dry gin, especially when we’re looking to sip a Martini that tastes familiar and comforting. If you’re a fan of Dirty Martinis, Tanqueray pairs extra well with olive brine, too.

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Watershed Four Peel Gin ($30 for 750ml)

Watershed is making waves in Columbus, Ohio, for its excellent spirits, especially its award-winning gins. If you’re not the biggest fan of juniper, then Foul Peel Gin is the bottle for you. Watershed scales back the juniper and dials up the citrus, which creates a bright, fresh cocktail when used in a Martini.

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NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin ($43 for 750ml)

NOLET’S Silver features botanicals like peach, raspberry, and rose to create a floral, fruit-forward expression that softens the bold botanicals usually found in a classic gin. If you find Martinis to be too intense, this is a great gateway gin to get you acquainted with the cocktail. Bottled at 95.2 proof, NOLET’s Silver does have a kick, but tastes surprisingly smooth on the palate.

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Brockmans Intensely Smooth Premium Gin ($35 for 750ml)

This gin uses a unique recipe of botanicals that are steeped in pure grain spirit that’s made on a 100-year-old traditional copper still. While traditional flavors of juniper and coriander are present, ingredients like blackberries, blueberries, and almonds give it a deep, rich flavor that even gin novices will love. Try garnishing a Brockmans Gin Martini with an orange peel for something different.

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St. George Terroir Gin ($34 for 750ml)

This gorgeous gin will transport you to the California forest upon the first sip. Earthy and aromatic, St. George Terroir Gin is distilled with fir and sage, while fresh bay laurel leaves and juniper berries are vapor-infused in a botanicals basket. The woodsy, lightly citrusy gin makes a beautiful Martini, especially when garnished with a fresh sage leaf.

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Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin ($42 for 375ml)

Coming in around $42 for a 375ml bottle, this gin is the priciest on this list, but it’s also the most interesting. Many gins use around 12 botanicals, while German-made Monkey 47 employs the flavors of a whopping 47—as the name implies—some of which are foraged in the Black Forest where the distillery is located. The final product is unbelievably complex and makes for one of the most interesting Martinis you’ll ever drink.

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Nikka Coffey Gin ($47 for 750ml)

Nikka Coffey Gin mixes the smoothest of Martinis. Distilled on Nikka’s Coffey column still, this gin is the product of 11 perfectly balanced botanicals, including 4 kinds of Japanese citruses: yuzu, kabosu, amanatsu, and shequasar. A touch of apple joins traditional gin ingredients like juniper, coriander, and lemon and orange peels, and its sweet, smooth flavor gets a tangy finish from hints of sansho pepper.

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Four Pillars Navy Strength Gin ($58 for 700ml)

If you’re a seasoned Martini drinker and looking to mix an extra-strong version of the drink, Four Pillars Navy Strength does the trick. The Australian-made gin clocks in at a whopping 117.6 proof, so it’s not for the faint of heart or palate. Hefty alcohol content aside, this punchy, citrus-forward gin is amazingly smooth for its strength and has an earthy edge (from fresh turmeric) that rounds out the alcoholic bite.