Our Ultimate Guide to Gin Tasting

April 11, 2024

Knowing what a good gin is is part of expertise at the Awesome Hamper Company. From notes of citrus and juniper through to floral or spicy kicks, the gin world is full to the bring with some incredible flavours, so it's important to know your stuff when it comes to gin tasting.

Gin is a really versatile spirit and depending on the notes of the gin, rarely drank neat, it can be paired with a whole range of mixers and is used in a lot of popular cocktails. With such a wide range of tastes, you may love some gins but hate others - so how do you go about discovering the perfect gin to suit you?

In our latest blog post we’ll be taking you through a step by step guide to discover the ultimate gin - and if it gets your taste buds tingling for that refreshing fizz, you can check out our full range of gin gift sets and gin boxes which are bound to satisfy any gin-lover’s craving!

How To Taste Gin

Tasting gin is a work of art, and to find your drink, it's important to take your time and really savour the moment. Figure out what you do and don't like about each on to find the perfect one for your taste.

Throughout the tasting process, it's important to remain mindful and present, allowing yourself to fully experience the complexity of the gin and taste gin like an expert!

The Step By Step Guide to Tasting Gin

1. Know The Notes

If you drink gin, you'll know that when we refer to the notes in the gin we are talking about the fragrant notes of different gins that help create the distinctive flavours.

In the UK, there are around 1722 different types of gin which means trying every single one would be hard! Within all of these gins, there are different fragrant notes that can be broken down into around six categories. Some gins that are the same flavours may have different notes making them taste slightly different.

Citrus

A citrus note offers a bright and zesty flavour. It will remind you of lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit. These refreshing notes add a vibrant dimension to the gin's profile.

Herbal

In gin, herbal notes provide an earthy, botanical taste. These notes can come from subtle hints of sage, thyme and rosemary.

Juniper

Juniper is one of the most popular tastes used in gin, lending its distinctive piney and resinous flavour. As the primary botanical in most gins, juniper provides the backbone of the spirit's taste profile, offering a harmonious balance between sharpness and sweetness.

Floral

The floral notes add a layer of elegance and finesse to the gin's flavour profile, contributing nuanced aromas and subtle sweetness. Common floral elements include lavender, chamomile, elder flower, and rose petals, each offering its own unique bouquet and character.

Spice

Spice notes in gin introduce warmth, complexity, and a touch of intrigue to the spirit's flavour profile. These botanical's infuse the gin with rich, aromatic spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper.

Fruit

Fruit notes in gin offer a burst of vibrant and juicy flavours, adding a refreshing and lively dimension to the spirit's taste profile. These flavours can include a wide range of fruits, such as citrus fruits like lemon, lime, and orange, as well as berries like raspberry, blackberry, and cranberry.

As you can imagine, this array of tasting notes each has a unique taste and you may find that you are more drawn to one over another. We find that citrus, fruit or floral gins work particularly well with an elder flower tonic on a warm summer’s day, whilst a gin with notes of spice is much better suited to sitting round an open fire during the colder months.

But of course, it's up to you what note you prefer, and you can try all different flavours in our gin gift sets.

2. Choose Your Mixer

Traditionally, gin is mixed with a tonic. But we recommend that you mix it up…. Get it?!

One of our personal favourites is gin and ginger beer. We love the tingly sensation of the fizzy ginger beer combined with our favourite bottle of gin. Poured over a tall stemmed glass filled with ice and a slice of lime, there simply isn’t anything better.

If you like citrus, why not add a dash of bitter lemon to your gin? Or for some added luxury, prosecco paired with gin is a great combination!

Our gin hampers contain a range of different mixers to try, so why not get creative?

It's All About The Glass

There is no better way to enjoy a gin than in a traditional gin glass. But don’t just take our word for it… the large bowl shape of a gin glass is scientifically proven to make your drink taste better! In fact, it’s specifically designed to enhance the aromas of the gin.

If you don't have a gin glass, small wine glasses or snifter type glasses can also be used.

Get Sipping

So you’ve picked your gin, add tonic or your mixer and you’ve got your glass complete with garnish such as citrus peel. Now is the time to get tasting and enjoy gin.

The best way to taste your gin is to swirl your glass vigorously before you take the first swig. This will help mix the different aromas and oils within the gin and will create a beautiful, herbally scent. Take a deep breath, breathe gently and properly smell the drink and enjoy the tasting experience.

Next, take a small sip of the gin and let it coat your tongue before you swallow. Can you taste the different aromas? Of course you can, you taste gin like a pro!

It's usually a good idea to keep score of the gin you're tasting so that you can easily refer to what flavour was your favourite and have a record for the next time you want to buy a new bottle.

Check out the Awesome Hamper Company’s full range of gin hampers and gin tasting sets by clicking on the link below so that you can continue to enjoy drinking gin. Happy gin tasting!