{"id":35597,"date":"2020-07-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-26T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mywinestore.it\/blog\/gin-the-best-botanicals-stories-and-names-from-scotland-to-japan\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T19:36:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T17:36:44","slug":"gin-the-best-botanicals-stories-and-names-from-scotland-to-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mywinestore.it\/en\/blog\/gin-the-best-botanicals-stories-and-names-from-scotland-to-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"Gin: the best botanicals, stories and names from Scotland to Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Which are the <\/strong>best gins<\/strong><\/a>? The answer probably lies in the preferences of those who love this spirit. We know that gin is one of the most fashionable drinks of the moment, including as a cocktail ingredient, but we would be hard pressed to call one gin better than another in absolute terms.<\/p>\n

Unlike other spirits, gin owes its style and its sensory qualities to its celebrated botanicals<\/strong>, the herbs and spices the producer adds at will after the first distillation. They are what define its flavour and aromas, and they are so many and so varied, even from one country to another, that every taste of a new gin reveals different, incomparable sensations. Still, we can introduce a few of these exceptional spirits.<\/p>\n

Let’s take things one step at a time, starting with some facts about gin.<\/p>\n

How gin is made<\/h2>\n

Gin starts from a base of grain spirit to which botanicals, that is herbs and spices, are added at will; and this is where the master distiller’s inventiveness and know-how come into play. The production process is simple and has been the same for years, but the recipe is a true work of ingenuity: grains such as barley and wheat remain the main ingredients, distilled at a preliminary stage, while the rest is a blend of botanicals macerated directly in the alcohol<\/strong>, which vary from gin to gin and have a particular bearing on the sensory qualities of each.<\/p>\n

In recent years some producers have completed the process with a period of ageing in wood, a rather unusual practice for gin, but one that makes it a complex and even more exclusive spirit.<\/p>\n

Botanicals in gin<\/h2>\n

Distinctive flavours from all over the world that express the most authentic character of their country, whether unusual, exotic or Mediterranean: these are the botanicals, the sometimes secret ingredients of gin, the architects of its aromatic and taste profile<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

They are spices, herbs and flavouring substances<\/strong>. Those generally used in every gin are juniper, coriander seeds and angelica root: juniper is the only one that is compulsory for a spirit to be called gin and is used in the form of berries; coriander seeds give the spirit body and intensity; angelica root adds earthy nuances. However, each botanical changes depending on where it comes from; coriander seeds from Morocco, for example, are spicier and more floral.<\/p>\n

The presence of botanicals in gin is also linked to the spirit’s origins, since herbs were used to aid digestion and protect the body from infectious diseases; indeed, the earliest forms of gin were used for medicinal purposes.<\/p>\n

Today the other qualities of these ingredients are put to work in the best gin-based cocktails, in which botanicals are used<\/strong> not only to flavour the drink but also to enhance its aroma and to garnish it<\/strong>. In these cases people generally speak of botanical cocktails.<\/p>\n

The best gin has an intense soul<\/h2>\n

The botanicals in gin help to smooth out the spirit’s sharper edges, rounding it off and making it more delicate. Even so, the most elegant and refined gins remain intense in the mouth, touching the palate with a peppery streak; they are rarely appreciated for their smoothness.<\/p>\n

With this soul in common, gins from all over the world each present themselves in their own way, with different notes and aromas that often give the spirit a character akin to the place the botanicals come from.<\/p>\n

Before getting to know the most distinctive ones in our range, a quick word on the main categories of gin:<\/p>\n