The Top 10 Gins of 2025
Looks like an early spring any way we size it up, and while we’re sad to see the chilly air vanish (though not the freakin’ ice), we’re happy for the opportunity to break out the shakers and dig into warmer weather cocktails.
Gin is a standby for springtime sipping, and 2025 brought us a bounty of new products to experiment with in the category. Ready to dig into our 10 favorite gins from the last 12 months? Here we go!
Need more gin to choose from? Check our top gin lists from 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. You can also search multiple stores at wine-searcher to find the best prices on all these products and more.
1. Hendrick’s Oasium Gin
Hendrick’s latest special edition is inspired by the Middle East, at least in theory, but while you might be expecting a flood of figs and dates, what you get on the palate here is much more tropical and bright, showcasing pineapple, peach, and lots of mandarin orange notes before moving into a mix of spices and underbrush. Sweeter than the typical gin, Oasium is a clear choice for summery long drinks where you may want something more exciting than vodka to do the heavy lifting. 86.8 proof. $40
2. Conniption Navy Strength Gin
North Carolina-based Conniption uses a rare cold vacuum distillation process to create its four gins, our favorite of which is arguably this navy strength expression, made with a curious combination of juniper, coriander, cardamom, caraway, bay leaf, rosemary, lemon, and fig. It’s the fig that speaks the loudest here, adding an earthy and sweet quality to the spirit, moving from there into an aquavit-adjacent character layered with anise and caraway notes. Delightful with soda. 114 proof. $48 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
3. As Above, So Below Elvira Autumnal Gin
Cassandra Peterson — better known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark — is the celebrity face behind this gin, and a celebrity name on the label might sound like a bad sign, but the gin itself has more than enough street cred behind it to merit serious attention. Big juniper and lemon drive the attack, before the “autumnal” element of the gin comes into focus. Notes of sage and mugwort in the botanical bill off a long and earthy finish. It’s solid with tonic and just as good in a martini. Buy a bottle and hold on to it until September 22. 82 proof. $43
4. Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut Gin 2025
Monkey 47’s annual special edition releases are always exciting, and the mysterious “48th ingredient” often makes for an exciting twist. 2025’s special ingredient is French salt, which is perhaps less exciting than what we’ve seen with prior Distiller’s Cut releases, but the finished product speaks for itself. Whips of anise lead to sesame, mint, and vanilla notes, all unusual to discover in a bottle of gin, with fruit rising on a finish that eventually turns peppery. Turns out a pinch of salt can add more complexity than you might think. 94 proof. $80 (375ml) [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
5. Citadelle Gin Rouge
Citadelle’s special edition for 2025 is this delightfully fruit-flavored gin that, rest assured, is not at all red in hue, but which exudes notes of cassis and blueberry, with a surprising chocolate character late in the game. There’s enough juniper here to remind you you’re drinking gin, alongside some gentle florals and citrus peel, but all those red berries remain the focus. Try it in a bramble or similar summery cocktail. 83.4 proof. $30
6. Drumshanbo with Brazilian Pineapple Gunpowder Irish Gin
Drumshanbo — now known just as Gunpowder Irish Gin — released one of its most exciting and unusual gins in 2025 with the arrival of this expression, flavored with Brazilian pineapple (a particular variety of the fruit). The results are, of course, juicy and tropical, with enough juniper and the trademark green tea to keep it grounded in gindom. Use it anything. 86 proof. $37
7. James Gin JG.01 Asian Parsnip
The Asian parsnip doesn’t exist. Rather, this gin — the inaugural offering from British TV star James May — combines parsnips and Asian spices to create a profile that is initially quite classic, with lots of piney juniper, evolving from there to showcase its promised Eastern qualities, heavy on caraway and incense. I love the body of the gin, which is slightly creamy, perhaps due to the inclusion of that fibrous root veg in the mix? Investigate widely by incorporating this into any cocktail on your list. 80 proof. $50
8. West End Gin
The West End of what, you ask? It turns out it’s Louisville, Kentucky where this interesting spirit is produced, melding a hefty juniper character with a sizeable citrus bill, running from orange to grapefruit to Meyer lemon. Earthy and quite exotic on the finish, notes of cardamon meander into anise, saffron, and pepper elements with time in glass. Racy and versatile. 88 proof. $40
9. Waterloo Prickly Pear & Rose Gin
Newly acquired by John Paul DeJoria’s spirits company, this Texas-made gin adds prickly pear, hibiscus, and rose to a Texas-centric botanical bill that includes grapefruit, licorice, and pecans. The grapefruit really pops on this special edition of its No. 9 Gin, as do ample floral notes driven by the rose petals. Silky and unctuous, it’s perhaps the most “New World” gin on the list. Use it when mixing with fruit or other sweet additions. 94 proof. $40
10. Zephyr Gin
We’re rounding out the list with this English gin, dressed up with the addition of elderberries. That telltale note of elderflower liqueur is unavoidable here, as is the more pungent, earthy character of elderberries — albeit to a lesser extent. It’s a solid choice for drinkers who want an extremely mild but lightly floral gin that won’t dominate the proceedings with juniper. 80 proof. $38
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