London Dry Gin

Where it started

London Dry emerged soon after Aeneas Coffey's continuous still made a nearly pure base spirit possible; Difford's dates the still to 1831,⁶⁸ Ireland's whiskey technical file to a patent of 1830.⁹ With the harsh flavors gone, gin could be sold unsweetened, or "dry."⁶ By the middle of the 19th century, distillers working with this cleaner spirit had reduced or dropped the sugar used to soften older gins.⁸ The style was originally made only in London, but the name stopped meaning geography long ago.⁶ U.S. rules list "London dry gin" as a geographic name that has become generic.³

Where and how it's made

The EU definition is the strictest of its three gin tiers. London gin is distilled gin made only from agricultural ethyl alcohol with a maximum methanol content of 5 grams per hectoliter of pure alcohol, with flavor "imparted exclusively through the distillation" in the presence of all the natural plant materials used.¹ The distillate must reach at least 70 percent alcohol; it may not be colored or sweetened beyond 0.1 grams per liter; and nothing else may be added except more neutral alcohol and water.¹ Minimum bottling strength is 37.5 percent, and "dry" may be added to the name.¹

The UK now words one line differently: for the UK market, "Colourant is not added," while the EU text says the gin "is not coloured."⁴ The Gin Guild notes the EU wording means cask-aged gins that once called themselves London Dry can no longer do so in the EU.⁴

In the United States, "London" is one of four words (with "distilled," "Dry" and "Old Tom") that may describe gin made exclusively by original distillation or redistillation.² U.S. rules set no methanol, sugar or coloring limit specific to the term.²

In the still, distillers either steep botanicals in reduced spirit before distilling, or suspend them in a basket so only the vapor passes through.⁷ Most international brands are "multi-shot": distilled with extra botanicals, then cut back with neutral spirit.⁷

How to taste it

A chilled coupe for a martini, or a highball with plenty of ice for a G&T. Neat, look for the classic quartet Difford's names for the style: juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, citrus peel, with orris root holding them together.⁶ Pairings: oysters, a shrimp cocktail, cucumber sandwiches.

Styles and what the label means

• London Dry / London gin — EU's strictest tier; flavor only from distillation. gin →
• Distilled gin — redistilled with juniper, but flavorings may be added afterward.¹
• Plymouth gin — once England's only protected gin; owner Pernod Ricard withdrew support for its GI in 2014.⁵ navy-strength →
• Cask-aged "London Dry" — not allowed in the EU, since London gin cannot be colored.⁴ barrel-aged-gin →