The 15 Best Gin Cocktails to Shake Up at Home, Plus Tips for Making Your Own

Ah,gin—one sip and it’s hard to forget its piney, herbaceous flavor (courtesy of the juniper berries it’s made from). The distilled alcoholic spirit was originally used medicinally by monks throughout Europe, but nowadays it’s just as popular a liquor asvodka。As ubiquitous as it is, answer honestly: Have you ever done anything with it besides topping it with tonic water and a spritz oflime? If not, it’s time to upgrade. Read on for tips that’ll help you make a killerdrinkat home, plus recipes for 15 of the best gin cocktails ever.

Tonic water is the go-to for a reason. If you’re having a simplemixed drink, tonic water’s slight bitterness will complement gin’s natural sweetness flawlessly. Club soda is just as clean and refreshing an option. If you’d rather let the gin shine on its own without diluting it, a dash of dry vermouth will transform it into amartini(feel free to add a lemon twist,olivesor olive brine to taste, or pearl onions to make it a gin Gibson instead of a martini). Most sour or citrusy mixers work well with gin too, likelemonadeorgrapefruitjuice, as well as herbal and floralapéritifs。

Classics includeBombay Sapphire,TanquerayandBeefeater。They’re allLondon dry gins, meaning they’re juniper-forward in flavor, contain no artificial ingredients and are infused with botanicals during re-distillation. Other common options includeThe Botanist Islay Dry Gin, which is made with 22 different local botanicals from the Scottish Isle of Islay;Plymouth Gin, which is earthier and less dry than London-style gins, and亨德里克的杜松子酒, a newer brand of Scottish gin that’s infused with cucumber and rose. There’s alsoPimm’s No. 1 Cup, a gin-based apéritif infused with spices, orange and herbal botanicals. It’s often paired with fresh fruit andSt-Germain, a popular French elderflower liqueur, to make a Pimm’s cup, a popular British cocktail. You may have also seenEmpress 1908 Ginor1220 Spirits Blue Morpho Gincross your TikTok feed this summer. They’re distilled with butterfly pea blossoms, which give the gins a gorgeous violet hue. Add acid to the spirit (whether it be a spritz of lemon juice or quinine-laced tonic) and it’ll change color.

Citrus, citrus, citrus. Lime is arguably most traditional (hello, gin and tonics and gin rickeys), but lemon is just as commonplace, since the O.G. gin martini comes with a lemon twist, not olives. Gin’s herbal flavor also pairs beautifully with vegetal ingredients, like cucumber or fresh herbs. Herb- or flower-infused syrups or apéritifs are also a safe bet, as well as any sweet-tart or sour produce. Think muddledblackberries,raspberryliqueur,pineapplejuice or a spritz of freshorangeor grapefruit.

If we’re strictly talking soda, the lemon-lime variety gets our vote due to its clean, citrus-inspired flavor. Although, grapefruit soda, citrus-flavored seltzer or Orangina (aka a lightly carbonated beverage made with real orange pulp and citrus juice) would turn out just as delicious.

Read on for 15 of the best gin cocktails to make at home.