Fords Gin - London Dry Gin

, produced at Thames Distillers in London under the direction of master distiller Charles Maxwell. It was designed with bartenders specifically in mind, built to perform across a wide range of cocktail applications rather than for sipping neat.

The botanical bill includes nine ingredients: juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, orris root, jasmine, grapefruit peel, lemon peel, cassia bark, and bitter orange peel.

These are macerated together and then distilled in copper pot stills using a single-shot method, meaning no post-distillation dilution of concentrate occurs.

The result is a London Dry gin that sits at 45% ABV, slightly higher than the category minimum, which gives it better cut-through in stirred cocktails like a Martini or Negroni and holds its own in citrus-forward builds.

The nose leans toward bright citrus and floral notes before giving way to a classic juniper core, while the jasmine adds a subtle aromatic lift that keeps it from feeling too traditional. At this price point it competes directly with Tanqueray No.

Ten and Sipsmith London Dry, and in many bartender circles it is considered a reference standard for the category. If you make gin cocktails regularly and want a bottle that will not falter in any application, this is a well-considered choice.