Top 10 Gins of the Year 2024
Gin has had a good 2024. The great gin renaissance of the 21st century was predicted to fizzle out, a big bubble whose burst was inevitable. Instead, a lot of industry models report growth in 2024 and predict more in 2025.
We certainly saw that a lot of you still want your gin fix, both in terms of how many bottles you bought and how many new expressions hit the market to meet demand. Some stood out more than others, as always, and given it’s the end of the year now seems like an opportune time to showcase some of the highlights.
Every bottle here first appeared on our virtual shelves in the last year. Here’s the Master of Malt Top 10 Gins of the Year 2024.
Top 10 Gins of the Year 2024
Papa Salt Coastal Gin
Papa Salt Coastal Gin is backed by Margot Robbie (plus husband Tom Ackerley and friends Josey McNamara, Regan Riskas, and Charlie Maas) which might set some eyes to roll. “Another celebrity spirit”. But Papa Salt Coastal Gin is a pretty gin, inside and out, with a lovely savoury quality that shines in Martinis. Australian botanicals and a sustainable approach add to the appeal.
Banyuls Cask Aged Gin 19 Month Old 2017 (Master of Malt)
We launched a pretty exceptional range of cask-aged gins early in the year. Among the intriguing cask styles was this Banyuls bottling. The gin had 19 months in an octave cask that previously held the French sweet fortified wine to do its thing, bringing flavours of toasted nuts, butterscotch, and caramelised fruit to the party.
Guerrilla Chicken Upriser Gin
Guerrilla Chicken challenges conventions in the drinks industry by using a reusable flask and refill pouches rather than single-use glass bottles. Each delivery has a measured carbon footprint and the distillery’s electricity is certified Zero Carbon energy. It’s all very impressive stuff, but vitally the quality of the gin is up to scratch too.
Whitley Neill Japanese Plum & Sancho Pepper Gin
Whitley Neill makes flavourful, crowd-pleasing gin that’s affordable and really lights up a back bar. The British brand has gone to Japan for inspiration for this gin, invoking the tangy, fruity sweetness of Japanese plums with the fragrant warmth of Sancho peppercorns. A vibrant medley that will lead to some creative cocktails and top twists on the G&T.
Portofino Dry Gin – La Penisola
Such an evocative gin inside and out of the bottle, Portofino Dry Gin – La Penisola was a very popular release this year. It pays tribute to the charming peninsula (or penisola) on the Italian Riviera that is home to the village of Portofino, with local maritime pine in the botanical selection aiding in capturing the coastal character of the Mediterranean.
Madeira Cask-Aged Gin (Lost Parcels)
Lost Parcels also kept us well stocked in aged gins this year and while it’s hard to pick a highlight, this may just have been the standout. This gin spent 19 months resting in a cask that previously held Madeira, giving it a gorgeous colour and array of rich, festive, full-bodied flavours.
Amuerte Coca Leaf Gin (Green Bottle)
Several editions of Amuerte Coca Leaf Gin launched this year and each has its merits, but we liked the exotic ingredients of the Green Bottle, which features the tropical flavour of Curuba fruit (aka banana passion fruit) alongside coca leaf from Peru, tamarillo, papaya, Szechuan pepper and dragon fruit. Mix with passion fruit lemonade.
The Botanist Cask Rested Gin
Any spirit fan would appreciate Botanist Islay Dry Gin but here the folks at Islay’s Bruichladdich Distillery took their understanding of all thingsaged and delicious to bring another dimension to the gin, which spent at least six months in oak casks. The Botanist Cask Rested Gin has taken on delicately sweet notes of buttery oak and spice alongside the vibrant botanicals at its core.
Marshall London Dry Gin
Marshall makes classic guitar amps but turned its hand to gin this year. Sporting a bottle design that nods to its considerable heritage, this London dry gin features state-of-the-art distillation and a bold, fresh taste that really suits a Clover Club cocktail.
Black Cat Spicy Gin – Cumbrian No.1
Finally, the last of our Top 10 Gins of the year 2024 is a spicy gin from Cumbria’s Black Cat distillery. A suitably seasonal warming, aromatic spirit, botanicals such as star anise and cinnamon alongside generous helpings of citrus give this gin its distinctive taste. Serve in a G&T, garnished with a couple of slithers of red jalapeño.
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