How Do You Choose Your First Bottle of Gin?

Start with a classic, well-balanced London Dry style before branching into more experimental contemporary gins — it gives you a clear reference point for everything else.

With hundreds of gins on shelves — many built around unusual or highly specific botanicals — it's easy to end up choosing on packaging alone. A more useful approach is to build a reference point first.

Start with a classic, balanced style

A well-made London Dry gin (see our article on the difference between London Dry and contemporary gin) gives you a clear, juniper-forward baseline. Once you know what a "standard" gin tastes like, it becomes much easier to judge how a more unusual or botanical-forward gin differs from that baseline — rather than judging every new gin in isolation.

Think about how you'll actually drink it

• Gin and tonic drinker? Look for something described as classic or "juniper-forward" — it holds up well against tonic.
• Martini drinker? A drier, less sweet, cleaner-finishing gin generally works best.
• Curious about local character? Look for a New Zealand gin built around a specific native botanical (mānuka, kawakawa, horopito) as a way to explore local flavour.

Don't judge purely by ABV or price

Most gin sits in a similar 37.5–47% ABV range, so strength differences are rarely a meaningful buying signal on their own. Price can reflect ingredient sourcing and small-batch production, but — as with any spirit — it isn't a reliable proxy for how much you'll personally enjoy it.

Try before you commit to a full bottle, if you can

Many bars offer flights or single measures — tasting a gin in a G&T or Martini before buying a full bottle is one of the most reliable ways to avoid an expensive bottle that doesn't suit your taste.