(Photo: Secret Garden Distillery)

Secret Garden Distillery, less than a year after being named the UK Gin Producer of the Year at the IWSC, has entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation and ceased trading, according to a company statement and filings with Companies House, which were reported on by The National Scot.

The Edinburgh-area distillery confirmed on its website that “Secret Garden Distillery Limited has entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation and is no longer trading.” The National first reported the closure.

Companies House records show the company has appointed Gareth David Wilcox and Mark Harper of Opus Restructuring as joint liquidators, while a public filing states that shareholders passed a special resolution for the company to be wound up voluntarily.

Located on Old Pentland Road outside Edinburgh, Secret Garden Distillery built its reputation on producing premium gin using botanicals grown in its own gardens. The family-run business described its philosophy as putting nature “at the heart of everything” it created.

Founded in 2012 by two sisters, the company transformed what it described as a derelict plot into a sprawling botanical garden that eventually became home to more than 600 varieties of plants. Many of those botanicals were harvested on-site for use in its gin portfolio.

The distillery emphasized sustainable production methods, saying it relied on natural ingredients without preservatives, pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.

The closure comes shortly after one of the company’s biggest achievements. In 2025, Secret Garden Distillery was named UK Gin Producer of the Year by the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) and Club Oenologique, an award judged solely on the quality of the spirits themselves.

The producer also earned multiple industry accolades in recent years, including two Design & Packaging Master Gold awards from The Spirits Business in 2024, as well as Gold and Silver medals at the publication’s Gin Masters competition.

No reason for the liquidation was provided in the company’s statement or public filings.

The closure marks another casualty for the premium spirits sector, which has faced mounting financial pressure in recent years amid slowing consumer spending, rising production costs and softer demand across parts of the global drinks industry. According to The National, the company has now ceased all trading operations.

(Photo: Aviation Gin)

Diageo is closing the Aviation American Gin Visitor Center in Portland, Oregon, less than three years after opening the attraction as the spirits giant continues to reshape its business amid weaker North American sales, the Fingers newsletter reported Thursday.

The visitor center opened in September 2022, two years after Diageo acquired Aviation American Gin in a deal worth up to $335 million. The brand is closely associated with actor Ryan Reynolds, who invested in Aviation Gin in 2018 before its sale to Diageo.

“After carefully reviewing our manufacturing footprint, we have decided to shift volume from our bottling and blending operations in Portland, Oregon to another facility,” a Diageo spokesperson said, as reported by Fingers. “This decision is part of our efforts to continue building resiliency and efficiency across our North America supply network, while supporting growth ambitions for our Aviation American Gin brand. Our visitor center – including its tasting room, draft cocktail bar, gift shop and distillery – will remain open and continue to be an important destination in the area.”

Diageo has not yet disclosed when the visitor center will officially close or how many jobs will be affected. The company also has not confirmed where Aviation Gin is currently being produced, though industry reports indicate blending and bottling operations were moved from the Oregon facility to another Diageo site last year.

Originally launched in 2006 through a partnership between bartender Ryan Magarian and House Spirits Distillery, Aviation Gin was acquired by Davos Brands in 2016 before Diageo purchased the brand in 2020. Reynolds’ wife, actor Blake Lively, also has ties to the beverage industry through her Betty Booze ready-to-drink cocktail brand.

The closure comes as Diageo undertakes broader cost-cutting efforts under CEO Dave Lewis, who took over at the beginning of 2026. The company has reportedly instructed executives to reduce headcount and expenses across the business.

The move also follows Diageo’s decision to wind down its Distill Ventures investment arm, which previously backed Oregon whiskey producer Westward; the 2025 closure of Chase Distillery’s visitor site in England after production was moved to Scotland; and production pauses at multiple distilleries.

Diageo has faced mounting pressure in North America, its largest market. During the three months ended March 31, 2026, the company’s U.S. spirits sales declined 15.4%, with its tequila portfolio posting double-digit declines amid softer consumer demand and increased competition.

6. Counter Old Tom Gin

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The odd one out in this lineup, Counter Old Tom Gin from Washington’s Batch 206 Distillery, is the only entry here that spends time in wood, resting for six months in Chardonnay barrels made of Hungarian oak. At 40% ABV and around $28, it’s approachable on paper, but its critics’ score of 80 suggests the barrel treatment doesn’t quite deliver the payoff you’d hope for. The botanical bill is genuinely interesting, combining juniper with orange, lavender, lemon verbena, tarragon and cucumber, and those herbaceous, almost garden-party flavors are real. The Chardonnay barrel influence, though, adds a layer that may muddy rather than clarify what should be a crisp, botanical-forward profile. Worth a try for the curious, but not the bottle to reach for first.

5. Waterloo Old Yaupon Gin

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Texas does Old Tom its own way, and Waterloo Old Yaupon Gin from Treaty Oak Distilling Co. is the proof. At 45% ABV and $28.99, it leans into the Hill Country with yaupon holly, makrut lime, anise and orris root, sweetened with Texas wildflower honey rather than plain cane sugar. That choice matters. The nose is herbaceous and floral with a juniper backbone and a citrus brightness that skews more lime zest than lemon. It’s a gin that tastes like a specific place, which is either exactly what you want or a bit much depending on your palate. Scoring an 86, it earns its spot here as a genuinely distinctive regional take on the style.

4. Scofflaw Old Tom Gin

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Illinois-made and botanically ambitious, Scofflaw Old Tom Gin is produced using hand-prepared organic and wild-harvested botanicals, including juniper, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, anise seed, fresh orange and lemon peel and osmanthus blossoms. Each botanical is infused for a different length of time before passing through Ethel the Still (yes, the still has a name), with a touch of sugar and water added to reach 45% ABV. At around $29.99, it’s the priciest entry in this roundup, and its 90 score reflects a gin that’s layered and smooth with a rich, round texture. The osmanthus blossoms are the wildcard, lending a faintly apricot-like floral quality that sets it apart from the more citrus-forward bottles here. Recommended for a Martinez or Tom Collins, though it holds up fine over ice.

3. Purity Gin 34 Nordic Old Tom Gin

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Sweden’s Purity Gin 34 Nordic Old Tom Gin takes a different angle entirely, building its base from copper-distilled winter wheat and malted barley vodka before loading in juniper, coriander, thyme, basil, lingonberry, blueberry, lavender, cardamom and angelica root, finished with a pinch of organic cane sugar. At 43% ABV and $28, it’s certified organic, gluten-free and vegan-friendly, which is a lot of boxes to check for a bottle at this price. The result is a velvety, honeyed gin with candied citrus on the nose and a palate that moves from juniper and spice into caramelized citrus and a lingering sweetness. It’s the most polished-feeling bottle in this group, and its 91 score reflects that. Serve it over ice or build a classic cocktail around it.

2. Brothers Old Tom Gin

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Albuquerque doesn’t come up often in gin conversations, but Brothers Old Tom Gin from Left Turn Distilling makes a case for putting it on the map. Built on a barley-forward base with a dozen botanicals and clocking in at 45% ABV, it hews close to the classic 18th-century Old Tom template: sweeter than London Dry, drier than Jenever, with a citrus-forward palate balanced by mild juniper and a touch of sweetness. The nose brings lemon, nutmeg, cinnamon and a quiet raisin note that gives it a warmth you don’t often find at this price point, around $29. Tied with Hayman’s at 92, it ranks second here on the strength of its regional story and the fact that a craft distillery in New Mexico is producing something this complete for under thirty dollars.

1. Hayman’s Old Tom Gin

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If you want to understand what Old Tom gin is supposed to taste like, start here. Hayman’s Old Tom Gin is distilled from a 160-year-old family recipe, and the Hayman family’s connection to this style goes back to James Hayman himself, who helped shape gin into the cocktail-ready spirit it became during the 1860s. At 41.4% ABV and around $29, it’s juniper-forward in the way that only a gin with this much institutional memory can be, balanced with traditional botanicals and citrus. It’s the benchmark bottle in this category, the one bartenders reach for when building a Martinez or Tom Collins, and the one to buy if you want a reference point before exploring the more adventurous entries in this list. Sharing the top critics’ score of 92 with Brothers, it earns the top spot on accessibility, pedigree and sheer usefulness behind the bar.

Old Tom gin is having a quiet resurgence, and this list shows exactly why. Six bottles, all under $30, covering everything from Swedish organic smoothness to Texas honey sweetness to a London classic with a century and a half of history behind it. Any of these earns a place on your shelf.

10. Etsu Japanese Gin

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Coming in at the foot of this list is not a bad gin by any measure, just one that gets outgunned by stronger competition. Etsu Japanese Gin is produced at the Asahikawa Distillery in Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost and coldest major island, using a cane spirit base run through copper pot stills. The botanical bill is a solid eight-strong lineup: juniper, yuzu, green bitter orange peel, coriander, licorice, green tea leaf, angelica root, sansho pepper and cherry blossoms. At 43% ABV and priced in the $30 to $60 range, it’s an accessible entry point into the category, and the sansho pepper gives it a faintly electric quality that keeps things interesting. It earned an 89 on our Critics’ Score, which is respectable, but the botanicals feel a touch tentative compared to what the rest of this list is doing.

9. Komasa Gin Sakurajima Komikan

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Komasa Gin Sakurajima Komikan comes from Komasa Jyozo, a producer better known for its shochu, and that heritage shows in the best possible way. The “Sakurajima Komikan” in the name refers to the tiny mandarin oranges grown on the slopes of Sakurajima, the active volcano looming over Kagoshima Bay, and this is very much a gin built around that particular citrus note. Bottled at 45% ABV and available in the $30 to $60 range, it sits in the flavored gin category, which will raise an eyebrow or two among purists, but the score of 91 suggests critics were won over regardless.

8. Tenjaku Gin

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Tenjaku Gin is one of the few London Dry-style entries on this list, produced by Minami Alps Wine & Beverage and bottled at 43% ABV. The London Dry classification means the botanical character has to stand on its own without any post-distillation additions, and at a price point in the $30 to $60 range, Tenjaku makes a compelling case that Japanese producers can work within classic Western frameworks without losing their identity. It scores a 92, tying two other bottles on this list, and lands here on the strength of its more traditional profile.

7. Nikka Coffey Gin

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The name is the story here. Nikka Coffey Gin is distilled in a Coffey still at the Yoichi Distillery, the same facility Masataka Taketsuru built in Hokkaido after apprenticing in Scotland. That continuous distillation process gives the spirit a richer, rounder texture than most pot-still gins in this category. Bottled at 47% ABV and priced in the $30 to $60 range, it also scores a 92, and the Coffey still pedigree is enough to push it ahead of Tenjaku in the rankings. Nikka’s whisky reputation doesn’t hurt either.

6. Sakurao Japanese Dry Gin

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Sakurao Japanese Dry Gin might be the most aggressively local gin on this list. Produced at the Sakurao Distillery in Hiroshima, it packs nine botanicals into its recipe, and almost all of them are sourced from specific Hiroshima prefectural regions: green lemon and sweet orange from Hiroshima proper, yuzu from Akitakata, dai dai citrus and hinoki cypress also from Hiroshima, Fuchu green tea, Yamagata aka shiso (red perilla), Jinseki ginger and then, almost as an afterthought, imported juniper and coriander to satisfy the gin requirement. Both steeping and vapor distillation methods are used, which gives the distiller precise control over how each botanical comes through. At 47% ABV, also priced in the $30 to $60 range and scoring a 92, this one edges out its tied competitors on sheer botanical ambition.

5. Yuzu Gin

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Yuzu Gin from the Kyoya Distillery does something none of the other bottles on this list attempt: it builds on a base of sweet potato shochu fermented in terracotta jars. That substrate alone makes it a category outlier, and the infusion of sansho peppers, oranges, lemon and yuzu into that earthy, slightly funky foundation produces something that reads less like a conventional gin and more like a citrus-forward shochu that decided to crash a gin party. Bottled at 47% ABV and priced between $60 and $100, it’s the first bottle on this list to cross into the higher price bracket, which the 93 Critics’ Score justifies comfortably.

4. 135 East Hyogo Dry Gin

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135 East Hyogo Dry Gin is produced at the Kaikyo Distillery and named for the 135th meridian east, the line of longitude that runs through Hyogo Prefecture and serves as the basis for Japan Standard Time. At 42% ABV, it’s the lowest-proof bottle in the top half of this list, and it earns a 94 on our Critics’ Score. The London Dry classification means it’s playing the same structural game as Tenjaku, but critics clearly found more to love here. Priced in the $30 to $60 range, it’s also one of the better value propositions in the entire ranking.

3. Matsui ‘The Hakuto’ Gin

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Matsui “The Hakuto” Gin takes its name from the white rabbit of Japanese folklore, and the botanical bill reads like someone raided both a Japanese tea garden and a fruit market on the same afternoon: juniper berry, coriander seeds, orange peel, yuzu peel, Japanese sansho pepper, gyokuro, cherry blossom, black pepper, nashi pears and Japanese green tea. That’s ten botanicals pulling in multiple directions at once, and the fact that Matsui Shuzo makes it cohere at 47% ABV is genuinely impressive. Priced in the $30 to $60 range and tying 135 East at 94, it lands at No. 3 on the strength of that botanical complexity and the sheer audacity of the nashi pear inclusion.

2. Ki No Tea Gin

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Ki No Tea Gin is the product of a collaboration between the Kyoto Distillery and Hori-Shichimeien, a specialist tea grower and blender, and the result is one of the most tea-forward gins produced anywhere. The botanical roster includes super-premium Uji tencha and gyokuro teas alongside juniper, orris, akamatsu pine, yuzu and lemon, and the decision to use tea at this quality level rather than as a background note reframes the entire gin. At 45.1% ABV and priced between $60 and $100, it earns its 95 Critics’ Score with a profile that is probably the most distinctly Japanese thing on this entire list. The Kyoto Distillery has built its reputation on taking local ingredients with the same seriousness that a Champagne house applies to its grapes, and Ki No Tea is the clearest expression of that philosophy.

1. Roku Gin Sakura Bloom Edition

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The top spot goes to the bottle with the biggest name behind it, and on this occasion, the corporate muscle and the critical score happen to align. Roku Gin Sakura Bloom Edition is made by Suntory at its Liquor Atelier distillery in Osaka, the first release in the brand’s Seasonal Festival Collection, and it is specifically engineered to evoke the brief, almost unbearably beautiful window of the cherry blossom season (Hanami). Bottled at 43% ABV and priced at around $39, it also happens to be one of the most accessible bottles in the top five. Tying Ki No Tea at 95 on our Critics’ Score, it claims the top position on price and availability, two factors that matter when a gin is this good. Suntory has the resources to execute seasonal concepts with precision, and the Sakura Bloom Edition uses them well. This is a gin that earns its occasion.

Japanese gin has matured rapidly into a category with real depth. The bottles on this list cover everything from shochu-based outliers to obsessive regional botanical sourcing to tea-forward collaborations with century-old growers, and almost all of them are available for under $100. That’s a remarkable situation for any spirits category, and a very good reason to start working through this list from the bottom up.

The seven Canadian gins below are ranked using The Daily Pour Critics’ Score, an aggregate of house ratings and scores from the most trusted critics across the internet. Ties are broken by editorial judgment, weighing price and accessibility.

7. Shiver Gin

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Shiver Gin comes out of Newfoundland and Labrador, produced by Rock Spirits from a quadruple-distilled corn base, and at around $35 it sits comfortably at the accessible end of this list. The botanical lineup is classic and unfussy: juniper, coriander, citrus and anise, bottled at 40% ABV. What you get in the glass is a clean, no-surprises London dry profile with a bright citrus snap up front and a faint licorice whisper on the finish that keeps things from feeling anonymous. It won’t rewrite your understanding of the category, but for a well-made, everyday-drinking gin from Canada’s Atlantic coast, it punches squarely above its price point.

6. Eau Claire Distillery Parlour Gin

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Alberta’s Eau Claire Distillery Parlour Gin is a London dry with a Prairie detour, built on a barley base and infused with 10 botanicals that include Saskatoon berries and rose hips, two ingredients that immediately set it apart from any gin made east of the Rockies. Priced at about $37.99 and bottled at 40% ABV, it opens with a floral nose that leans more wildflower meadow than perfume counter, then delivers a palate where the Saskatoon berry adds a soft, jammy sweetness that never tips into candy territory. The finish is dry and botanical, exactly what the label promises.

5. Ungava Gin

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Ungava Gin is the one that gets people talking at the bar, mostly because of the color (a vivid natural yellow, courtesy of its Arctic botanicals) but also because of what’s actually in it. Domaine Pinnacle hand-forages six ingredients from northern Quebec, including Nordic juniper, wild rose hip, Labrador tea, crowberry and cloudberry, then steeps them for five weeks before bottling at 43.1% ABV. The nose is citrus-forward with a brightness that feels almost tart, while the palate layers in a subtle herbal spice that reads more like a walk through boreal scrubland than anything you’d find on a standard botanical spec sheet. At around $50, it’s a conversation piece that also happens to taste good.

4. Sheringham Kazuki Gin

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Sheringham Kazuki Gin is produced on Vancouver Island by Sheringham Distillery, and it may be the most visually evocative gin on this list before you even open the bottle. The botanical bill reads like a collaboration between a Pacific Northwest forager and a Japanese tea ceremony: juniper and coriander anchor the base, while yuzu, grapefruit peel, green tea and Japanese cherry blossoms pull the whole thing sideways in the best possible way. At 43% ABV and approximately $50, the result is a gin where the grapefruit and yuzu arrive first, bright and slightly waxy, before the green tea pulls the finish into something quieter and almost meditative. It’s a springtime gin that works in any season.

3. Black Fox Oaked Gin

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Black Fox Oaked Gin is the wild card here, and deliberately so. Black Fox Farm and Distillery in Saskatoon rests this gin for six to eight months in new American white oak barrels, and the result is something that occupies the blurry, interesting territory between gin and whisky. At 46% ABV and priced at approximately $84, it’s the priciest entry in this lineup, but the oak investment shows. The botanical base is still present underneath, but the wood pushes forward with a smoky, resinous quality and a dry, almost tannic finish that would feel right at home alongside a barrel-aged cocktail program. For anyone who finds standard gin too floral or too light, this is the one to reach for.

2. Gin Thuya

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At around $30, Gin Thuya from Distillerie Fils du Roy is the best value on this list, and possibly the most distinctive gin in the entire roundup. Fils du Roy holds the distinction of being the first distillery in the Acadian region, and it produces Thuya using traditional pot stills, redistilling a corn base with Thuja occidentalis, the young cedar shoots harvested near Saint-Arsène, Quebec, alongside juniper and coriander. The profile is unapologetically forest-forward: think fresh-cut cedar plank, pine resin and a cool, almost mentholated finish that lingers long after the glass is empty. Bottled at a confident 45% ABV, it’s an easy recommendation based on price and quality.

1. Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin

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Victoria Distillers has built one of the most recognizable gin brands in Canada with the Empress 1908 line, and Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin may be its most accomplished release yet. The third entry in the series, following the iconic Indigo Gin and the Elderflower Rose, this one draws its inspiration from afternoon tea and delivers on that brief with eight botanicals: juniper, lemon peel, garden cucumber, jasmine and cardamom among them. At 42.5% ABV, the nose is somewhere between a freshly sliced cucumber and a pot of floral loose-leaf tea, and the palate follows with a lemon brightness that keeps everything crisp. The cardamom adds just enough warmth on the finish. It scores a 93 from our critics, the highest mark on this list, and it earns it. A bottle retails for around $32.99, adding affordability to its list of perks.

Canadian gin is having a moment, and this list makes a strong case for why. Whether you start with the forest-floor intensity of Gin Thuya, the tea-ceremony elegance of Kazuki or the top-scoring, afternoon-tea freshness of Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon, there’s a Canadian gin here that will change how you think about what the category can do.

7. Skellig Six18 Artisan Pot Still Gin

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Coming in at the base of the rankings is Skellig Six18 Artisan Pot Still Gin, though “base” is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. Distilled in small batches at the Skellig Six18 Distillery in Cahersiveen, County Kerry, this 43.4% ABV gin is built around ten botanicals, several of them foraged locally: yarrow, fresh Douglas fir needles, birch sap and dillisk (that’s Atlantic seaweed, for the uninitiated). The result is an herbaceous, almost coastal gin with a citrus backbone and pink grapefruit brightness that cuts through the wilder, more vegetal notes like a sea breeze through a pine grove. At around $42, it’s an honest expression of its windswept corner of Ireland, and the pot still production gives it a textural weight that column-distilled gins rarely achieve. It scores an 85, which puts it last on this list but ahead of most of what’s sitting on your average back bar.

6. Conncullin Irish Gin

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Conncullin Irish Gin comes out of Connacht Distillery in County Mayo, where master distiller Robert Cassell uses water drawn from two local lakes, Conn and Cullin, to build a spirit that tastes distinctly of where it’s made. Juniper leads, with elderberry flower and hawthorn berry layering in behind it for a profile that sits somewhere between a classic dry gin and something more hedgerow-forward. The hawthorn in particular gives the finish a faintly tart, berry-jam quality that lingers. Bottled at 47% and running around $43 to $54, it’s approachable without being boring.

5. Dingle Gin

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Dingle Gin is probably the most recognizable name on this list outside of Ireland, and its 89-point score confirms the reputation is earned. Produced at Dingle Distillery in County Kerry using rowan berry, fuchsia, bog myrtle, hawthorn and heather, the botanical selection reads like a field guide to the Irish countryside. The 24-hour maceration before distillation, combined with a flavor basket pass, extracts everything those botanicals have to offer: the nose is floral and slightly smoky, the palate is earthy and bright at once, and the finish has a dried-flower dustiness. Bottled at 42.5% ABV and priced at round $30, it’s the gin you reach for when you want to explain what makes Irish gin different from everything else.

4. Boatyard Double Gin

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Boatyard Double Gin earns its name. The base spirit is organically sourced wheat, macerated for 18 hours with eight botanicals before distillation, which gives it more structural density than most of its peers. The standout is Sweet Gale, harvested from the distillery’s own family farm in Fermanagh, lending a resinous, almost piney quality that works well against the brightness of fresh unwaxed lemon peel. At 46% ABV and around $40, it holds up in a Negroni without bullying the vermouth. The organic sourcing isn’t a marketing footnote either; it produces a cleaner base that lets the botanicals come through without interference.

3. Silks Irish Dry Gin

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Silks Irish Dry Gin from Boann Distillery makes you stop and reconsider what “dry” actually means. Fourteen botanicals, including juniper, citrus peel, apple blossom, honey and Irish heather, go through traditional copper pot stills and come out floral and gently sweet without tipping into the cloying territory that sinks most honey-forward gins. The apple blossom hits the nose first, clean and bright, while the heather pulls the finish back toward something earthier and more grounded. At around $35 and 42% ABV, it scores 92 points and makes a reasonable case for being among the best values on this list.

2. Garnish Island Gin

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West Cork Distillers doesn’t make much noise for a producer that consistently outperforms its profile, and Garnish Island Gin is the clearest proof of that. Named for the island off the Beara Peninsula whose Italian-designed gardens rank among the more surreal sights in Ireland, this 46% ABV gin draws on locally foraged hibiscus, iris, rose, rosemary and thyme. The result genuinely smells like walking through those gardens on a warm afternoon. It’s botanical-forward in a way that feels more Mediterranean than Atlantic, which sounds like a contradiction until you taste it. At around $35 and a Critics’ Score of 94, it’s another affordable bottle in this ranking and probably the most surprising.

1. Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin With Sardinian Citrus

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Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin with Sardinian Citrus from The Shed Distillery in County Leitrim blends eight pot still botanicals with four vapor-infused botanicals, the latter sourced by founder PJ Rigney during a journey through China. It is brightened with “Sa pompia” (Citrus monstruosa), a rare Sardinian citrus that combines grapefruit and bergamot notes. Bottled at 43% ABV, the pot still botanicals give weight and warmth, while the vapor-infused botanicals and Sardinian citrus add brightness and aromatic complexity. The dual production method creates a gin with depth and dimension beyond its peers. It scores 95 points and earns every one.

Irish gin’s moment has been building for years, and this list captures exactly why. Seven bottles, seven distinct expressions of an island with an embarrassment of botanical riches and the distilling talent to do something interesting with all of it. Start anywhere on this list, and you won’t be disappointed; end at Drumshanbo, and you’ll understand why the category deserves far more attention than it gets.

5. Gracias a Dios Agave Gin Oaxaca Recipe

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Scoring a 91, Gracias a Dios Agave Gin Oaxaca Recipe earns its place by being the most conceptually unusual bottle here. Bottled at 40% ABV by Gracias a Dios, this is a gin built around agave as a botanical backbone rather than juniper as the loudest voice in the room, and the result is something that sits in a strange, compelling space between a mezcal-adjacent spirit and a classic dry gin. The earthiness of the agave pushes through in waves, smoky and faintly vegetal, with juniper providing structure rather than dominance. It’s priced in the $60 to $99.99 range, which feels fair for something this specific in its ambitions. It won’t be for everyone, and that’s precisely the point.

4. Four Pillars Yuzu Gin

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Australia’s Four Pillars Distillery has built a reputation for gins that are bespoke and trendy, and the Four Pillars Yuzu Gin, sitting at a Critics’ Score of 93, is a strong argument for its approach. The nose is essentially a citrus grove caught mid-breeze: lemon peel, lemongrass and grapefruit, with juniper lending a lightly resinous, piney backbone and something that reads like freshly pressed sugar cane juice underneath it all. On the palate, yuzu takes over with a tartness that’s almost aggressive in the best possible way, leaning green and grapefruit-forward rather than the sweeter citrus you might expect, while a thread of herbal green tea introduces a bitter, herbaceous layer that keeps things honest. The finish is clean and lingering, all citrus and gentle bitterness. Pour it long over ice with good tonic and don’t overthink it.

3. Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin

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Sydney’s Archie Rose distillery has become one of the more quietly impressive craft operations in the Southern Hemisphere, and the Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin is the bottle that put it on the map internationally. Scoring 95, this 42% ABV gin leads with a botanical bill that leans heavily into native Australian ingredients, lemon myrtle and anise myrtle giving it a eucalyptus-kissed citrus quality that British or European gins don’t often boast. The palate is bright and structured, with juniper holding the center while the native botanicals do the interesting work around the edges. It’s the kind of gin that makes you reconsider what the category can be when distillers stop trying to make the next London Dry and start working with what’s growing in one’s own backyard.

2. Ki No Tea Gin

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Ki No Tea Gin from Kyoto’s The Kyoto Distillery also scores 95, and it lands above Archie Rose here on the strength of sheer singularity. At 45.1% ABV, this is a gin built around gyokuro, one of Japan’s most prized green teas, and the effect on the spirit is remarkable in a way that’s hard to describe without sounding like you’re overselling it. The nose is delicate and slightly savory, with a umami-adjacent quality that sits alongside floral yuzu and soft juniper. The palate is where the tea really speaks, bringing a silky, almost creamy texture and a gentle vegetal bitterness that lingers through a long, clean finish. It’s the most restrained bottle on this list and, depending on your preferences, possibly the most rewarding.

1. Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin

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The top score on this list also goes to a 95/100, so why does Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin from Glenrinnes Distillery take the crown? Because it does something none of the others attempt: it plants a gin firmly in whisky country and makes that context count. Distilled in Speyside, Scotland, at 46% ABV and priced in the $60 to $99.99 range, this certified organic gin carries the minerality and soft water character of its region into every sip. The nose is fragrant and almost meadow-like, with juniper, heather and a faint sweetness that feels less like added sugar and more like the Scottish air itself. On the palate, the higher ABV delivers real presence without aggression, with citrus peel, orris root and a whisper of malt that reminds you exactly where this was made. The finish is long, dry and grounding.

Every bottle here proves that the mid-shelf is where the most interesting conversations in gin are happening right now. Whether your preference runs toward the citrus-forward precision of Four Pillars, the Japanese restraint of Ki No Tea or the Speyside terroir of Eight Lands, there’s a bottle in this range worth adding to your rotation immediately.

Gin has long been defined by tradition, with London dry taking the classic spotlight and Old Tom offering a slightly sweeter, historic charm. Meanwhile, organic gin, a quietly growing category, is charting its own course, rooted in sustainability and careful craftsmanship. Unlike conventional gins made in undisclosed distilleries with unspecified ingredients, organic expressions show their ethos on the label, with certified grains and botanicals grown without synthetic pesticides and often sourced from small farms or eco-conscious distilleries.

From crisp, citrus-driven sips to deeper, herbaceous flavors, each bottle reflects the care and thought put into nearly every step of production. Ranked from lowest to highest price, here are eight standout eco-friendly gins that prove sustainability and excellent taste can go hand in hand.

1. Prairie Spirits Organic Gin

Price: ~$25

Prairie Spirit’s flagship gin uses 100% USDA‑certified organic corn from Midwestern farms, pairing crisp neutral spirit with traditional gin botanicals for a herbaceous, punchy expression. The producer emphasizes sustainable harvest and respectful agriculture from the field through bottling. Key botanicals include juniper, angelica, lemon, coriander and lavender.

Best for: Herb‑driven cocktails

2. Farmer’s Spirits Organic Gin

Price: ~$30

Bottled at 46.7% ABV, Farmer’s Organic Gin is certified organic by the USDA and produced in Idaho from wheat grown on 1,000 Springs Mill Farm, a locally owned, third-generation organic and non-GMO operation. The grain is distilled at Distilled Resources Inc. and infused with juniper, elderflower, lemongrass, coriander, rosebud, angelica root, orange and lime peel, with hemp seed as an additional botanical.

Best for: Clean gin and tonics

3. Greenbar Distillery City Bright Gin

Price: ~$35

Based in Los Angeles, California, Greenbar Distillery produces a range of certified organic spirits, including this gin made with botanicals sourced to organic standards. Ingredients include juniper, ancho chiles, angelica, basil, California bay, cardamom, cassia, coriander, cubeb, black cumin, fennel, grapefruit, lemon balm, lemongrass, lemon, makrut lime, lapsang souchong tea, lime, pink peppercorn, sichuan peppercorn, peppermint, spearmint, star anise and tarragon.

Additionally, the brand plants a tree for every bottle sold and uses lightweight and recycled packaging to reduce its environmental footprint.

Best for: Bright, modern craft cocktails

4. Boatyard Double Gin

Price: ~$40

Produced in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, this juniper‑forward gin uses organically produced wheat spirit and certified organic botanicals, such as locally foraged sweet gale, alongside angelica, bog myrtle, coriander, grains of paradise, juniper, licorice and orris root.

The distillery, the first in Fermanagh in over a century, champions organic sourcing and became Ireland’s first B Corp-certified distillery, showing a broader environmental and social commitment.

Best for: Classic drinks that call for a London dry

5. Purity Gin 34 Nordic Old Tom Gin

Price: ~$40

Purity Gin 34 Nordic Old Tom spotlights organic ingredients for both its botanical blend and base spirit. Distilled 34 times for extra smoothness, this gin is flavored with juniper, coriander, lavender, cardamom, angelica root, basil, thyme, lingonberry, European blueberry and organic sugar. Produced inside the 13th-century Ellinge Castle in Southern Sweden, its slightly sweeter style makes it an excellent bridge between classic and contemporary cocktails.

Best for: Tom Collins and vintage mixes

6. Lind & Lime Organic Gin

Price: ~$40

Produced at a certified organic and B Corp distillery in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland, Lind & Lime’s gin reflects a commitment to sustainability from ingredient sourcing to packaging. The distillery’s certifications confirm both ecological and social responsibility.

Presenting a clean and straightforward profile, Lind & Lime is crafted with juniper, fresh lime peel and a touch of pink peppercorns.

Best for: Dry and citrusy sips

7. Hernö Organic Gin

Price: ~$45

Hernö’s organic gin is distilled in Sweden using organically grown botanicals. While specific sustainability commitments beyond organic sourcing vary by market, organic certification ensures the avoidance of synthetic pesticides and supports healthier farming systems.

Look for tasting notes created from a mix of juniper, lingonberries, meadowsweet, black pepper, cassia, coriander, fresh lemon peel and vanilla in this savory spirit.

Best for: Worldly gin fans

8. Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin

Price: ~$55

Made at an organic‑certified farm distillery in Keith, Banffshire, Scotland, Glenrinnes Distillery’s Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin uses botanicals and base ingredients grown on organically managed land certified since 2001. This long‑standing organic status speaks to true ecological stewardship.

For this eco-friendly offering, expect flavors from organic juniper, wood sorrel, cowberries, coriander, cardamom, cassia bark, sheep sorrel, lemon and lime peel, chamomile flowers and orris root.

Best for: Speyside spirit enthusiasts

(Photo: Aviation Gin)

Aviation Gin, the Oregon-based spirits brand acquired by Ryan Reynolds in 2018, has unveiled its first-ever flavored offering with Cranberry & Blood Orange. Squint your eyes hard enough, and its black-and-red label might bear a passing resemblance to a certain superhero that relaunched a certain actor’s career in the mid-2010s.

Now available nationwide at around $30 per bottle, the fittingly blood-red gin begins with the brand’s usual botanical mix of cardamom, coriander, French lavender, anise seed, sarsaparilla, juniper and two kinds of orange peel. The gin is then batched at 40% ABV (two notches lower than standard Aviation) and flavored with cranberry and blood orange.

The team recommends it in signature cocktails like the Bloody Good Mimosa and the Blimey Fizz, though it sounds like it would work equally well in established fare like the Cosmopolitan or Sea Breeze.

“Innovation is at the heart of what we do. That’s true despite the fact that until today we have not really changed our product at all,” Reynolds said in a news release. “I am so proud of our first actual innovation – the delicious Cranberry & Blood Orange.”

Aviation was founded in 2006 by bartender Ryan Magarian and distiller Christian Krogstad, who were the first to coin and popularize New Western Dry Gin. The brand was bought by Reynolds little over a decade later, and was eventually acquired by Diageo — the British spirits firm behind Don Julio, Guinness and Johnnie Walker — in 2020.

Aviation has maintained a lean portfolio since its inception. Apart from its standard offering and the newly debuted Blood Orange & Cranberry, the brand has only ever released an aged Old Tom and a travel-exclusive Expedition Strength.

“We’re proud to introduce Cranberry & Blood Orange to the Aviation portfolio as a meaningful expansion of the brand,” Ricky Collett, Gin Category Marketing Director at Diageo, added. “We wanted to create new occasions for consumers to engage with Aviation in fresh, creative ways, and focused on crafting a liquid that delivers versatility, accessibility and an exceptional flavor experience. The combination of Aviation’s signature gin with tart cranberry and citrus-forward blood orange offers cocktail elevation while remaining easy to enjoy.”

Hendrick’s Gin is expanding its core range for the first time in nine years with an offering simply named, *drumroll please*, Another Hendrick’s.

Swapping the brand’s iconic black bottle for a crisp shade of white, the gin is built around infusions of orange blossom and cocoa beans. Master Distiller Lesley Gracie says that she was inspired by her love of chocolate and flowers — perhaps explaining why the gin was unveiled so soon after  Valentine’s Day.

“Another Hendrick’s is the complete opposite of what we’ve been doing for the past 25 years, and the delectable combination of orange blossom and cacao beans is really rather unusual,” Gracie said in a news release. “After experimenting with different elements from the Hendrick’s Gin Palace’s tropical greenhouse, I discovered this brilliant profile featuring a depth of flavor, hint of sweetness and lift of freshness that is completely distinctive.”

According to the team, the gin layers flavors of silky-smooth cocoa with bright citrus, subtle cucumber and rose. The spirit is bottled at 44% ABV (same as standard Hendrick’s) and is now rolling out worldwide at a suggested retail price of $34.99.

Though the flavor combination may sound a little outside the box, it fits well within the Hendrick’s wheelhouse.

The Scotland-based distiller has spent much of the past decade focusing on its Cabinet of Curiosities series, limited-edition offerings that lean into the experimental side of the brand’s ethos. The collection kicked off in 2019 with the debut of Midsummer Solstice, a lighthanded reimagining of the standard Hendrick’s recipe. Subsequent releases have included the 20th-century-inspired Grand Cabaret, the briny Neptunia and the potently flowery Flora Adora.