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The background: From Holland, this bottle is made following an original Dutch dry gin recipe using nine botanicals including Japanese cherry blossom.     

We say: Very citrusy and alcohol forward on the nose. The taste is sweet like a liqueur and goes down very easily. A smooth gin that comes from the New Western (non-juniper-heavy) school of gin-making. 

The G&T mix: East Imperial Burma Tonic Water garnished with pomegranate and thyme leaves.

 

The background: Distilled in London, this bottle uses nine botanicals including juniper and coriander seed (the main ingredients), orange, lemon and grapefruit peel, jasmine, orris flower, angelica and cassia.    

We say: Very botanical, fresh and clean on the nose. Easily contains the strongest taste of juniper in this test. Well-balanced, warm and spicy with a lingering aftertaste, though It’s balanced but there’s still a sweetness. 

The G&T mix: East Imperial Old World Tonic water garnished with lemon zest and orange peel.   

 

The background: Founded by Bangkok-based nightlife genius Ashley Sutton, this gin is produced locally based on coconut palm, juniper berries, ginger and lemon grass.  

We say: Perfumey, floral and very sweet, like vermouth. The taste is so smooth, it brings up floral and fruity citrus notes that are almost like freshly-squeezed juice. You can get the scent of grapefruit and orange. Very modern. The taste is short and doesn’t linger, more like a flavored vodka. 

The G&T mix: East Imperial Burma Tonic water garnished with torched rosemary and clove.

 

The background: The experimental collaboration between Bootleggers and the maker of small-batch rums Lamoon and Lamai, sees the use of local ingredients including safflower on its sugarcane base.

We say: This one smells very strong, rough and earthy on the nose. Quite a contrast from any gin you might be familiar with. The taste is again very sweet, incorporating fresh juices that remind us of cachaca (Brazilian rum, a distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice). You might not recognize it as gin.  

The G&T mix: East Imperial Burma Tonic water garnished with grapes and torched rosemary.