Gin’s defining feature is the juniper berry, from which it is most often distilled. With an ABV of between 40-55%, gin is a strong but not overly intense beverage, most often served with tonic. The best thing about gin is its versatility. It goes well in fruit cups, in cocktails, and on its own. Since a secondary distillation process is at the heart of its production, there is an enormous scope of flavour which can be imbued into it, giving gin distillers license to let loose on their creativity. Fun to make and fun to consume, gin is the next big thing in bars and clubs alike.

Which is better - gin, whiskey, wine or vodka?

Nobody can say which is the better drink between gin, whiskey, wine and vodka. Each has an extremely unique flavour profile due to their unique production processes.

Gin and vodka are both distilled liquors which have been imbued with flavours. However, vodka can be distilled from any food that contains sugar and starch. Potatoes are the most popular choice, but brewers can ferment and distill cereal grains, fruits, or even maple syrup. Vodka has a much higher ABV than other alcohols: usually at least 40%. It is renowned for being a high-intensity spirit, best enjoyed in shots or in cocktails. Some vodka-based cocktails you are probably familiar with include the Vodka Martini, Cosmopolitan, Screwdriver, White Russian, and Bloody Mary. For those who like their drink a bit rough, vodka is the choice for you.

Both vodka and whiskey undergo a fermentation process, but with the latter, it takes place with cereal grains. Corn, rye and wheat are common, but the most prevalent by far is malted barley. Whiskey is also aged in wooden casks, often made of sherry or oak, which give it a complexity of flavour not found in vodka or gin.

Whiskeys can be further classified as single-malt and blended whiskey. The former is distilled from exclusively malted barley, while the latter makes use of a combination of malted barley and other cereal grains. Whiskey’s ABV sits at between 40 – 60%.

Wines, on the other hand, are not distilled. Instead, they are fermented from grapes. Consequently, wine tastes softer and sweeter. With a relatively low ABV of 5 – 14%, it is also far more palatable in large quantities, which is why it is readily served at mealtimes. You can buy red, white, sparkling, non-sparkling, and fortified wines, each of which have their own unique flavour profile and fermentation process. This diversity makes wine most readily compared to cheese: it is almost impossible to compare between hard, soft, blue, aged and smoked cheeses, because each is so incredibly different in their own right. So it is with wine!

That said, no one type of alcohol is better over the other — it all depends on your taste preference!

If you’re making your first foray into gin, start with either Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray. Both are dominant brands in the gin world, and offer a bright, fresh and balanced introduction to good-quality gin. You are likely to find both in your nearest bar. Those who enjoy experimenting with their gin might like Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz, which mixes a classic gin taste with Australian red wine flavours. Alternatively, take a trip over to the South of France and enjoy the rosiness of Mistral Gin, offered for a limited time at greatly discounted prices till 30 August 2021. Buy a single bottle for just $80 – 20% off the original price – or buy two bottles for just $150 – 25% off retail price.

The beauty of gin is that there are no hard-and-fast rules about the best way to enjoy it. Gin producers recommend storing the bottle with a tightly sealed cap in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Beyond that, the world’s your oyster: consume gin in whichever way pleases you!

Be brave: try it on the rocks or straight

There are bold people out there who have a hankering to experience every alcoholic drink for what it is, untainted by mixers or cocktails. For them, trying gin straight or on the rocks is the best bet, as it will reveal the full flavour profile of the beverage as intended. Gin experts recommend a few steps if you really want to appreciate the drink. First, pour the gin into a whiskey glass; next, stick your nose into it, before swirling it around gently. Finally, take a sip, let it sit on your tongue, and swallow. Each step of this process should reveal different notes on the nose, the palate, and in the immediate aftermath of consumption. Try this with a good bottle of gin and see if you can detect the botanicals inside!

The iconic: Gin & tonic

A bar classic! The gin and tonic, or G&T for short, is by far the most popular way to drink gin. The habit originated in colonial India, where British officers drank tonic water because it contained quinine. Quinine was used as a treatment to prevent the onset of malaria symptoms, but since it tasted so bad on its own, officers would mix it with gin and lime to make it more palatable.

The practice outlasted British occupation, and to this day G&Ts are enjoyed worldwide as a delicious combo for any occasion. Tonic brings a bitterness to the sweet botanical flavours of the gin, creating a refreshing bittersweetness overall. A G&T is a great starting point for gin-drinkers because it lessens the intensity of the alcohol without totally nullifying its flavour.

As a summer cocktail: with cucumbers and fruits

Gin goes extremely well with cucumber or sweet fruits. Cucumber is fresh, cool and mellow, adding to the refreshing nature of gin. Together with tonic, the gin and cucumber offers one of the most nourishing summer drinks for hot days, leaving you feeling calm and relaxed.

The fruit cup offers a totally different experience, exemplified in its association with Pimms No.1. Top your gin with a rich array of sweet delights, such as lemon, strawberry and orange, or get creative and add your own favourite selection of berries and fruits to the cup. Gin thrives on experimentation and the rearranging of flavours, so try your luck and see what you come up with!

A cocktail is an alcoholic drink which has been mixed with a combination of fruit, syrup, cream, or other mixers. Cocktails are made by starting with the base spirit, such as vodka or gin, and adding a variety of other ingredients to enhance the flavour of the liquor or to create a different flavour entirely. There are a huge variety of cocktails on the market, most of which feature one or a combination of whiskey, tequila, rum, vodka and gin. Liqueurs such as Campari and Cointreau are often used as sweeteners, alongside syrups, sugars and creams.

Put simply, a cocktail is alcoholic, while a mocktail is non-alcoholic. Usually, this makes mocktails much sweeter than cocktails, as their predominant flavours are the fruits and syrups used in mixing. It also makes mocktails far cheaper than cocktails, as there is no alcohol used in their production. For instance, you might order a cocktail such as the Mojito, which contains white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water and mint. To make it a mocktail, you might replace the white rum and soda water with lemonade and pomegranate juice. Simple, sweet and delicious!

Gin pairs well with citrusy, savoury flavours. For appetisers, gin complements nuts, cheese, and dried meat platters. Given its association with cucumber, you might want to wash down a cucumber sandwich with a G&T. For main courses, seafood is always a good choice: try a glass with prawns or salmon. Alternatively, gin accompanies curries and koftas well as a refreshment to chilli spice. For dessert, gin works a treat with creamy dishes, balancing out the soft sweetness of dessert with a tanginess you’ll love.

Considering the breadth of cocktails out there, it’s difficult to narrow down which foods pair well. Our general advice would be to identify the ingredients in the cocktail, and think about how they would go with respective food dishes. For instance, the primary olfactory note in an Espresso Martini is coffee; coffee couples nicely with chocolate, cream, nuts, and dried fruits, so you might like to serve your Espresso Martini with a creamy dessert or dessert platter. In a Negroni, the dominant flavours are big and tangy, which means bold food flavours are required to counteract it. As such, you might want to try your Negroni with blue cheese, salty prosciutto or salami, or on dishes which feature flavours like this (think pizza and pasta). Finally, try your next Margarita with food that complements its zesty taste. Throw chicken or prawns into a salad, wrap, or stir-fry, and let the citrusy flavours of the lime bring out the best in your meal!