January is a hard month; credit card bills to pay, all the “new year, new you” rubbish including detoxes, diets and dry January. Let’s forget all that and start 2016 celebrating the best month of the year..Ginuary!

If you haven’t noticed already, lots more people are developing a new found love for gin. If they’re not talking about it, they’re looking for something new and exciting to add to their gin collection. New brands are being launched every month and bars are making sure they’ve got the latest one in.

With so much choice out there, unless you’re an expert, how do you know which one to pick? As this month is gin month, we’re here to help by introducing you to some of the world’s best gins. From the Netherlands to Germany, Spain and America, we’ve got something for everyone!

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Meet the delightful Bobby’s Schiedam Dry Gin. Life is too short not to experience its fragrant and complex flavour. A balanced blend of juniper, rosehips, cloves, lemongrass and cubeb peppers amongst others, create this extremely unique gin.

Bobby’s is at its best in a Bobby & Tonic, served over ice and garnished with an orange peel and cloves.

Ferdinand’s Saar Dry Gin is fun, delightful to the palette and offers all spirit enthusiasts among us a product they can play with, experiment with and be proud to have added to their collection. Infused with carefully hand-picked Riesling grapes from the steep shale slopes of the Zilliken estate, on the grand Saarburger Rausch site, make this gin an impressively unique tasting experience.

Serve it with Ferdinand’s Saar Vermouth an olive and a splash of olive juice and you’ve got yourself a Dirty Martini!

Established in 1782, A.van Wees distillery de Ooievaar claims to be the last authentic distillery left in Amsterdam, producing a range of Old Dutch genevers, bitters and liqueurs. Their products are creative compositions made from pure natural raw materials; a combination of fruits, flowers, plants, roots and seeds.

This premium version of the A. van Wees de Ooievaar Three Corners Dry Gin is made with more intense, concentrated flavours whilst still remaining elegant with notes of juniper, coriander and lemon. With its prominent flavour, this Dutch gin should definitely stand out in your Ginuary cocktails and drinks!

 

Established in 1880, Rives have been making their Special Gin in El Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain since 1980.

Rives Special Gin is a super-premium hand crafted gin, with a unique taste guaranteed to blow your mind! It’s easy to drink but still holds a powerful and complex flavour. It’s the only 100% Andalusian exclusive gin made in copper stills traditionally designed by the Master, John Dore. The perfect balance and taste of Rives Special Gin is achieved by the careful selection of 11 botanicals naturally harvested from around the world.

Greenhook Ginsmiths American Dry Gin is definitely a favourite of mine, made from organic, New York State grown wheat, Tuscan juniper, coriander and Thai blue ginger, making it one of the boldest, most interesting gins out there.

Greenhook craft their gin using a technique called Vacuum Distillation. It allows them to distill their gin at low temperatures, which prevents the delicate aromas of their botanicals from being stewed with excessive heat during distillation. This unique process creates a beautifully fragrant gin with lifted aromas and vibrant flavours unlike any other!

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So up next we have something a bit different and what a lovely surprise it is….Van Wees Amsterdamsche Old Genever!

 

 Now genever differs slightly from gin in that although it is still flavoured with juniper it is also made using malt wine, which tends to give a greater depth and complexity of malt flavour and an overall sweeter finish. Genever is actually the original style of gin from Holland.

Its light gold tones and a tender voluptuousness come from at least six months ageing in oak casks. A good starter to get acquainted with an oude (old) genever.

It’s at its best drunk straight but can also be used as a premium ingredient in luxury cocktails. Give it a try, you’ll be amazed!

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With Ginuary now in full swing and all these delicious gins to try, you’ll no longer be thinking about hitting the gym!

Enjoy!