Few things satisfy like a good gin cocktail. The only problem is that all gins are so different from one another it’s hard to know what to get. It’s almost too easy to fall into the thought trap that more expensive is inherently better. Not so fast. You don’t need to spend more than $30 on a gin to have something in your glass that is endlessly delightful.
Here are seven gins that won’t break the bank. All prices via Wine Searcher.
Citadelle
It’s time to start ordering gin from France — repeatedly. Citadelle is a French gin with 19 botanicals that make it an easy-drinking, silvery component of all gin cocktails. Average price: $21
Aviation
One of the most respected American gins is also one of the most affordable. Aviation is a “New Western Dry Gin” that is loaded with botanicals over juniper. It belongs in any gin-forward drink you can think of, especially its namesake Aviation. Average price: $28
Gordon’s
One of the most affordable gins out there won’t leave you in a pile of remorse after having a few. Not convinced? It’s James Bond’s preference for the Vesper, so don’t think for a second that you’re too good for it. Average price: $11
Boodles British Gin
Boodles is a proper British gin that will give you a taste of Mother England without having to cross the pond. Made with British wheat and infused with juniper, nutmeg, sage, and rosemary, it’s a gin that you can sip on or make into a delicious Gin and Tonic. Average price: $20
Bluecoat American Dry Gin
Bluecoat American Dry Gin has a dominant lemon and orange citrus flavor that makes it one of the most refreshing and clean tasting gins in any price range. Coriander, angelica root, and juniper round the spirit out with a slightly spicy and woodsy flavor. It’s the perfect spirit to liven up your Negroni and accentuate your Bee’s Knees cocktail. Average Price: $29
The Walter Collective Gin
Lovingly created with a soft juniper from the Tuscany region of Italy, The Walter Collective is a relatively new brand with style and class. It took more than a year to come up with the final recipe, which has gentle warming tones of cassia and cardamom, brightened with some grapefruit. Average price: $29
Broker’s London Dry Gin
Broker’s is a traditional English gin with a modern sensibility. It’s made in a 200-year-old distillery in a copper pot still with a recipe that’s just as old. Don’t expect to be surprised by the flavors in the bottle (big juniper, light sweetness, and some citrus), but know that you can count on Broker’s delivering a solid gin at a lovable price, time after time. Average price: $21
