Pink gin has scaled giddy heights of popularity in just a few short years, becoming, arguably, the biggest phenomenon in the world of cocktails in recent times! Now a staple on many a gin-lover’s spirits shelf or home bar, pink gin’s success has spawned hundreds of versions - some good, some fabulous, some, well… not quite so good.
But gin purists need not worry: there are many superb spirits in this category that are every bit as high quality as classic gins, and add a welcome touch of variety, flavour and colour to your G&T. We know, we’ve tasted them!
Yes, here at Craft Gin Club, our team of experts taste-tests and carefully selects only the very best pink gins to go on sale in our online shop. (How exactly do they decide which gins to choose? Find out here!)
Below, we’ve chosen just a few of the most exciting and delicious pink gins that have made it into our handpicked few - we’re confident that any gin-lover would be thrilled to unwrap one of these lovely spirits on Christmas Day!
Marie Jeanne’s Pink Gin
Hand-crafted on the South Ormsby Estate in the middle of the Lincolnshire Wolds, this sophisticated pink gin is named in honour of the glamorous and bold Marie Jeanne Rapigeon of Versailles, who injected a shot of Parisian style and joie de vivre into the estate when she came to live there following her marriage to the English estate owner. We think this fabulous pink gin does her proud! In fact, we like this spirit so much that we chose it as our Discovery Gin for August 2020.
As close to a classic London Dry as a pink gin can get, this spirit is bolstered with beautiful notes of sweet strawberry, tart, fresh raspberry, a sweet, peppery heat and a clean, citrus hit of lime. This is an elegant, delicious and rather glamorous spirit, just like its namesake.
Garnish with fresh raspberries, a sprig of mint and a slice of lime for a perfectly balanced pink gin and tonic.
2. Queen Mary 1689 Pink Gin
Heaps of juicy, sweet strawberries and vibrant, real raspberries are added to the distillation process when making this gin, giving the spirit a fabulous pink hue.
To produce this lovely spirit, the distillery (1689 Gin) refers to a recipe dating back 350 years, which recommends drinking this gin together with the two fruits - so you could say that this is as close as you’ll get to sipping the first-ever flavoured pink gin!
How does it taste? Well, juniper, strawberry and raspberry flavours are complemented by subtle spices, and the smooth finish is rounded out by a delectable berry sweetness. Highly recommended with a simple garnish of strawberry and raspberry; perhaps a few peppercorns if you’re feeling bold!
3. Salcombe Gin Rosé Sainte Marie
One of only two pink gins anywhere in the world to have won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, this elegant spirit was also been handed a Double Gold at the 2020 SIP Awards. Distilled on England’s south coast but inspired by the South of France, this blushing pink gin encapsulates the vibrant spirit of the Mediterranean.
With no added sugar, and botanicals including juniper, lemon, orange, lemon verbena, rose petals, orange blossom, pink peppercorns, and strawberries, it is refreshingly dry and beautifully aromatic, with the aromas of Provencal herbs complementing the natural, soft sweetness of berries and zing of citrus. Garnish simply with a twist of lemon or a slice of ripe strawberry for a gorgeous, summery G&T.
4. Nelson’s Rhubarb & Custard Gin
The ‘custard’ of the name here actually comes from the sweet, creamy flavours of Madagascan vanilla. Balanced with the tart, sweet fruitiness of the rhubarb-infused dry gin, the result is a delightful pink gin that somehow manages to be both sophisticated AND reminiscent of our favourite childhood sweets!
Distilled in Shropshire by the makers of our Craft Gin Clubber’s most popular Gin of the Month from 2019, Nelson’s Distillery, this spirit is delicious served neat over ice, or with your favourite classic tonic and a slice of grapefruit and a sprig of fresh mint.
5. Poetic License Strawberry & Cream Gin
Does anything say ‘British summer’ more than the mouth-watering flavours of strawberries and cream? For a taste of summer in a glass, try this delightful pink gin from Sunderland-based distillers, and producers of our Craft Gin Club Discovery Gin for October 2020, Poetic License.
Creamy and full of sweet strawberry flavours balanced with juniper and a range of classic London Dry botanicals, this blushing pink gin is absolutely delightful when served with a premium elderflower tonic water and garnished with fresh strawberries.
Of course, if you’re still looking for the perfect gift for the pink gin-lover in your life (which might be you, hehe!) but don’t want to commit to a full-size bottle, how about one of our beautiful pink gin gift sets?
Part of the Craft Gin Club Explorers’ Collection - a series of four gift sets, each showcasing four miniature bottles of some of the finest craft gins in the UK - this would make the ideal stocking-filler to pop under the tree. (It’s only £15.95, too, so just the ticket for a Secret Santa gift idea!) Take a look on our online shop for this and more ginny gift ideas. >>
And if you were wondering….
What exactly is pink gin?
Originally, the first ‘pink gin’ was invented when a few drops of Angostura Bitters were added to a classic London Dry gin to create a beautiful blushing drink. More recently, though, distillers started adding fruits and berries such as strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb and rose to the more traditional botanicals in their gin, producing a fabulous pink colour and a spirit infused with lovely new flavours.
Not to be confused with flavoured gin liqueurs, which are much sweeter, lower in alcohol and heavily flavoured, true pink gins still have an alcohol volume (ABV) of around 40%, and keep juniper as the main botanical. Find out more about the difference between flavoured gin, gin liqueurs and classic gin here!
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