You’ve seen the likes of Beefeater Pink Strawberry Gin, Puerto de Indias Strawberry Gin (thought to be the first commercially available strawberry gin ever!) and Kopparburg Strawberry & Lime Gin in the supermarkets, you may even have tried M&S Strawberry Gin when you last visited Marks & Spencer. But which strawberry gin is really the best?
As you can probably imagine, for the experts here at Craft Gin Club, it has to be craft gin and it has to be delicious. Luckily for us, there are some incredible craft strawberry gins out there for gin fans to try!
In this feature, we are giving you our list of the five best strawberry gins to try this summer and we are also delving into the flavours of strawberry gin and giving you some of our best strawberry gin serving suggestions.
Seriously, this one is going to have you salivating. So without further ado, let’s get started. Scroll down to reveal all…
What does strawberry gin taste like?
Strawberry gin is led by the sweet, red-berry flavours of fresh strawberries. Those flavours are then underpinned by the rich, earthy tones of juniper.
From there, the flavour of your strawberry gin will depend on the specific strawberry gin you choose, as recipes differ from one distiller to the next.
Flavours added to the basic strawberry and juniper profile can range from the citrus tones of lime to savoury, warm spice notes of black pepper, depending on the botanicals used.
One of our favourite strawberry gin flavour combinations is strawberry and pink peppercorn - find two fabulous strawberry and pink peppercorn gins below!
Is strawberry gin sweet?
Strawberry gin is normally sweeter than your typical London dry because the strawberries naturally add their sweeter tones to the spirit.
However, many distillers offset that sweetness by adding savoury botanicals to their recipes to give balance to the drinking experience.
Can you make strawberry gin?
You can indeed make your very own strawberry gin at home and the recipe is very easy - all you need for the perfect strawberry gin recipe are fresh strawberries, gin and caster sugar!
We have a great guide for how to make strawberry gin here!
If you don’t fancy making your own strawberry gin then not to worry, there are some fantastic strawberry gins out there ready for you to buy…
5 of the best strawberry gins:
Otterbeck Distillery Strawberry & Pink Peppercorn Cotton Gin
This fabulous edition from Otterbeck Distillery in Yorkshire is brimming with summer joy. Made with Annabel’s Deliciously British Strawberries, it’s brimming with luscious berry tones that are complimented by the fragrant spice of pink peppercorn.
What’s more, not only does this strawberry gin taste incredible but it comes in a beautifully designed glass bottle too.
What does Otterbeck Distillery Strawberry & Pink Peppercorn Cotton Gin taste like?
This gorgeous gin has a symphony of strawberries and juniper on the nose. They are joined by citrus and spice tones that are simply divine on the palate. The finish is long and fruity. Yum!
Nelson’s Distillery Strawberry & Pink Peppercorn Gin
Nelson’s Distillery & School, based in Staffordshire, is now famed across the world for their amazing gins and elegant, now-iconic ceramic bottles.
Inspired by the Wimbledon classic, strawberries and cream, their Strawberry & Pink Peppercorn Gin is already a hit with the Craft Gin Club team.
It’s a strawberry gin that is complex, luscious and utterly delicious!
What does Nelson’s Distillery Strawberry & Pink Peppercorn Gin taste like?
Ripe strawberries come through on the nose and are joined by the warm, fragrant spice of pink peppercorn on the palate. Sweet and tangy tones last long into the wonderfully meandering finish and that rich backbone of juniper runs throughout.
Craft Gin Club’s recommendation: try this strawberry gin on its own over ice before adding a mixer to really experience everything it has to offer.
Sibling Distillery Strawberry & Black Pepper Summer Edition Gin
As strawberry and black pepper gins go, this one takes some beating! Made by the incredible team at Sibling Distillery in Cheltenham, it is a wonderful summer gin that’s fruity and peppery in all the right places.
Made with fresh strawberries and Sibling’s very own black pepper syrup, there is nothing else out there quite like this delectable tipple.
And that square bottle would take pride of place in any gin collection!
What does Sibling Distillery Strawberry & Black Pepper Summer Edition Gin taste like?
The nose is warm and fruity, with strawberry, juniper and black peppercorn all perfectly balanced against each other. They continue onto the palate, where juicier strawberry and warm spice notes come to the fore and last throughout the luxurious finish.
Tarquin’s Strawberry & Lime Gin
Tarquin’s Cornish gins have always been a favourite of craft gin fans. Their eye-catching blue bottles and colourful wax seals stand out on any gin shelf and their gins never fail to impress.
Their Strawberry & Lime Gin is no different! A zesty and bright mix of berry and citrus flavours, it’s summer in a bottle.
It is not to be missed!
What does Tarquin’s Strawberry & Lime Gin taste like?
Wild strawberry, warm spice and rich juniper lead on the nose. They develop on the palate, where citrusy notes come through too. The finish is bursting with mouthwatering strawberry jam flavours.
Altitude Alpine Strawberry Pink Gin
This fun and fabulous pink strawberry gin from the master craftsmen and women at Altitude is delicate and fragrant yet remarkably complex.
It’s made with a botanical list that includes the likes of elderflower, green cardamom and myrtille to lend a sensational mix of floral, herb and spice tones to those strawberry flavours.
It has had us licking our lips from the first sip to the last!
What does Altitude Alpine Strawberry Pink Gin taste like?
On the nose, you can expect to find rich juniper and sweet strawberry aromas. They are joined by herb notes and floral touches of elderflowers on the palate. Spice tones come through in the fragrant finish.
What mixer goes with strawberry gin?
Strawberry gins are very versatile and have the potential to work well with a variety of mixers (within reason!).
Some of our favourite strawberry gin mixer recommendations are tonic water, lemonade, elderflower pressé and other spirits.
Find out how to make some fantastic strawberry gin cocktails here!
Which tonic with strawberry gin?
To really let your strawberry gin shine, we recommend pairing it with classic tonic water - those delectably bitter quinine tones work great with the sweeter profile of the pink gin.
However, if you would like a more summery drink then an elderflower tonic like Lixir Elderflower & Lemon Tonic Water would work great too.
Citrus-forward tonic waters like Artisan Drinks Pink Citrus Tonic can be an excellent partner to strawberry gin too, as those zesty tones can elevate the rounded berry flavours of the strawberry.
How to make the best strawberry gin and tonic:
50ml strawberry gin
200ml premium tonic water
Fresh strawberries and mint, to garnish
Add the strawberry gin and tonic water to your glass with lots of ice and stir. Garnish, serve and enjoy!
Where can I buy strawberry gin?
You can buy lots of delicious strawberry gins at the Craft Gin Club online shop here!