Summer is here. And with it come the drinks most closely associated with summer and warm weather, such as the Aperol Spritz, the ’fröccs’*, and, of course, the star of the show: the gintonic. Earlier I’ve written in detail about the history of gin, its current state, and its domestic market.** Here and now, I’d just like to dispel a common misconception that even highly knowledgeable industry professionals often overlook: what does “London Dry Gin” actually mean?
In short, “London Dry Gin” refers to both a style and a production method, according to which, after the distillation of macerates made with botanicals, plants, dried fruits, and even many other ingredients, no further flavoring, coloring, or any other “tampering” takes place—or is permitted—and the final alcohol content is adjusted using distilled water alone. For this reason, London Dry Gin represents the pinnacle of gin production, as the producer has no means of influencing the finished product in any way, enhancing the intensity of certain components, or masking any potential flaws.
However, due to the history and tradition of the name and, to some extent, the production style, certain misconceptions have arisen regarding London Dry Gin. Let’s examine them one by one:
About London: From the perspective of protected designation of origin, it has nothing to do with London; it owes the name “London” solely to the fact that most of the continuous-distillation stills that emerged as part of the Industrial Revolution were located in London, and a significant portion of the higher-quality gins—which replaced the earlier gins of highly questionable quality—were produced in London. It is clear that, for this very reason, the name “London” came to be used based on a kind of market trust—the assurance that the gin was produced there and nowhere else. However, any distillery may use the name as long as it adheres to the technological specifications described above—from Seattle to Stockholm, or even in Dunakiliti***. In short: the word “London” does not denote a geographical origin, but rather a quality- and technology-based category and the place of origin historically associated with it.
About Dry: This is the most controversial aspect of the name, as it suggests that the drink must convey a “dry” impression in every aspect of its flavor and effect. Spoiler: That’s a misconception. The original London Dry gins, as well as those produced during the early stages of gin’s development, were indeed dry, since they were made according to a restrained recipe using a relatively small number of botanicals; the taste and aroma of juniper dominated these gins, delivering a piney, dry-leaning, distinctive yet somewhat one-dimensional flavor profile. Later on, as the recipes became more complex, with an ever-increasing variety of spices, roots, dried herbs, and even fruits appearing among the ingredients, gin-making, taken to the extreme, became (in part) a means of self-expression. Although, contrary to popular belief, the sugar content of fruits cannot leave the still (and thus there is no actual sugar in the distillate), the volatile aromas, oils, and esters that evaporate from them still create—or can create—an extremely intense, deceptive sweet sensation in our brains and on our tongues.
Furthermore, technological advances have made it possible to produce an increasingly pure, impurity-free base spirit (a high-quality spirit of agricultural origin), whose flavor profile—though not sweet—can still be accompanied by sweet-like sensations (alcoholic sweetness!).
In summary, the word “Dry” in the term “London Dry” refers to the production requirements and not to the actual sweet/dry taste contrast.
About Gin: There is nothing to explain about this part of the term; there is no room for misinterpretation here: it denotes the name of the drink.
Based on the above, today’s “London Dry Gin” distinctly features the presence of juniper, but beyond that, it can reflect a multitude of influences, both in its aroma and flavor. This complexity can even involve sweetish notes, resulting from the interplay between the taste buds and the gin’s ingredients.
London Dry Gin can therefore be citrusy, floral, spicy, or even surprisingly fruity. The term “dry”—as in “London Dry”—is not a promise regarding the taste, but a guarantee of the method of production.
*mixture of soda and wine, ’spritzer’
**In the May 2021 issue of Vince magazine—written practically at the peak of the gin market’s boom—I authored a lengthy overview article, the main findings of which remain valid today
***It’s no coincidence that Dunakiliti is mentioned, since the recipes for Ruby’s and Rubycello gins include Mediterranean and tropical fruits. Nor is it a coincidence that the distillery’s slogan regarding its gin is: “The fruitiness that makes a difference.”