Gin is one of the most versatile and appreciated spirits there is, and the inspiration behind a great many cocktails. It's also easy to get lost among its types and definitions. The best way to find your bearings is to start from the criteria that establish what may be called gin — under European rules — and then look at the families and styles you'll actually find on the shelf. If your starting question is a different one — what separates gin from the other clear spirits — we've tackled that in gin vs vodka, what's actually the difference.
Gin and European Regulation: the Official Definition
To be called gin, a spirit has to meet a few basic conditions:
- It must start from ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin, obtained by fermenting and distilling agricultural raw materials, very often grains such as wheat or barley.
- It must have a minimum strength of 37.5% ABV.
- It must be flavoured with juniper berries, which have to remain the predominant aroma: this is the real dividing line of the category.
Within that perimeter, the regulation then distinguishes three levels, each stricter than the last.
The Three Recognised Categories
1. Gin
This is the base category. The alcohol is flavoured with juniper and other flavouring substances, even without a further distillation. Juniper must remain perceptible as the dominant aroma, but the rule is relatively permissive: sweetening is allowed, and so is colouring.
2. Distilled Gin
Here the alcohol is redistilled together with juniper and the other botanicals, in traditional stills. That step is what separates it from the base category: a gin obtained simply by adding essences to alcohol cannot be called distilled gin. After distillation, further flavouring substances may still be added.
3. London Gin (or London Dry Gin)
This is the most restrictive of the three definitions, and it has nothing to do with where the gin is made: a London Dry can be distilled anywhere. It must be a distilled gin whose aroma comes exclusively from redistillation with natural plant materials; no flavourings may be added after distillation, no colourings either, and sugar is limited to minimal quantities. The result is the dry, clean gin we know. We go into it in detail in our piece on what London Dry Gin is.
One clarification that causes a lot of confusion: flavoured gin is not a fourth category on the same list. Products with flavourings or sugar added after distillation — sloe gin, for instance — belong to different families, often classified as gin-based spirit drinks. We've devoted a separate piece to how that family works.
Other Gin Families Outside European Regulation
Alongside the regulated categories there are historic and modern styles that don't map onto the European definitions but are highly recognisable and much loved.
Old Tom Gin
A sweet gin, born in the 18th century and characterised by a light residual sweetness that makes it soft and round. It was rediscovered with the vintage cocktail revival.
Plymouth Gin
Historically tied to the city of Plymouth, in England, where it is still produced. It has a softer, less sharp profile than London Dry, with earthy and citrus notes.
Navy Strength Gin
At around 57% ABV or above, it originated in a military context and is defined by its intensity and persistence. Often used in more robust cocktails, where a standard-strength gin would be buried.
Genever
The historic father of modern gin, from the Netherlands and Belgium. Maltier and less aromatic, it has a grain-spirit base that brings it closer to a light whisky. Its story is told in the history of gin.
The Botanicals: the Heart of Gin
Whatever the category, gin owes its character to the botanicals used during distillation. Beyond juniper, which remains the backbone, the most common include:
- Coriander
- Angelica
- Orris root
- Citrus peel (lemon, orange)
- Pink pepper
- Cinnamon
- Lavender or chamomile flowers
Many contemporary producers experiment with local and unusual botanicals to build recognisable profiles. When the defining botanical is a citrus fruit, you enter the territory of citrus gin; on the range of aromatic directions available we've written a separate guide.
How the Botanicals Get Into the Gin
Botanicals give up their aromas to the base spirit in different ways:
- Maceration: the botanicals steep in the alcohol for a period, allowing the essential oils to dissolve.
- Vapour infusion: the botanicals are placed in baskets suspended inside the still, so the hot alcohol vapours pass through them and draw out the more delicate aromas. It's the preferred method for fragile botanicals such as flowers or certain citrus peels.
- Cold (vacuum) distillation: lower temperatures are used to preserve the aromas most sensitive to heat, giving a fresher profile.
The full process, from base spirit to bottling, is explained in our article on how gin is made.
Once Distillation Is Over, Is the Gin Ready to Drink?
Not yet. Gin comes off the still at between 70% and 85% ABV: at that strength it would be neither marketable nor drinkable. It is therefore diluted with demineralised water down to bottling strength. Dilution doesn't only lower the alcohol: it opens up the aromas and gives the spirit softness on the palate.
Does Gin Need to Rest or Age?
This is exactly where gin differs from other spirits: it needs neither long resting periods nor ageing. Most producers let it rest for a short time after distillation, usually in stainless steel tanks. That can mean a few days, a few weeks, sometimes a few months: it's there to let the aromas settle, not to transform them.
Do Aged Gins Exist?
Yes. Several producers don't stop at resting and give the spirit a spell in wooden casks, often French or American oak. Contact with the wood alters the aromatic profile, the flavour reflects the interaction between wood and botanicals, and the colour loses its clarity, turning amber.
A Concrete Example
GIN NIRO is an artisanal Sicilian Zibibbo gin: to the separate distillation of the botanicals it adds an infusion of Sicilian zibibbo from an island of volcanic origin, an aromatic grape in place of dried botanicals alone. In 2026 it won the Silver Medal at the World Gin Awards in the Flavoured Gin category. The full process is on our production method page, and the bottle is here — 70 cl, with free shipping within Italy.
