While there are some incredible gin brands globally like Bombay and Hendricks the Irish market has grown exponentially with some incredible local distilleries creating Irish gin that is winning awards and getting noticed.
We thought we'd select 10 of the very best for you to work your way through. Each one would also be an ideal gift for that gin-lover in your life. Don't try them all in one evening would be our only piece of advice...
10th. Thin Gin
Thin Gin is a new Irish dry gin from Blackwater Spirits. The distinctive juniper perfume mingles with strong citrus notes of orange, lemon and lime on the nose. It uses all Irish grown botanicals such as apple, wild thyme, elder flowers, white clover and tansy. Thin Gin is robust and stands up well when partnered with a good tonic.
9th. Highbank Organic Crystal Irish Gin
Exclusively distilled from local Kilkenny grown apples and flavoured with 12 botanicals including lavender and blackcurrant. The ingredients are all organic and sourced from Highbank's organic farm.
8th. Blackwater No5 Gin
No. 5 is a superb London Dry style gin which is made at the Blackwater Distillery in West Waterford. Each batch is carefully made in small amounts from pure spirit, soft local water and fresh botanicals. This makes an oustanding G&T but also has enough flavour to go into traditional gin based cocktails.
7th. Shortcross Gin
Shortcross is a classical Gin style but with a unique twist, best described as floral meadow, wild berries and grassy notes. It is smooth with an exceptionally long aftertaste and finish. This is achieved through the use of fresh apples, elderberries and wild clover distilled with other botanicals including juniper, coriander, orange peel, lemon peel and cassia.
6th. Mór Irish Gin
Mór is an Irish gin that comes from the town of Tullamore. It contains traditional gin botanicals plus some floral honeysuckle and Slieve Bloom mountain water.
5th. Ha'penny Pot Still Gin
Ha'Penny Gin is an Irish made gin that draws inspiration from Victorian Dublin and the flora found in the walled gardens within Phoenix Park. The botanicals include blackberries, lavender, geranium and dendelion flowers as well as traditional juniper and other well known gin ingredients.
4th. Glendalough Dillisk Gin
Still on very limited release but starting to hit the market and getting rave reviews. Hand crafted Dillisk seaweed gin from Glendalough distillery as part of their 'Ginteresting' releases.
3rd. Concullen Gin
The first gin released from The Connacht Whiskey Company. The gin contains a variety of Irish botanicals including elderberry flower and hawthorn berry. The gin was produced by award winning gin maker, Robert Castell.
2. Dingle Gin
The brand created by the late great Oliver Hughes in what is one of the most iconic distilleries in the country. Distilled in pot stills with a range of botanicals including Rowan Berry, Fuscia, Bog Myrtle, Heather, Chervil and Hawthorn.
1. Gunpowder Gin
You'll spot the distinctive bottle all over the country but this gin doesn't just look good it also tastes amazing as well. A hand-crafted gin made in the Shed Distillery, Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim. Oriental Botanicals (berries and roots) and locally foraged Meadowsweet are added to a traditional medieval style still and only allowed to soak for 30 minutes max while the vapour infusion is being prepared.
You can find all of these gins most decent off-licences or purchase them online at Celtic Whiskey Shop
