As we covered in our Contemporary vs Classic vs Flavoured gin article, there is a broad spectrum of gin sub-styles under each umbrella term. Many of the niche genres have even become as well known and as popular as the category’s traditional corner stones. Pink Gin, for example, is as know today as Old Tom. If not more so.
Here, we’ve focussed our attention on several intriguing gin sub-styles that help showcase the spirit’s diversity. We cover Barrel Aged, Grape Infused, Savoury Coastal gins and Plum Infused Gins.
Each carries its own unique character, shaped by local traditions, native ingredients, and innovative approaches to distilling.
Barrel Aged Gin (aka Cask Aged Gin)
When done well, Cask-Aged Gin provides an opportunity for distillers to bridge the gap with other categories, from whisky to fruit brandy and even wine. What started as a few adventurous trials by curious distillers quickly became a micro-trend by the mid 2000’s.
Having now been through several cycles, barrel aged gins are part and parcel of the gin category. This is particularly true in the US, where they are an established sub-style.
That wasn’t always a guarantee though. Early bottlings were polarising to many gin drinkers and the reaction explains why the trend came and went quickly. At the time, both critics and bartenders found that aged iterations neither hit the spot for their dark spirit needs, nor lived up to the clarity of flavour they want from gin. It was a hybrid category that fell somewhere between spirits, rather than bridged any of them.
Thankfully distillers are aware of this today!
The genre has evolved. Today, well-crafted cask-aged gins are being made with subtlety and nuance. The oak influence adds an interesting layer, but the spirit being bottled never forgets its juniper roots.
What kind of ageing goes on and what is it good for?
Most producers only age gins for a matter of weeks, at most months, in order to add layer of complexity. Even in the short stint, the cask lends flavours of vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak without dramatically diminishing the botanicals in the spirit itself.
It alters and enhances, rather than masks the gin’s clarity.
For drinkers and bartenders interesting in exploring the genre, there are lots to choose from. There are offerings that have been aged in ex-bourbon barrels that imparted vanilla notes, ex-sherry casks that added a dried fruit complexity, ex-wine casks that brought in fruity tones, port casks, cognac barriques and so much more.
Meanwhile unusual oak choices that go beyond American or European oak are now being sought after too. There are examples of aged gins matured in juniper oak casks (resinous and sappy), mulberry wood casks (fruity and soft) or even the famed Japanese Mizanura oak (floral cherry characters). All have created spectacular results.
As to what to make? Martinez, Gin Old Fashioned’s, Negroni’s are all good places to start.
Grape infused gin
Australia, a country known for its incredible wines and now stellar gin producers, has combined the two and developed an entire new sub-style; grape infused gins.
They might not have been the first to do, but not only were Australian producers the ones responsible for popularising globally. It’s also where the style is most popular and where the majority of producers who make it are based. There are now dozens of producers making world class infusions down under. So much so that European and American gin makers are trying their hand and keen to catch up!
So what are grape infused Gins all about?
It’s simple, gins are steeped with grapes such as Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese and / or other varieties. Before being removed, the grapes are gently pressed for further extraction, adding more juice and deeper skin contact with the spirit.
Unlike Sloe Gin, the style is predominantly dry overall and bottled at standard strength (37.5-45% ABV).
Their success relies on the gentle sweetness of the grapes to add both layers of flavour and lingering mouthfeel. There’s also a clear relationship between the infusion and the underlying gin. Despite the often ruby red hues and purple tones of the liquids, it’s far more akin to Contemporary gin where the grapes have added a significant layer of flavour, than it is a Flavoured gin that just so happened to have an undetectable juniper base.
Vintages are also a part of the sub-style, with each season changing the profiles and styles from each producer. Limited edition collabs with famous wineries are becoming highly sought after. Those eager to explore the genre are often met with a sophisticated spirit that sashays elegantly between the worlds of gin and wine.
The new frontier that gin producers making grape infused wines are pushing towards is using ever more complex wine-making techniques in their process. For example, creating field blends from multiple grape varietals and vineyards. Another is resting the infused gins in casks to round off the flavour profiles. Another is adding further botanicals in with the grapes to bring the result closer to an Amaro.
The type of cocktails this genre suits are Gin & Tonics and Gin Sours.
An emerging sub-style: Plum infused gins
Asia, a region where local flavours reign supreme, has introduced a particularly enticing addition to the gin family: Plum Infused Gins.
Similar to the traditional Sloe Gin, these gins are steeped with local plums and often sweetened, offering a delightful spin on the classic.
They are more than an riff of the classic English infusion though, and stem from a more authentic cultural origin. They arise from the enduring popularity of plum wine (Umeshu) and a desire to cross over into the types of drinker preferences that already have mass market appeal…
The resulting spirit is a harmonious blend of sweet, sour, and bitter notes that sing a melody of complex flavours in each sip. This gin offers an exotic interplay of flavours, creating a vibrant, sweet and velvety drink that offers a great alternative to Sloe Gin and resonates with a rapidly increasing fan base in China, Japan and South East Asia.
Non-neutral base gins: The avant-garde
Journeying further into the gin landscape, we encounter an emerging trend that really expands the possibility for what gin can be (and taste like).
This fourth gin sub-style is one where the base spirit of the gin is intentionally not neutral. Instead, it contributes significantly to the overall flavour profile. Think juniper flavoured brandy not vodka.
This distinctive approach pushes the boundaries of the traditional gin-making process, and the result can go both ways. It’s nothing short of revolutionary for some, not much above atrocious for others.
It’s a trend that’s happening almost exclusively outside of Europe. It’s also why it’s proving controversial too – producers within the EU are confined by regulations that state doing this is not acceptable. See our article on Gin Rules for more if curious.
An example of this progressive interpretation of gin are the Asian producers who are experimenting with Sochu as a base. It’s not a case of making a rice based neutral spirit, or even a highly rectified vodka from their rice ferments. They simply re-distil the likes of Sochu / Baijiu with botanicals.
These spirits, with their distinctly nuanced flavours, result in a beverage that’s delicately fragrant, harmoniously balanced, and inherently Asian. Sake-based gins, for example, echo the subtle umami and rice notes intrinsic to sake, while sochu-based gins tend to exhibit a soft, smooth profile, almost like a gentle whisper that adds depth to the overall drinking experience.
How juniper dovetails into that is a mixed bag (often way to light to be predominant), so too is how it works in classic gin cocktails.
But that’s also the point. It’s not a westernised view of gin, nor intended for westernised drinking trends, or indeed, bars.
Flavourful base spirit is idea that’s reverberating globally & that needs time to find its voice.
The use of non-neutral base spirit to make a gin is not exclusive to Asia by any means. Wine producers, particularly those in regions known for their exceptional vineyards in the USA and Australia, are venturing into a similar by redistilling grape-based brandy to create their unique gin expressions. So are Pisco producers in Chile and Peru.
This sub-style of gin challenges the status quo. It asks if gin really has to be centred on botanicals and to what extent the base spirit can form part of the flavour experience. These non-neutral base gins compel us to rethink our perceptions of what gin can be.
Currently, it’s a polarising debate. It’s true that there are more examples of poorly made “hybrid” not-neutral gins than there are good ones. But this potential makes it an endlessly fascinating one too – which region will crack how to do it well and embrace it? And besides, it took well over a decade for cask aged expressions to pass that threshold… One to watch.
Savoury & coastal gin sub-styles
A reasonably new genre that has emerged are Savoury & Coastal Gins. It has seemingly not happened through collective intent nor co-ordinated action. It has been a more organic rise and a genre that’s become possible to group by default of so many having emerged since 2019.
These gins capture the whispers of the wind-swept coasts Canada, Scotland and Ireland, the sunny shores of Australia and often, the fragrant notes of Mediterranean gardens.
They can be split into two kinds. There are those that are savoury and herbal inspired by regions and culinary associations. Secondly, there are those that are savoury and brackish, inspired by the coast and maritime botanicals.
The former are herbal and savoury gins that embrace the robust flavours of rosemary, thyme, olive, and other typical Herbs to Provence. Many pay homage to the Mediterranean’s aromatic bounty. They are coastal by association to the region they epitomise, but really – they are just savoury by intent.
Meanwhile, coastal gins dive deep into the essence of the sea, with distillers incorporating umami botanicals like seaweed, samphire, oyster shells and even sea salt. Some are even using peat cask finishes – that has strong maritime associations of it’s own due to Islay Scotch. The result are gins with a distinct maritime edge and great for Dirty Martini’s and other Aperitivo style drinks.
In time, no doubt these two will spit into distinct styles of their own – one savoury, the other coastal – but for now, they are lumped together. Always savoury, sometimes coastal, sometimes maritime. Read the backstory before committing if you are not sure!
An ever evolving spirit
This top-line exploration of gin’s distinctive sub-styles from around the world highlights the category’s remarkable versatility and innovation.
Each sub-style, from Barrel Aged to Plum Infused Gins, showcases unique characteristics shaped by local traditions, native ingredients, and creative distilling approaches.
This diversity not only enriches the gin category but also offers enthusiasts and professionals an expansive canvas to explore and appreciate.
As the gin landscape continues to evolve, these sub-styles will too. This continued transience is why gin is such an extraordinary spirit. The spirit’s adaptability is what compels so many to make their own version and what draws so many drinkers to want to taste the newest expressions!
