16-04-2025
The World's Best Gin, According To The Beverage Testing Institute
Conniption Navy Strength Gin
Photo, courtesy Beverage Testing Institute
An American gin brand was judged the World's Best Gin at the 2025 Beverage Testing Institute (BevTest) Gin Judging. Thirteen other American gins took Gold Medals. The Gold Medal winners were dominated by craft brands, each with its unique story and flavor profile, including Costco's proprietary gin brand, Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin. Below are the official tasting notes on BevTest's Top American Gins.
Navy Strength Gin is a high-proof gin bottled at 57% alcohol by volume (ABV). The term originates from the British Royal Navy, where spirits were stored alongside gunpowder. If a spirit spilled and allowed the gunpowder to ignite, it was deemed 'navy strength.' This ensured that the gin had not been watered down.
Conniption Navy Strength Gin was the top-ranked gin at the 2025 BevTest gin judging, scoring 95/100 points. The gin is a testament to the craftsmanship of Durham Distillery, located in Durham, North Carolina, USA. Founded in 2013, the distillery is known for blending traditional distillation methods with modern techniques to create bold, expressive gins. Their navy strength gin expression is one of their flagship offerings and has received multiple awards in international spirit competitions.
The distillery uses a hybrid distillation method. Juniper, coriander, and cardamom are distilled in a traditional copper pot still. The more delicate botanicals, cucumber, honeysuckle flowers, and lemon and orange peels, are cold distilled using vacuum distillation to preserve their bright, fresh aromas.
The spirit is blended and bottled at navy strength, giving it a more robust profile ideal for cocktails.
The gin is fresh and assertive on the nose, featuring powerful juniper aromas, followed by citrus zest and cucumber. There's an undercurrent of floral honeysuckle and a whisper of cardamom spice.
It's full-bodied and oily on the palate, expressing bold juniper, bitter orange peel, and spiced coriander flavors. The mid-palate reveals fresh vegetal notes of cucumber and a distinct sweetness from the honeysuckle.
The finish is long, robust, and spicy, with hints of citrus oil and a dry herbaceousness supported by the backbone of intense juniper notes.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the gin as exhibiting:
Aromas of spruce tips, coriander, and lemon thyme. Similar flavors were carried through to the palate, with additional cardamom, beeswax, and Thai basil notes. A bold, juniper-flavored gin with a surround sound of flavor that will tickle and delight gin drinkers.
The gin's pronounced juniper flavors stand well in bold cocktails like a Negroni, Gin & Tonic, or a classic Gimlet, inspiring mixologists to create new and exciting concoctions where its strength and complexity shine through.
Robert's No. 1 American Dry Gin
Photo, courtesy Beverage Testing Institute
Robert's No. 1 was the runner-up for Best American Gin, with 94/100 points. This contemporary gin is crafted by Oak House Distillery, the first legal distillery in Athens, Georgia, in over a century. The distillery, founded by Supakana Nagachinta and Rob Woods, emphasizes blending traditional techniques with innovative botanical selections. The gin is named in honor of Rob Woods' father, Robert Woods.
The gin is produced using the vapor infusion method, typical for the London Dry style. In this process, alcohol vapor ascends through a custom-designed column still equipped with 10 reflux plates, ensuring high purity. The vapor then passes through a gin basket containing dry botanicals, allowing for the extraction of delicate flavors without direct boiling. Post-distillation, the spirit is diluted to 43% ABV for bottling.
Robert's No. 1 Gin combines traditional and Southeast Asian botanicals, including Juniper, Lavender, Lemongrass, Makrut lime, Cardamom, Coriander, Grains of Paradise, and Licorice. This combination results in a gin that complements spicy cuisines, particularly Thai dishes.
The nose features an aromatic blend of lavender, lemongrass, and makrut lime, complemented by traditional juniper notes.
Bright citrus flavors dominate the palate, followed by floral undertones and a hint of spice from cardamom and grains of paradise.
The finish is bright and refreshing, with lingering herbal and citrus notes.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the gin as showcasing:
Aromas of cardamom, coriander, and spruce tips. Flavors: Similar flavors on the palate with accents of lobster shell, enoki mushrooms, and chai. A spicy, exotic Southeast Asian styled gin with a delicious dance of spices and salted citrus supported by menthol-like juniper notes; this will be a great candidate for egg white cocktails to show off the spice.
The top-ranked barrel-aged gins were Songbird Cardinal Cask Strength Gin Finished in Port Wine Barrels, 64.1% ABV, 750 ml, 92/100 points. $44 and Conniption Barrel Aged Series Gin, 47% ABV, 750 ml 91/100 points. $45
The BevTest Judging panel described the Songbird Gin as featuring:
Aromas of alpine candy, incense, and rose hips. Similar flavors on the palate with shades of spruce tips, honey, lemon, orange tea, and grilled peach. A warm, full-throttle gin that creates a bracing experience for the imbiber with unabridged alpine, spice, fruit, and floral flavors.
The Judging Panel described the Conniption Gin as expressing:
Aromas of coriander, licorice, and Earl Grey tea. The palate featured similar flavors and accents of spruce tip, marbled rye toast, and baking spice. Straightforward on the nose, this pops on the palate with baking spice and a subtle nuance from the barrel, making the wood aging feel intentional and purposeful.
Five exotic gin cocktails on ice in hands joined in celebratory toast
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Other American Gin Gold Medal winners included Common Ground Spirits Recipe 03 Blood Orange & Tarragon Gin, 45.22% ABV, 750 ml $36; Cemetery Gin, 45% ABV, 750 ml $49; and Conniption American Dry Gin, 44% ABV, 750 ml $31. All three gins scored 93/100 points.
Common Ground Spirits Recipe 02 Black Currant & Thyme Gin, 45.22% ABV, 750 ml. $36; Vim & Petal Dry Gin, 425% ABV, 750 ml. $28, and John Battle Liberty Garden Gin, 44% ABV, 750 ml. $27 all scored 92/100 points.
Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin, 44% ABV, 750 ml. $17, Costco's proprietary gin brand scored 91/100 points and at $17 was the lowest priced gin among the Gold Medal winners. Thresh & Winnow Citrine Gin, 45% ABV, 750 ml. $45 also scored 91 points.
Common Ground Spirits Recipe 01 Basil & Elderflower Gin, 45.22% ABV, 750 ml. $36 and Bluecoat American Dry Gin, 47% ABV, 750 ml. $29 were the final Gold Medalists, each scored 90/100 points.
Craft distillers increasingly dominate international gin competitions, each pushing gin's aroma and flavor boundaries in new and unexpected directions. These 14 gins present an array of profiles, from juniper-intensive to subtle floral and vegetal.
All the gin expressions are excellent; The juniper-intensive ones are ideal for gin-based cocktails where an assertive gin presence is perfect. If you have a passion for G&T or a powerful Negroni, the top-ranked gins on this list of Gold Medal Gins from the Beverage Testing Institute are a good place to start.
For additional recommendations of top-ranked gins, see Six New Gins You Must Try and The World's Best Gin For The Perfect Gin & Tonic and The Top International Gins, According To the Beverage Testing Institute.
