The easiest way to drink gin is neat.
The second easiest has got to be Gin with Ginger Ale, AKA: the Gin & Ginger.
One could argue that gin and tonic is just as easy, but in my experience, not every household has tonic, but they do usually have a can of ginger ale sitting on a shelf somewhere.
Add to that all the new ginger ales hitting the market and it’s easy to see why gin and ginger ale is making a huge comeback. In this article I’ll share which gin I would mix with each ginger ale as follows:
- Best Overall – Our Top Gin for any Ginger Ale
- Best Gin for Spicy Ginger Ale (Fever-Tree, Q)
- Best Flavor Gin for Schweppes
- Best Gin with Canada Dry
- Budget: Best Gin Under $20 for Gin & Ginger
#1 Our Top Pick Goes to ROKU Gin for Best Gin Flavor for Ginger Ale
Whether you love sweet, mild, or spicy ginger ale, Roku is the perfect flavor of gin and it goes with all ginger ale sodas. In fact, this incredibly complex, Japanese gin makes a rather unmemorable gin & tonic….that is, until you add a slice of raw ginger. For some reason, ginger brings together all the flavors of Roku and makes it a truly unique experience.
Because of this power play Roku has with ginger, it’s our #1 pick. Roku truly takes the gin and ginger ale to a brand new level, like no other gin I’ve tasted.
It’s so good, party guests will often ask what’s in the drink, because it tastes much more complex than the typical gin & ginger. It’s fun to listen to all the different things they believe I put in the cocktail. Yet, it’s just Roku gin and ginger ale.
So, if your looking for the best version of a gin and ginger ale, Roku is sure to please. It’s not at every liquor store, but it should be at premium liquor stores with wide selections.
You can also visit our full review of Roku
#2 For Spicy Ginger Ale, the Best Flavour Gin is Old Tom
Some people like sweet ginger ale and others need it spicy like the ginger ales made by Fever-Tree and Q. If you like it spicy, keep the heat by using an Old Tom Gin in your ginger ale.
Ransom Old Tom brings a great flavor to those who aren’t looking for a watered down, sugary gin and ginger. The whiskey, cask flavors in the Old Tom will keep up with the spicier ginger ale for the entire drink.
What I love most when using an Old Tom Gin with Ginger Ale, is it will start off very peppery and it’s really slow to mellow. So if you’re looking for heat-heavy gin and ginger to sip on all night, definitely use an Old Tom.
Any Old Tom will do, but our favorite go to is Ransom, which is easy enough to find with a modest price.
#3 For Sweet Ginger Ale Like Schweppes, We Pick Hendrick’s Gin
Schweppes is the sweetest ginger ale I’ve tasted. So if you like it, I can only assume you want to keep the sweetness factor. Therefore using Hendricks’s gin in Schweppes will keep your gin and ginger ale neutrally sweet and very mellow.
Hendrick’s is a friendly choice for sweet ginger ale lovers. It’s a delicate gin that plays nice with others. Sweet ginger ale lovers will appreciate how Hendrick’s simply elevates the ginger without throwing to much heat. Likewise, it will not offer any more sweetness than what the Schweppe’s ginger ale is providing.
Finding Hendrick’s should be easy It’s a staple gin because it is both delicious and friendly for gin beginners and gin enthusiasts. It may not be everyone’s favorite gin, but I can’t think of a single person who doesn’t like it.
#4 – Best Gin for Canada Dry Ginger Ale: Tanqueray
Remember their slogan song? “It’s not too sweet, a cool and refreshing treat” It’s true, and that means we need to find a little bit of a sweeter gin or neutral gin so the gin and ginger has some balance.
For Canada Dry, I really like it with Tanqueray. To me, Tanqueray is just a tad sweet, which is perfect for the dry notes of Canada Dry.
These two combine to keep the sweetness to a minimum and they enhance each other’s earthy qualities. It’s just right for those looking for an easy, non argumentative, gin and ginger ale.
and finally, let’s get to the best budget gin for ginger ale.
#5- Best Gin for Ginger Ale Under $20: Seagram’s Distillers Reserve
Most people know Seagram’s Gin. What you may not know about is the Seagram’s Distillers Reserve, which happens to be pretty darn good with ginger ale.
While you can use regular Seagram’s (Old Bumpy), the Distillers Reserve leaves you with a fuller, brighter finish that marries well with ginger ales. I found this out by trying it at a bar that was featuring Distillers Reserve gin on the rail.
The background heat of Distillers Reserve helps to strengthen ginger notes, but will keep your gin and ginger extremely smooth.
You can find it beside Extra Dry Seagram’s or opt for door delivery is some areas.
Conclusion
There are so many soda brands that go with gin, but the gin and ginger ale is a classic. Whether you’re in love with all the new “craft ginger ale” offerings or you stick with the oldies but goodies, it’s worth getting to know the gin and ginger..
Easy as it sounds, the combination can go wrong if you mix ginger ale with a gin that has an incompatible flavor profile.
Remember to use gins with flavors that enhance ginger or help balance ginger and you’re good to go. Once you find your favorite, no doubt, gin and ginger can be a go-to happy hour cocktail that’s easy to love.
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