The Most Collected Gins From Last Week

Caorunn Gin is made at the Balmenach Distillery in Scotland, one of the first distilleries to be licensed to make Scotch whisky. Named after the Gaelic word for "rowan berry," a botanical used its production, Caorunn (Ka-roon) gin is made with a combination of traditional gin botanicals - juniper berries, coriander seeds, orange peel, lemon peel, angelica root and cassia bark - and botanicals handpicked from the Scottish Highlands: rowan berry, bog myrtle, heather, coul blush apple, and dandelion leaf. These botanicals are vapor infused with the neutral spirit in a unique copper berry chamber (a round horizontal chamber with four large to copper trays that hold the botanicals) to produce the final product.

The Botanist is a gin comprised of 9 standard botanicals and an additional 22 that were hand-foraged from Islay itself--botanicals like apple mint, heather, red clover, and meadowsweet among many others. The gin is distilled over 17 hours in a Lomond Still (a hybrid column + pot still). It is bottled at 46% ABV.

Caledonia Spirits was founded by Todd Hardie, a former farmer & beekeeper who started the distillery in 2008 as a way to support the local agricultural community. The distillery is now under the leadership of owner and head distiller Ryan Christiansen, who purchased the company in 2015. Barr Hill Gin uses a pure grain spirit before juniper berry is added during distillation in a custom-built extraction still. Prior to bottling, raw northern honey is added to the spirit. It's bottled at 45% ABV.

Hendrick's Midsummer Solstice is a limited edition release created by master distiller Lesley Gracie. The gin has been "infused with natural floral essences." Midsummer Solstice is set to be released in the UK beginning March 2019 and the US in May 2019.

Released in the US in the summer of 2017, Empress 1908 Indigo Gin achieves its indigo blue color with the infusion of butterfly pea blossom. The pH of this blossom is such that the addition of citrus or tonic will change the color of the gin from indigo blue to a light pink. In addition to the butterfly pea blossom and requisite juniper, the gin uses blended tea from Victoria's own Fairmont Empress Hotel. Other botanicals used are grapefruit peel, coriander seed, rose petal, ginger root, and cinnamon bark. All botanicals are organic and the spirit base is non-GMO corn. (SRP $39.99)

Plymouth Gin is unique in that it is both a gin brand and gin style. A Plymouth-style gin can only be produced in Plymouth, England. The Plymouth Gin brand was first distilled in 1793 at the historic Black Friars Distillery and is (currently) the only gin brand produced in the city. It is made with grain spirit and seven botanicals: juniper berries, coriander seed, orange and lemon peel, green cardamom, angelica root and orris root. After distillation, the gin is then bottled at 41.2% ABV.

Bombay Sapphire was first introduced in 1987. The bottle's utterly recognizable blue bottle is now an icon and adorned with an image of Queen Victoria. The gin itself is comprised of 10 botanicals which include cubeb berries, almonds, licorice root, and grains of paradise. The botanicals are introduced into the neutral spirit by way of vapor distillation. The botanicals are placed in perforated copper baskets with the vapor of the distillate passing over them. Only water is added to bring down to proof, which for this bottling is 40% ABV.

Released in 2000, Tanqueray No. TEN gin is named after the small copper pot-still ("Tiny Ten") that is used to produce the spirit. This Scottish gin uses a recipe which differs from the standard Tanqueray bottling. In addition to juniper, botanicals include coriander, chamomile flowers, white grapefruit, lime, and orange. Fun fact: The brand uses whole citrus fruits in its recipe.

Hendrick's launched in 2001 and is distilled in Scotland at the Girvan distillery. It is distilled in small batches (500 liters) in two different stills using 11 different botanicals including elderflower, chamomile, and yarrow. One batch is made in a Bennet still which produces a heavier spirit (botanicals are macerated) and one is done in a Carter-head still (botanicals are vapor-infused) which produces a lighter spirit. The two are blended together and then infused with rose and cucumbers. It is then brought down to proof with water.

American Aviation Gin was released in 2006 as a collaborative product between Seattle bartender Ryan Magarian and House Spirits Distillery based in Portland, Oregon. Using a neutral grain spirit, seven different botanicals - juniper, elettaria cardamom, lavender, sarsaparilla, coriander, anise seed and dried sweet orange peel - are steeped and boiled with the spirit in a steel vat before being distilled again and bottled at 42% ABV. Note: As of February 2018, actor Ryan Reynolds is the proud owner of the gin brand.