The Best Gin Selections for an Awesome Martini, From Taster's Club
Written by Andrew L. | Updated May 2026
At https://tastersclub.com/, we spend a lot of time tasting gin, and we know the best martini gin isn’t always the most popular gin you may have at your home bar. Which is why we curated this guide for any martini lover. Designed to help any gin lover or a new martini sipper.
Whether you’re stocking your first home bar or looking for the perfect bottle to gift a martini lover in your life, this guide is designed to help you find the best of the best, whether you like your martini shaken, stirred, dirty, or clean.
How To Find The Best Gins for Any Martini
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Various options to choose from
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A Taster’s Club Gin Subscription transforms any occasion into an extended celebration, delivering carefully chosen gin every month.
A Gin Adventure For Every Level
A Taster’s Club Gin Subscription transforms any occasion into an extended celebration, delivering carefully chosen gin every month.
The 10 Best Gins for a Martini, by Taster’s Club
Ready to impress your guests? Here is our curated line-up of the best gins for a martini.
1. Hendrick’s Gin
First up on our list is the iconic Hendrick’s Gin. This gin is one of our first recommendations because it’s both consistent and offers a softer experience from the eleven botanicals, rose petals, and cucumber that are uniquely infused. The result is a gin with a softer, more aromatic personality than a traditional London Dry, making it a modern classic.
Why It’s Perfect for a Martini
Hendrick’s is a fantastic gin because of its soft profile that develops from the rose and cucumber, providing a smooth martini. When using Hendrick’s, you can change things up and garnish with a thin slice of cucumber instead. It also holds well in many other gin-based cocktails, so it can easily become a staple for your bar cart.
Region: Scotland | ABV: 44.0% | 750ml
Purchase Hendrick’s Gin
2. Sipsmith London Dry Gin
Sipsmith London Dry Gin was created in 2009 by a team determined to bring small-batch distillation back to London. It’s produced in copper pot stills and follows a carefully honed recipe using classic botanicals. Ideal for any gin enthusiast because of its bold profile that also works well in other cocktails and to sip. This is also one of our top London Dry Gins we recommend, too.
Why It’s Perfect for a Martini
Sipsmith in a Martini is designed for when you want a bold and clean martini, typically for those who are enthusiasts. The lemon zest and earthy coriander profile on the nose and palate provide the perfect structure for a Dry Martini. The depth also provides long-lasting enjoyment if you like an ice cube in your Martini.
Region: United Kingdom | ABV: 41.60% | 750ml
Purchase Sipsmith London Dry Gin
3. Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin
Monkey 47 comes from Germany’s Black Forest and is named for its astonishing roster of 47 hand-selected botanicals. What makes this bottle of gin unique among others is the carefully curated regional ingredients, such as spruce tips, lingonberries, and elderflower. After distillation, the gin is rested for at least three months in traditional earthenware vessels (like clay pottery) before being blended with Black Forest spring water. It’s a deeply layered gin unlike anything else out there. If you’re looking for a top martini gin for a gift, we also recommend this in our gin bottles gifting guide.
Why It’s Perfect for a Martini
Monkey 47 helps to transform your gin martini experience into something completely unique, while staying close to that true gin clarity. The layered juniper, pine, and forest berries on the nose provide depth that other gins can’t match, while the peppery palate and long finish hold perfectly with the vermouth, for an everlasting experience.
Region: Germany | ABV: 47.0% | 750ml
Purchase Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin
4. Quattro Gatti Olive Grove Italian Gin
Quattro Gatti is an Italian craft gin born in Umbria, founded by the Mordant family in tribute to the slow rhythm of Italian aperitivo culture. The Olive Grove expression was designed from the ground up as the ultimate martini gin. It’s distilled with Italian juniper alongside olive leaves, whole olives, and pressed olive oil from ancient groves. The olive oil gives it a uniquely silky mouthfeel, while the savory botanicals add a structural depth you don’t get from a traditional London Dry.
Why It’s Perfect for a Martini
If you love a dirty martini, this is your bottle. The savory green olive and fresh herb notes were literally built to harmonize with olive brine, while the silky mouthfeel from the distilled olive oil adds a velvety body you don’t get from a traditional London Dry. Add a splash of brine, garnish with a quality Castelvetrano, and you’ll never look at a dirty martini the same way again.
Region: Italy | ABV: 43.0% | 700ml
Purchase Quattro Gatti Olive Grove Gin
5. Matsui The Hakuto Gin
Matsui The Hakuto Gin is produced at the Kurayoshi Distillery in Tottori Prefecture, Japan, named after the local folktale of the white rabbit of Inaba. Its recipe centers on Nashi, a delicate variety of Japanese pear, alongside cherry blossom, yuzu peel, gyokuro green tea, sansho pepper, and traditional juniper. Botanicals are macerated and distilled in an alembic pot still, then proofed with soft spring water from Mount Daisen. It’s a Japanese craft gin that beautifully reframes what a martini can be.
Why It’s Perfect for a Martini
This gin is perfect if you enjoy the sweeter things in life. The tasteful pear and cherry blossom help to create a soft and sweet nose, with a peppery palate. Both of those notes complement the dry vermouth without overpowering it. For this gin, you’ll want to stir gently for a slower infusion. The perfect garnish is a slice of pear!
Region: Japan | ABV: 47.0% | 700ml
Purchase Matsui The Hakuto GinSurprise Them with a Gin Adventure – Month After Month
A Taster’s Club Gin Subscription introduces your loved one to a new, expertly selected Gin every month.
Surprise Them with a Gin Adventure – Month After Month
A Taster’s Club Gin Subscription introduces your loved one to a new, expertly selected Gin every month.
6. Ford’s Gin
Ford’s Gin is known for being a go-to mixer for any gin cocktail. This London Dry Gin features nine different botanicals, including juniper, coriander, bitter orange peel, lemon peel, jasmine, and grapefruit peel. From there, the botanicals are macerated for fifteen hours before a single distillation run. Simple, high-quality, and affordable. What more could you want for a classic Gin Martini?
Why It’s Perfect for a Martini
This gin is perfect if you want a classic Martini to enjoy or want to introduce this fantastic cocktail to someone new. On the nose, it’s full of citrus and soft jasmine that has subtle grapefruit and coriander on the palate that wraps up quickly to finish. Keeping it crisp and approachable across any vermouth ratio.
Region: United Kingdom | ABV: 45.0% | 750ml
Purchase Ford’s Gin
7. The Botanist Islay Dry Gin
What sets The Botanist apart is its use of 22 hand-foraged botanicals, all sourced locally from Islay’s diverse landscape. Each botanical is carefully harvested by expert foragers and distilled slowly using a Lomond still named “Ugly Betty.” This creates a meticulous and artisanal gin every time, which has immense complexity for the enthusiast who wants to savor every sip.
Why It’s Perfect for a Martini
The Botanist makes a wonderful martini that provides a more layered experience than, say, the Ford’s Gin. This is because of the gin’s depth that’s created from the 22 hand-foraged Islay botanicals. When you take a sip, you’ll feel immersed in a beautiful Scottish coastline.
Region: Scotland | ABV: 46.0% | 750ml
Purchase The Botanist Islay Dry Gin
8. Nolet’s Silver Gin
Nolet’s Silver Gin is crafted by the Nolet family in Schiedam, Netherlands, which dates back to 1691. This London Dry Gin is unique because it provides a fruity and sweet profile that other classic London Dry Gins cannot capture. The nose is full of floral and fruit-driven botanicals like Turkish rose, white peach, and raspberry throughout the palate. It’s an elegant gin that’s approachable.
Why It’s Perfect for a Martini
Nolet’s Silver makes for a nice and soft martini. The Turkish rose, white peach, and raspberry notes give the drink a romantic touch, perfect for a special evening. We also recommend using a bit less vermouth than usual to help the soft palate shine through for a smooth and balanced martini.
Region: Netherlands | ABV: 47.60% | 750ml
Purchase Nolet’s Silver Gin
9. Plymouth Gin Navy Strength
Plymouth Gin Navy Strength is an amazing gin that’s based on history and prestige. Back during the times when the Royal Navy would have gin shipped, it was done so at 57% ABV. Plymouth honors this by keeping a bold gin alive. It’s perfect for that maritime lover who wants something with a real backbone.
Why It’s Perfect for a Martini
Plymouth Gin Navy Strength is for those who want a martini with a strong base, or if you enjoy your martini really dirty, this gin cuts through absolutely perfectly. The nose presents juniper, sweet orange peel, and a peppery spice that holds well throughout the palate to power through any garnish you want to use.
Region: United Kingdom | ABV: 57.0% | 750ml
Purchase Plymouth Gin Navy Strength
10. Tanqueray No. Ten
Our recommendations of the best gins for a martini wouldn’t be complete without Tanqueray No. Ten. This gin is known worldwide for being a premium version of the classic Tanqueray gin. Specifically, No. Ten was introduced in 2000 and quickly became a favorite among gin enthusiasts and bartenders. Tanqueray No. Ten uses a unique blend of fresh citrus fruits alongside its core botanicals. This focus on fresh citrus sets it apart, crafting a bright and zesty flavor profile perfect for cocktails. Ideal for cocktail lovers and beginners looking for a beautiful gin.
Why It’s Perfect for a Martini
Tanqueray No. Ten is the gold standard for a classic martini. It’s incredibly smooth and provides that classic martini taste that cannot be replicated by any other brand. The nose and palate present clean chamomile and juniper, which provide a balanced structure to every sip. It’s perfect for those new to a martini, too.
Region: Scotland | ABV: 47.30% | 750ml
Purchase Tanqueray No. TenCommonly Asked Questions
What type of gin is best for a clean or dirty martini?
For a clean martini that’s on the dry side, we recommend using a softer gin like a Hendrick’s or The Hakuto Gin, which provides a less aggressive nose and palate than say something like a Sipsmith.
If you like a dirty martini, we highly recommend a more involved gin like Plymouth Gin Navy Strength or Sipsmith. The gins that have more strength or offer more depth hold very well to the olives and salinity.
Do certain gins work better if the martini is shaken or stirred?
In short, yes, different gins work better than others when it comes to a shaken or stirred martini.
Stirring, which is the traditional method, helps to preserve the softer and more nuanced notes in a gin. Specifically, bottles like Hendrick’s, Nolet’s Silver, or Matsui The Hakuto, work very well with the delicate floral notes, keeping them intact. The shaking introduces more dilution and tiny ice shards, which present beautifully with higher-proof gins like Plymouth Navy Strength or Monkey 47.
A good rule of thumb: stir for elegance and shake for an icy bite.
What’s the best budget gin for martinis?
Sipsmith London Dry and Ford’s Gin both deliver serious craft quality without a premium-shelf price tag, and they perform beautifully in just about every martini variation.
If you want to stretch your budget further, Nolet’s Silver tends to be one of the most accessible premium gins for its quality level. All three outperform their price point in a martini glass.
Discover Other Amazing Gin Guides & Cocktails
Make Every Month a Gin Adventure
Take your world of gin to the next level with the Gin Club. With Taster’s Club, you can give a gin club experience and a distinctive tasting experience that features meticulously chosen selections such as London Dry style, New World, barrel-aged, and more.
Make Every Month a Gin Adventure
Take your world of gin to the next level with the Gin Club. With Taster’s Club, you can give a gin club experience and a distinctive tasting experience that features meticulously chosen selections such as London Dry style, New World, barrel-aged, and more.
