London dry gin

London gin is its own category in the European Union, in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787, the regulation on spirit drinks. It is a distilled gin that meets extra requirements. The alcohol must be exclusively of agricultural origin, and the flavour may only arise from re-distilling that alcohol in the presence of all the natural plant materials used.

The distillate must contain at least 70 percent alcohol. The methanol content may not exceed 5 grams per hectolitre of pure alcohol. The gin must be uncoloured and may not contain more than 0.1 gram of sweetener per litre. Apart from alcohol, sweetener and water, nothing may be added. The minimum alcohol content of the bottle is 37.5 percent.

No. The European definition sets requirements for raw materials and method, not for the place where the gin is made. The Gin Guild, an organisation of the gin industry, also points this out in its overview of the rules: the London category regulates production and ingredients, not origin.

The English Henley Distillery puts it even more briefly: London dry gin does not have to be made in London and can be distilled anywhere in the world, as long as the distiller follows the rules. You can see this on our shelf: alongside English bottles there are London dry gins from Italy, Estonia and the Netherlands.

The regulation has three tiers. Plain gin is alcohol of agricultural origin flavoured with juniper berries, with juniper as the predominant flavour and at least 37.5 percent alcohol. Flavourings may be added to it without distilling; the Gin Guild calls that 'compounded' gin.

Distilled gin must be distilled from alcohol of at least 96 percent, together with juniper berries and other natural botanicals. Gin made solely by adding essences or flavourings to alcohol expressly does not count as distilled gin. With distilled gin the distillate may still be mixed with alcohol of the same composition, and flavourings may then be added as with ordinary gin. London gin is the strictest tier: after distillation no flavour or colour may be added, only water and a minimal amount of sweetener.

On most spirits the word 'dry' may not simply appear. Article 10 of the regulation makes an exception for gin, distilled gin and London gin, with its own rules per category. For ordinary gin and distilled gin, 'dry' may only appear on the label if it contains no more than 0.1 gram of added sweetener per litre, expressed as invert sugar.

With London gin, that limit is already part of the definition. The regulation therefore simply states that the term London gin may be supplemented with, or may consist of, the word 'dry'. London gin and London dry gin are therefore legally the same category; the word 'dry' is an addition the producer may choose.

The shop currently has 24 bottles of London Dry, including Gordon's, Tanqueray, Hayman's, Greenall's, Bloom, Bosford, Gibson's, Oxley, No.3, Pink 47, Crafters, J.Rose and De Bronckhorst. A few examples: Gordon's London Dry Gin, Hayman's London Dry Gin, Greenall's Original London Dry Gin and Bloom Premium London Dry Gin. From the Netherlands come De Bronckhorst London Dry Gin and J.Rose London Dry Artisan Gin #3.

Anyone who wants to go without alcohol will also find Lyre's London Dry Spirit Alcoholvrij in the shop. That is an alcohol-free alternative and therefore legally not gin. Would you like to know what is on a label, or are you looking for a bottle as a gift or for a party? Feel free to call or come by ’t Bockje at Brink 2 in Bathmen.

The shop is at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Open Tuesday to Friday from 09.00 to 18.00 and Saturday from 09.00 to 17.00. For advice, call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl.