The Summer Spirit

From the Tom Collins to the simple but classic G & T, gin is the spirit of summer. But if you haven’t noticed, the gin selection at your local liquor store has recently gotten a lot bigger, with a variety of bottles from around the world. Here are four new ones to try in your favorite summer cocktail.

Beefeater Summer Edition Gin ($20):

Industry stalwart Beefeater recently launched a special limited-edition gin for summer, which is flavored with elderflower, black currant and hibiscus, in addition to the brand’s standard nine botanicals. The lighter and softer spirit has less juniper flavor and more herbal and fruity notes, which makes it great for mixing.

Broker’s Gin ($22):

Judging by the old-school design of the Broker’s gin label, you’d swear it’s been around for centuries. But the spirit was created just 12 years ago and was introduced to the United States a couple of years later. This brand has been expanding distribution slowly across the country. Broker’s is a fine example of a London dry gin and would taste great with a splash of tonic.

G’Vine Nouaison ($35):

This brand-new French gin—flavored with both traditional botanicals like juniper and coriander, and nontraditional botanicals like grapevine flowers, green cardamom, ginger and nutmeg—is bursting with rich floral and spice notes. It’s not just the botanicals that are unusual: Traditionally, gin is made from a grain spirit, but the base of G’Vine Nouaison is distilled from grapes.

Oxley Gin ($50):

Small-batch Oxley is trying to set itself apart from the pack. The brand uses a unique cold-distillation process in which the gin is infused with botanicals at sub-freezing temperatures. This supposedly ensures fresher and more natural flavors. What we can tell you is that the gin has a pleasant sweetness and big juniper and floral notes.