London Dry Gin remains the benchmark style for many gin drinkers. Its origins can be traced back to the 18th century and the ‘gin craze’, when heavy taxation on French wine and Cognac, combined with tax breaks for spirits production, led to a boom in at-home distillation across England. Gin became cheap and widely available, but quality control was virtually non-existent, with some illicit spirits reportedly containing everything from sawdust and turpentine to sulphuric acid. To help curtail this, distilling licences and stricter regulations were gradually introduced. Later, the arrival of the Coffey still in the 19th century helped define the cleaner, more refined style recognised today, allowing distillers to produce a more consistent spirit that better showcases botanical flavours.
Despite the name, London Dry Gin does not need to be produced in London itself. Instead, the term refers to a strict production method and a classic juniper-forward profile. Only natural botanicals may be used, distilled with a neutral base spirit of at least 96% ABV, and nothing can be added after distillation other than water. The final spirit must also be bottled at a minimum of 37.5% ABV.
Proving that sometimes the best London Dry gin is the classics, the top spot in the IWSC London Dry gin category this year goes to Beefeater and their Crown Jewel London Dry Gin. The judges were impressed by the gin’s ‘delightful hint of aniseed, and a subtle cola note’, earning it the only gold medal awarded to a London Dry Gin in 2025. Sitting behind with just a point difference, Whitley Neill Navy Strength London Dry Gin scored an impressive 94 points and was awarded a silver medal for being ‘bold yet balanced’.
Proving that the classics still hold their own, the top spot in the IWSC London Dry Gin category this year went to Beefeater Crown Jewel London Dry Gin. Judges praised its ‘delightful hint of aniseed, and a subtle cola note’, awarding it the only Gold medal in the category in 2025. Close behind on 94 points was Whitley Neill Navy Strength London Dry Gin, which earned a Silver medal for being ‘bold yet balanced’.
Gin producers outside the UK also performed strongly, with standout bottles from India, Argentina, Sri Lanka and France all securing places on the list. Canada’s Tonik Distilling 13 Peaks of Nelson London Dry Gin was another favourite among IWSC judges, who highlighted its ‘thick, lush creaminess with well-balanced juniper and refreshing coriander’.
All of the gins in this list were tasted blind by a panel of industry experts. Keep reading below for the winning London Dry gins from the IWSC 2025.
HOW DO WE JUDGE THESE SPIRITS?
We run a tightly structured, rigorous spirits tasting process. That means that each spirit sample is pre-poured into numbered glasses and assessed blindly by the judges. Most importantly, our IWSC spirit judges are experts in their field, who work across all sectors of the drinks industry. For evidence, see our full list of judges.
HOW DO WE SCORE THESE SPIRITS?
Only the best spirits sampled receive a Gold or Silver award. For example, to win Gold, spirits have to score between 95 and 100 points. Meanwhile, Silver wines range from 90 to 94 points. Click here to read more on our scoring system.
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12 top London dry gins to try
