Barman! There’s samphire and gorse flowers in my gin

A host of exotic flavours have made Mother’s Ruin our trendiest tipple

LoVED by royals, golfers and frazzled mothers everywhere, gin has been a social prop since the early days of the Empire.

Together with tonic — whose bitter quinine helped fend off malaria in the colonies — and ice and a slice, it’s helped take the edge off after a long day. But one thing it hasn’t been is cool. Until now.

Twenty years ago, supermarket shelves were lined with the same old familiar big brands and the only question the barman might ask on ordering a G&T is whether you wanted a single or double.

If the trendy choice was vodka, then plain old juniper-based gin was decidedly more traditional.

But in recent years a wave of so- called ‘craft’ gins with additional plant- extract flavours has dramatically shaken up the scene. The number of small-batch gin distilleries in the Uk now stands at more than 200, more than doubling in the past decade.

Sales are expected to top more than a staggering £1 billion this year. And gin bars, festivals and dedicated tasting clubs are popping up all over the place.

not since the 18th century, when the socalled gin craze led to its nickname Mother’s ruin, have we had such a thirst for it.

So, what’s behind the revival? It all started back in the late Eighties, and the launch of a new style of gin.

With its distinctive blue bottle and a long list of botanicals — the plant extracts used to flavour the spirit — engraved down the side of the bottle, Bombay Sapphire was the most exciting thing to hit the gin shelves for years.

Gin’s slow decline was suddenly given a hefty re-boot and other brands followed.

Tanqueray launched its first small-batch gin, with an altogether fresher style using lots of citrus fruits along with the more traditional gin botanicals. Tanqueray no 10 was born and, with Bombay Sapphire, allowed gin to start edging its way into the cool gang.

Then came Hendrick’s, a small-batch gin that used cucumber and rose petals as key botanicals to give it fresher, lighter flavours than your average bottle of gin. Serve it with a slice of cucumber, the producers said. So we did and suddenly, garnishes got interesting, too.

In 2009, Sipsmith opened the first traditional copper distillery to operate in London since 1820, kicking off an explosive new trend for small-batch, artisan gins all with a story to tell and a unique list of botanicals to their name.

They’re costlier — invariably more than double the price of £14 bottle of Gordon’s London Dry, which is worth considering if you’re doing G&Ts for a large crowd. But sales are booming and gin is definitely back in favour — and flavour.

So, which ones should you have in your drinks cupboard? The Mail’s drinks expert HELEN McGINN picks her favourites.

Elephant Gin 50cl, £29.45, 31dover.com

An AfrIcAn-inspired gin that aims to recreate that ‘ sundowner’ moment. Quite some feat when your view is of a messy kitchen rather than the African bush at sunset, but it definitely transports you, if only temporarily.

Using 14 different botanicals including African ones, it’s a lovely aromatic gin with gentle pine and juniper flavours. What’s more, 15 per cent of profits go to African Elephant foundations — such a brilliant idea.

Tanqueray No. 10 70cl, £32, Tesco

A DEcIDEDLy fragrant style of gin, most noticeably citrus ( one of the botanicals comes from Mexican limes, no less) with that all- important earthy juniper note present in the background. It’s definitely a great deal smoother ( and certainly easier to drink) than the standard Tanqueray.

Conker Spirit Gin 70cl, £35.95, mastersofmalt.com

froM the first gin distillery in Dorset, founder rupert Holloway created this using distilled British barley grain spirit, new forest spring water and botanicals including samphire, elderberries and handpicked gorse flowers. The result is a well-balanced gin, with a flowery edge and a hint of coconut.

Dodd’s Gin 70cl, £38.50, Fortnum & Mason

MADE by the London Distillery company and launched via crowd-funding back in 2011. The eco-friendly site is located in an old diary in Battersea, South London, and this is their star gin. It’s quite heavy on the juniper and lime, which is perfect if you like your gin to really zing.

Brighton Gin 70cl, £39.95, Tanners

If, LIkE me, you are a sucker for great packaging, you’ll love this. Influenced by its hometown, the ticket-style label features Brighton landmarks and has a beside- the- seaside feel. The gin is lovely, mild and gentle. In fact, one of the botanicals is milk thistle, famous for its hangover-preventing properties. Just saying.

Sipsmith VJOP Gin 70cl, £39.95, thewhisky exchange.com

VJoP stands for Very Junipery over Proof, so is, as you might expect, very ‘junipery’ and immensely strong — 57.7 per cent, in fact, so don’t plan on doing any DIy after having this in a cocktail. Which, in fact, it’s perfect for. Especially a Gin & It; just add sweet red vermouth.

Pink Pepper Gin 70cl, £40, Waitrose

AS yoU might have guessed, this has pink peppercorns as one of the main botanicals. And unlike the more usual method of distilling, each aromatic is macerated separately in alcohol and then distilled to create some really concentrated aromatics. It’s really delicious, with a strong, peppery kick and just a hint of sweetness.

The Botanist 70cl, £36.99, Waitrose

froM the Isle of Islay, this is made with a blend of nine classic botanicals and another 22 foraged from the island. It’s made at the Bruichladdich Distillery, where they make some fantastic malt whiskies, too.

I remember tasting it for the first time and expecting something peaty. But no, this sits in the floral camp. Beautifully smooth, as well.

Williams Chase Sloe Mulberry Gin 50cl, £26.25, 31dover.com 70cl, £24, Waitrose

AS Soon as the weather turns, the leaves fall and there’s a chill in the air, my thoughts turn to sloe gin. I’m not kidding. And this one’s a cracker.

The sloes, picked from Herefordshire hedgerows, are left to marinade for eight months before being added. Spicy, tart and sweet, all at the same time.

Hayman’s London Dry Gin

froM the oldest gindistilling family in the United kingdom. In fact, the owners’ great-grandfathers created Beefeater Gin in the 1800s, so it’s soaked in history. As for the botanicals, they’re a refreshingly classic mix and steeped for a day before distillation in order to release the flavours. Great value, this one.