Gin is probably one of the tastiest and distinctive drinks on the market. It can be paired with a whole bunch of mixers, although the most famous pairing is a gin and tonic. But you might be wondering what exactly the alcohol content of this drink really is.
Well, this all depends on what measure that you have, but we can assure you that gin is one of the strongest drinks that you can currently get on the market. Most gins have around 40% alcohol as part of their constitution, although some gins are as high as 50% proof.
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But where can you find the nicest gins on the market? How does gin stack up against other alcoholic drinks in terms of percentage? How much can you be expected to spend on an average bottle of gin? What is the strongest gin that you can get? What is the tastiest gin?
Well, if you want the lowdown on gin and what it does to your body, then you should keep reading. We give you a comprehensive compare and contrast list with other alcoholic drinks to see which one is the best for your needs. After this, you’ll know whether or not you’ll want to dial your gin intake up or down!
How Much Alcohol Is In Gin?
As we mentioned above, the lowest amount of proof alcohol in gin is around 40%, with some gins reaching an ABV of around 50%. If you compare this with a bottle of wine, which has only 12% alcohol per bottle, then you can see how strong gin exactly is.
This drink is mostly reserved for mixing, adding either lemonade or tonic water, which will dilute its very strong flavor. Gin is probably the drink that smells the most like alcohol – having the overwhelming smell of turps!
How Strong Is Gin In Terms Of Alcohol?
Gin is probably one of the strongest drinks that you can get on the market. It is very risky to drink neat gin and we would always recommend a mixer, simply to dilute the powerful smell of your gin.
However, one of the alluring things about gin is that it has a very subtle effect, especially when you dilute it with soft drinks. Gin is also a staple in a lot of cocktails such as a sloe gin fizz, a martini and a gimlet. These drinks are very delicious and often come with a few spirits mixed in there.
We would always be cautious about drinking too many spirits, as they can be much more powerful than beer or wine, as it is much harder to regulate. We would always recommend that you try a few gins before settling on which one you prefer. You can also get a lot of flavored gins which are very sweet.
Now that we’ve had a brief overview of the alcohol content of gin, let’s see how they measure up against other popular spirits, wines, and beers.
What Is Stronger: Gin Or Vodka?
Gin and vodka are very much alike, in that they are both very distilled, as well as being clear in color and with very high proof. In terms of alcohol content, vodka is around 40% proof, although some of the more extreme vodkas go a lot higher, hitting ceilings of around 95% proof.
You’ll definitely find it just as easy to get drunk off vodka as you would off gin. Vodka also makes a great mixer with lemonade, tonic water and also diet coke. But similarly, you should be careful how much of this you should drink in case you damage yourself through alcohol poisoning.
What Is Stronger: Gin Or Whiskey?
Next up, we have a favorite of ours: whiskey. This one is much more potent than gin, topping out at around 68% proof. However, most whiskeys that you can buy from the counter have around 40-43% alcohol in them.
We would certainly recommend that you try a few bourbon whiskeys, as these have a light vanilla flavor that is not as sharp as gin. You can be sure that you’ll have everything that you need for a great night with one of these drinks.
Whiskey is usually best enjoyed neat, with ice or paired with mixers such as diet coke or Pepsi. We would suggest that you get a proper tumbler with these drinks, sitting back and drinking it in style.
What Is Stronger: Gin Or Rum?
Rum is very similar to whiskey, in that it has a much more distinctive and smokey flavor than gin. The alcohol content of rum ranges far more wildly than any other drinking, coming in at 37.5% at its lowest and 80% at its highest. However, as with whiskey, most shop-bought rums have around 40% alcohol content.
Rum is best enjoyed with a mixer, although you can get some fruity rums that are great to savor on their own. We would recommend pairing this with a coke or Pepsi mixer that will really bring out the rich and smoky flavors of this drink.
What Is Stronger: Gin Or Tequila?
Tequila is a very sweet drink that does not mirror gin in terms of flavor, but it is as strong in terms of alcohol. It has around 32-60% alcohol, which makes it stronger than even the strongest of gins.
However, like the whiskeys and rums on the list, most tequila that you can buy in the store tops out at around 40%. This is mainly due to safety, as serving any more than this might be considered massively irresponsible.
We would recommend having tequila on its own, as it does not mix that well with any soft drinks except for lemonade. Tequila shots are quite popular, starting with a lick of salt from the palm, a shot of tequila, followed by a bite of sour lemon.
What Is Stronger: Gin or Wine?
A bottle of wine, although it might taste strong, has a much lower alcohol content than a lot of spirits. A full bottle of wine contains around 12% alcohol, although you can get some wines at around 14.5% or even 16%. This means that most wines aren’t even half as strong as most gins.
We would recommend drinking wine for a much more relaxing night in, whereas gin is seen as a much more social drink. Gin is seen as a much more hardcore spirit and definitely has a sharper texture than wine.
What Is Stronger: Gin Or Beer?
Beer is much, much lower in terms of alcohol content than gin, only topping out at around 5% per pint. However, there are beers out there that actually clear the alcohol content of gin, with a whopping 3% alcohol in each one.
Beer is definitely a more social drink, with most people imbibing at least 8 pints in one session to get drunk. If you like to pace yourself, we would recommend that you try beer rather than gin. However, you could always start with beer and then finish off for your night with a few gin and tonics.
What Is Stronger: Gin Or Absinthe?
Now we move on to one of the most powerful alcoholic drinks that you can find on the market. Absinthe is known for its ludicrously high alcohol content, with most brands topping out at 90% proof. This is a drink for those people who want to feel more than a little tipsy at the end of the night.
There is some overlap with the lowest absinthe percentages, both of them hitting the 45% mark. Some people enjoy absinthe shots, but you should always make sure to dilute it with water or ice to get the real benefit and avoid injuring yourself with alcohol poisoning.
What Is Stronger: Gin Or Moonshine?
Moonshine is another incredibly strong drink, topping out at around the 80% mark. The alcohol range is very similar to absinthe, as this drink often has a very high alcohol content. This is almost double as potent as most gins that you can buy on the shop floor.
A lot of people brew moonshine in their own house, although you should be very wary about doing this as it can be extremely potent. Make sure that you find a reputable brewery that will provide you with some decent instructions when it comes to getting the alcohol levels exactly right.
Which Gins Are The Strongest?
Sipsmith V.J.O.P. London Dry Gin
This gin is one of the strongest that you can get on the market, with an ABV of around 57.7%. This is often combined with various cocktails and has been described as having a very strong juniper flavor.
This also has a hint of chocolate mixed in, which is why it is often paired with delicious desserts. You can expect a very strong but creamy flavor to this gin that takes off the sharp edges of a lot of standard gins.
Blackwood’s Vintage Dry Gin
This next gin is even more potent than the last, with a 60% alcohol content. This one is produced in Scotland and has everything that you need for a perfect cocktail mixer. It has very strong floral undertones with a dash of citrus.
Strane Uncut Dry Gin
This final gin is probably the strongest that we can find on the market and should only be reserved for those hardcore drinkers. This comes at 78%, which should not be enjoyed neat, that’s for sure!
This is another good cocktail mixer, so you should make sure that it is well diluted before you drink it. We would recommend some lemonade and some coconut water for a very tropical-tasting beverage.
Our Final Say
We hope that our comprehensive comparison and contrast of some of the best gins in the world has whet your appetite for a gin and tonic. Ask at your local bar to see if they have one of these strong gins that you can taste.