Italy is well placed to make some of the most exquisite gins in the world thanks to its commanding position in the middle of the Mediterranean that means it has access to a wide variety of some of the best botanicals.
Not only do many distillers from across the world source their juniper berries and other botanicals from Italy, some from the European nation claim that their home is the birthplace of gin thanks to monks in the 11th Century who created a type of juniper-based liqueur.
When looking to venture into the world of Italian gin, an important piece of information to keep in mind is that Italian distillers tend to stick very close to home when choosing the botanicals that are used in their gins.
This results in the gins being a true reflection of the region of Italy from where they come, creating completely unique and interesting bottles of gin that are different from one distillery to the next, a concept that is explored in greater detail in this article.
With so many Italian craft gin distilleries and brands available today, and with more and more entering the market, it is easy to find an Italian gin to match your taste buds.
For a full list of all gin brands from Italy that are available, head to this site.
Distilled by the Vergnano Family near the Northern Italian city of Turin, Malfy represents one of the most popular gin brands to come out of Italy.
The distillery is somewhat unusual in that they source their premium botanicals from all across Italy, including Italian juniper, coriander, Amalfi lemons, Sicilian grapefruit, and Sicilian blood oranges, all used to produce their four gin products.
Rivo Gin is a prominent Northern Italian gin brand that takes inspiration from its immediate surroundings, notably Lake Como.
Using only herbs and botanicals that are local to the region surrounding Lake Como, Rivo Gin produces two gin products, which are Rivo Foraged Gin and Rivo Sloe Gin, the latter being the first Italian sloe gin that uses only Italian sloe berries.
Remaining in Northern Italy, Del Professore produce three of the most renowned Italian gin products available, being the Gin Monsieur, Gin À la Madame, and Gin Crocodile, which source their botanicals from across the country, similar to Malfy.
Looking beyond Northern Italy and to other distilleries across the country, other brands to consider when choosing Italian gins are Panarea, Distillerie Tenute Collesi, and O’ndina Gin, among so many others, and with so much to offer, Italy truly is one of the best places to start when seeking to find premium gins made using only the best botanicals.
Like almost all gins, those from Italy can easily be served with tonic water, ice, and maybe a slice of lime, lemon, or cucumber.
Whilst this exists as one of the best tried and true methods of enjoying almost any gin, Italy is famous for inventing some of the best gin cocktails, such as the Negroni, and so perhaps one of the best methods of enjoying its gin is to try one of the many gin cocktails native to Italy.
Beyond the Negroni, The Cardinale is another example of an Italian cocktail that uses dry vermouth alongside gin to craft a dry, flavour-filled drinking experience.
Outside of cocktails, it is possible to enjoy some of the more citrus or sweet style Italian gins neat, over ice, or with a splash of water, with some examples including the Malfy Gin Con Limone or the Del Professore Gin À la Madame.
When it comes to pairing food with Italian gin, it is best to look at the botanicals used in the distillation of the gin as this is the best indication for what dishes will match well.
For those gins that are citrus based, it is easy to match them with many seafood dishes, including fish salad, cooked salmon, and sashimi as the fresh citrus flavours in the gin complement the flavour profiles of these dishes.
Dry style and juniper heavy gins pair best with many smoked or cured meats from Italy or Spain as the dry bitterness of the gin is contrasted well by the smokiness or saltiness of the meat.
Finally, when pairing floral and delicate gins, be sure to drink these alongside other delicate dishes and food, including canapés or a light fruit-based desserts.
There's a bottle of Italian gin out there for everyone. Here are some of the brands and bottles that we recommend you look out for the next time you're browsing gin online or in-store.
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