Dry Gin Definition ｜ The Complete Guide to 3 Legal Categories

Wondering what makes a gin a “dry gin” or a “London gin”? The definition of dry gin comes down to EU law, setting three categories: Gin, Distilled Gin, and London Gin. Why this helps: it breaks down each category’s requirements, clears up misconceptions about quality and geography, and walks through the full production process. Below: the definitions, how gin is made, and what sets each style apart.

The Definition of Dry Gin

Gin’s history spans Britain, its birthplace the Netherlands, and Germany, where it took its own distinct path. Here’s a fact worth noting: the EU didn’t formally define what could legally be called “gin” until 2008 — surprisingly late, given the spirit’s centuries-long history, though that delay likely reflects how widely gin was already being made, sold, and traded across so many countries by then.

Gin’s legal definition rests on three core requirements

• The main flavoring should be juniper berries.
• The alcohol content must be 37.5% or higher upon completion.
• The fragrance must be derived from designated natural ingredients or fragrances that are natural or have the same components.

Within those baseline rules, EU law recognizes three distinct categories: Gin, Distilled Gin, and London Gin.

Category 1 ｜ Gin

“Gin” is the loosest of the three categories — essentially the baseline definition itself. In simple terms, it’s a distilled spirit flavored predominantly with juniper, bottled at 37.5% ABV or higher, using natural, nature-identical, or naturally derived flavoring substances. Beyond the juniper requirement, distillers have free rein over which other botanicals to use — and that freedom is exactly where individual character comes from.

As in any industry, recipes are closely guarded trade secrets. Tanqueray is a well-known example: its exact formula is reportedly known to only a small handful of people worldwide.

Category 2 ｜ Distilled Gin

As the name suggests, “distilled gin” is characterized by its distillation process.

• Produce a suitable-quality agricultural ethanol (ethanol distilled repeatedly to reach an alcoholic strength of at least 96%).
• Redistill the above ethanol together with juniper berries and other natural botanicals, using stills traditionally used for gin.
• A product made simply by adding essential oils or flavorings does not qualify as “Distilled Gin.”

The main differences between this and Category 1 “Gin” are twofold: firstly, the base spirit is distilled using a continuous still to an alcohol content of 96% or higher; and secondly, it is redistilled with botanicals, primarily juniper berries and other natural agricultural products.

Category 3 ｜ London Gin

When it comes to “London gins,” the categories become a little more complicated than the two mentioned above.

• The methanol content in the agricultural-origin alcohol must not exceed 5g per 100% vol.
• Flavoring must come exclusively from natural botanicals, redistilled in traditional stills.
• The alcoholic strength after distillation must be at least 70%.
• Sweetening with sugar is permitted only up to 0.1g or less per liter of the finished product. Coloring is not permitted.
• When additional agricultural-origin alcohol is used, it must be at least 96% ABV, with methanol content not exceeding 5g per 100 liters (calculated at 100% vol.).
• Nothing other than water may be added after redistillation.

To summarize the above: London Gin must be made from agricultural-origin alcohol of at least 96% ABV, flavored exclusively with natural botanicals, with methanol capped at 5g per 100 liters. Sweetening and coloring are limited to 0.1g or less per liter of the finished product, and nothing but water may be added after redistillation.

One thing worth clearing up: “London Gin” being a stricter category doesn’t mean it’s automatically higher quality than Distilled Gin or plain Gin. In fact, many craft distilleries these days deliberately skip the London Gin requirements altogether, choosing to fall under Distilled Gin or Gin instead, precisely so they have more room to shape their own distinct character.

It’s also worth noting that “London” in “London Gin” isn’t a protected geographical indication — as long as a gin meets the requirements above, it can legally be called London Gin even if it’s distilled in Japan. In practice, though, most brands don’t actually label themselves “London Gin” and simply go by “dry gin” instead. In other words, London Gin and dry gin are, for all practical purposes, the same thing.

How Dry Gin Is Made

Gin production starts with saccharifying grain using enzymes and water, then fermenting it into alcohol. Continuous distillation pushes this to a neutral spirit of 95%+ ABV.

That neutral spirit is then steeped with juniper-led botanicals for about a day. Common choices include citrus peel, coriander, cardamom, and caraway — the exact mix is entirely up to each distillery, and that choice defines its signature character. Japanese distillers, for instance, often reach for gyokuro tea, yuzu, or sansho pepper.

After steeping, the mixture is redistilled, diluted with water to roughly 40% ABV (the legal minimum is 37.5%), and bottled.

Summary

Gin is legally defined by the EU under three categories: Gin, Distilled Gin, and London Gin, all requiring juniper as the predominant flavor and a minimum 37.5% ABV. Gin is loosest, Distilled Gin requires redistillation with botanicals, and London Gin adds strict limits on methanol and additives.

Despite its name, London Gin has no tie to London and is what most brands simply call dry gin.