In tasting Bombay Sapphire East, I’m hard pressed to find anything specific that sets this gin apart from standard Sapphire. East merely ups two flavors that Bombay Sapphire already has in lemon peel and cubeb (a pepper relative). Of those, only the lemon is particularly notable: BSE is still fruitier than most gins, with a much lesser juniper tone, and an herbal, warming finish. What it doesn’t particularly exude is anything from “the east” — it’s not especially spicy or peppery, there’s no saffron, turmeric or cumin, and even the coriander (a staple of eastern cooking) is restrained.

What it is, however, is a pretty good gin. If you like Sapphire, you’ll like this one too.

84 proof.

A- / $37 (one liter bottle) / bombaysapphire.com

The Botanist is made at Bruichladdich, distilled from wheat and infused with a massive collection of botanicals: All of the traditional ones (nine here), plus a whopping 22 additional, native botanicals which are picked wild on the island of Islay (see complete list below). The gin is infused in two stages: First the standard gin stuff goes in, then the second batch of goodies are infused using a basket infusion process. Bruichladdich claims it’s a slow operation, taking three times as long as most gins to make (which, to be honest, is not that long anyway).

15,000 bottles were made in the first batch.

Results: The Botanist offers a surprisingly clean aroma, very light on juniper with some citrus and cinnamon notes in the forefront. With all this stuff going on (and in) I was expecting a monster gin, but The Botanist is surprisingly easygoing and, dare I say, not Islay-like at all. Smoke? Absolutely not. This is a gin that’s surprisingly sweet and really fresh tasting. Evergreen is there, but it’s all the basil-like tones that make it so much fun — not to mention lots of citrus, cinnamon, and mint tones really rounding things out. There’s a reason they call it The Botanist, and not because it’s meant to evoke a scary old man that still lives with his mom. The body is a bit oily, but quite smooth and easy in spite of its higher proof level.

This is really an exceptional gin that deserves seeking out, or calling by name in any proper mixed drink.

92 proof.

Complete botanical list: Angelica root *, Apple Mint, Birch leaves, Bog Myrtle leaves, Cassia bark *, Chamomile (sweet), Cinnamon bark *, Coriander seed *, Creeping Thistle flowers, Elder flowers, Gorse flowers, Heather flowers, Hawthorn flowers, Juniper (prostrate) berries, Juniper berries *, Lady’s Bedstraw flowers, Lemon Balm, Lemon peel *, Liquorice root *, Meadow Sweet, Orange peel *, Orris root *, Peppermint leaves, Mugwort leaves, Red Clover flowers, Sweet Cicely leaves, Tansy, Thyme leaves, Water Mint leaves, White Clover, Wood Sage leaves. (* = Non Islay Botanical)

A / $33 / bruichladdich.com

Well, now you can!

Drinkhacker has partnered with FindTheBest, which we’ve written about before, to launch a custom version of their database, populated with our ratings. We’ve started with gin, just to get things going, and will have more of these databases up soon.

You’ll note the ratings on the guide are numerical, not the letter grades we use here. That’s to make the list more easily sortable, and the numbers match up as you’d expect: 100 represents the highest rating, 95 a solid A, 92 an A-, 88 a B+, and so on.

As for the best gins ever? It’s a tie among Bulldog, Edinburgh, Bloom, Citadelle Reserve, Broker’s, and Plymouth. No A+’s in this category yet. And here’s one thing we’ve learned: There’s a whole lot of stuff out there that we haven’t reviewed yet!

Hope you enjoy the guide. In the future, you’ll find it, and others that we add, reachable via a static link in the footer on every page. Enjoy!

Also check out our 2010, 2009, and 2008 holiday guides.

Bourbon – Big Bottom Whiskey 2 Years Old Port Cask Finish ($40) – Technically not a Bourbon, but close enough. I gave only two A+ grades (outside of event coverage) all year, and this was one of them. Finding this now will be tough (we’ll have a review of the 3 Years Old version shortly), so if this doesn’t pan out try Parker’s Heritage Collection Cognac Finished 10 Years Old ($80) or Col. E.H. Taylor Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon ($70). You can also try Angel’s Envy ($45), technically a 2010 release but also Port-finished and about as good as Big Bottom.

Scotch – The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve ($375) – This is my “go-to” whisky right now, though it’s rapidly depleting, and the price may make it a big much for anyone short of a spouse. If you can find  Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix ($95) or Laphroaig Cairdeas ($60), both make outstanding gifts. And MacKinlay’s “Shackleton” ($150) is worth the price alone for the conversation value.

Gin – Bloom Gin ($29) – No question on this one. The floral but not perfumy Bloom is one of my favorite gins today. It may be made for a woman, but it’s powerful enough for a man.

Vodka – Russian Standard Gold Vodka – At $45, it’s pushing the boundaries of what anyone should pay for a neutral spirit, but it’s good and the package is striking enough to require no wrapping paper, saving you a few bucks. For your more avant-garde friends, check out Sub Rosa’s Flavored Vodkas ($30) or a bottle of Skyy Blood Orange ($18).

Rum – Montanya Platino Rum ($30) – So much good rum came out this year, but Montanya’s simple, pure, and bracing white rum is my winner for what you should give a loved one. Bottled in Colorado, not Latin America, they’ll immediately want to know more. For more traditional gifts, I also loved Berrys’ Own Panama Rum 10 Years Old ($80) and Brugal Extra Viejo ($27).

Brandy – “Original Gangster” XO Brandy ($25) – This gift works on a couple of levels. First, the packaging and name are so ridiculous that your hipster friends will get a solid, 25 dollar laugh out of it. Second, the brandy is actually pretty good, so you can actually drink it when you’re done giggling.

Tequila – Casa Dragones ($275) – The other A+ I gave this year, but considering the price of this. Tequila is still on the rise, and lots of good stuff is on the market, including Gran Dovejo Blanco ($47), El Gran Jubileo Extra Anejo ($65), and Excellia Blanco ($50), among many others.

Liqueur – Tatratea (up to $60) - A collection of five tea-flavored liqueurs, each increasing in proof level. Exotic and bizarre, and totally worthwhile for the liquor snob who has everything. Home cocktail enthusiasts would also love a little Pimento Dram ($28) or the all-new Drambuie 15 ($56).

Need another custom gift idea? Drop me a line or leave a comment here and I’ll offer my best advice!

Edinburgh Gin is distilled with classic gin botanicals, plus the addition of Scottish juniper, pine, heather, and milk thistle. The pine is a bit eyebrow-raising, and sure enough this is a very evergreen-forward gin. It’s interesting the different direction it takes from a more classic juniper spirit, though: Here the gin comes across as distinctly “of the forest,” more earthy, and almost like taking a long walk in the mountain woods. It’s what I expect most people wish their juniper-forward gins tasted like: Warming and just a touch rustic, full of character.

This does put a damper on secondary notes, to some extent. I get lemon and orange peel, and hints of coriander. The finish offers mild sweetness, not harsh at all. I expect the deco labeling will telegraph to drinkers that this is an ultra-modern, “progressive” gin, but the reality is that it’s old school in the best possible ways.

86 proof.

A- / $32 / spencerfieldspirit.com

Self-described as a “gin made oddly,” Hendrick’s is famous for the addition of cucumber to the standard botanical mix, along with rose flowers. In practice, however, it is still the juniper that is strongest on the nose, with the floral elements a moderate second.

Cucumbers are actually the tricky element: There is more citrus in the body than anything vegetal, and I presume that is intentional. Cucumber is a tricky element to work with in spirit-making, often resulting in harsh and bitter end products. Hendrick’s is wise to tone it down… but why play it up in the marketing? Probably because drinking roses sounds even less appealing when you get down to it.

This is still a quality gin, but, for better or worse, it’s much less unusual and “odd” than it makes itself out to be.

Update: After a berating from a reader (see below) and another try, I found my notes to be largely consistent. The gin is citrus-forward (distinctly lemon on the finish), and moderate with juniper character. Rose petal notes are enigmatic and fleeting, and I still don’t get any real sense of cucumber in the mix at all. I stand by the rating — this is a fine gin for mixing a cocktail with, and the downplaying of the floral element is a wise choice — but it’s not really distinguished in any way, at least in comparison to what the marketing has to say.

88 proof.

B / $32 / hendricksgin.com

B / $25 / newhollandbrew.com

Scotland, the legendary home of malt whisky, is hardly a land known for gin, which must be seen as a bit of a girly drink for the pansies who live on the southern part of the island. So leave it to the Scots to do something a bit different: Triple distilled from grain and infused with rowan berry, bog myrtle, heather, Coul blush apple, and dandelion leaf (in addition to six traditional botanicals, juniper, coriander, orange and lemon peel, angelica, and cassia), it’s an odd duck from the start — and something fitting of this often harsh, wind-swept land.

Despite all the crazy-sounding aromatics, Caorunn (pronounced ka-roon) is a very pleasant and largely traditional gin. Juniper is quite evident, with citrus notes close behind. All that bog myrtle and dandelion seems to do something, altogether lending a fun vanilla note to the finish, but otherwise Caorunn keeps its clogs firmly planted in the London dry style of ginmaking, just a bit eased off on the juniper pedal and throttled a touch more toward the sweet side.

It’s a gin that’s hard not to like but doesn’t offer quite enough nuance or uniqueness to love.

83.6 proof.

B+ / $35 / caorunngin.com

Update: We’ve got this miracle gin finder on our own site now!

Brandon’s Vodka – Incredible nut and butterscotch character on the nose. Almost dessert-like on the tongue, it’s hard to believe this isn’t a flavored spirit. The overwhelming notes of creme brulee, almonds, and dark chocolate are impossible to ignore, making this a love-it-or-hate-it spirit. What else to say? It has no medicinal character and no real bite to speak of, and I scarcely know whether to even categorize it as a vodka at all. 80 proof. (Batch 7, Bottle 32) B+ / $30

Brandon’s Gin -As odd as Brandon’s Vodka is, Brandon’s Gin plays it by the book: A straightforward infusion “vapor infused” with seven (unnamed but natural) botanicals. Juniper and citrus peel, plus a little pepper, start you off, and eventually those herbal characteristics fade and leave you with hints of Brandon’s sweet vodka, the obvious base for its gin. An exercise in contrasts, but one that works for the most part. 92 proof. (Batch 6, Bottle 221) B+ / $30

arkansaslightning.com