Tanqueray
The green bottle shaped like a fire hydrant, and the gin most bartenders use to make their gin and tonic. Everything about the botanicals, the alcohol percentages, the cocktails and the right glass to serve it in.
Four botanicals and nothing else
Charles Tanqueray started a distillery in Bloomsbury, London, in 1830. His recipe has never changed, and it is strikingly restrained: while modern gins boast twenty botanicals, the London Dry uses four. Juniper, coriander seed, angelica root and liquorice, nothing more. That is precisely why the gin is so recognisably dry and juniper-driven.
The bottle is modelled on a nineteenth-century London fire hydrant, in the brand's red and green colours. The Bloomsbury distillery did not survive the Second World War; only one still remained intact, and it now stands in Cameronbridge, Scotland, where the gin has been made ever since. In the Netherlands, Tanqueray London Dry is 43.1% ABV, which is fairly robust for a gin.
In brief
What types of Tanqueray are there?
Tanqueray London Dry
The classic: dry, full-bodied and unmistakably juniper-forward. At 43.1%, it also holds its own with plenty of tonic.
Tanqueray No. Ten
Distilled with whole fresh grapefruit, orange and lime plus chamomile, in the small still called 'Tiny Ten'. Fresher, more floral and at 47.3%.
Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla
With Seville orange: bittersweet and sunny, without overshadowing the juniper. A gin and tonic with an orange slice is all you need.
Tanqueray Rangpur
With rangpur, a citrus fruit halfway between lime and mandarin. Sharp, fresh and ideal for long drinks.
Tanqueray Blackcurrant Royale
Blackcurrant and vanilla on a gin base. Clearly the sweetest of the range, intended for anyone who wants a fruity gin and tonic.
Tanqueray 0.0%
The same botanicals, but without the alcohol. Designed for a gin and tonic with zero alcohol; noticeably lighter-bodied, though.
Tanqueray Aperitivo
Not a gin but a bitter gin-based aperitif at 14.7% ABV. Designed for a spritz, in the same category as Aperol and Campari.
London Dry is the all-rounder; No. Ten if you want the best Martini.
Dry, peppery and full of juniper
Juniper & pine
Immediate juniper, with pine, coriander and a citrus edge. No floral or sweet embellishment; this is the classic London Dry aroma.
Dry and robust
Dry and full-bodied, with juniper taking the lead, pepper from the coriander and an earthy note from angelica root. The licorice gives it a soft, lightly sweet finish.
Long and peppery
A long, dry finish with pepper and pine. At 43.1%, it still holds its own after a generous pour of tonic.
Flavor profile of Tanqueray London Dry. No. Ten scores higher for fruitiness and intensity; Flor de Sevilla and Blackcurrant Royale score considerably higher for sweetness and fruitiness.
Three ways to drink Tanqueray
A dry, robust gin calls for little embellishment. The less you add, the better this bottle comes into its own.
As a gin and tonic
Pour 5 cl Tanqueray into a large glass filled completely with ice, then add 150 ml well-chilled tonic along a bar spoon. Garnish with a strip of lime or grapefruit peel, not a handful of herbs: four botanicals call for a simple garnish.
Gin and tonic recipe →As a Dry Martini
Stir 60 ml gin and 10 ml dry vermouth with plenty of ice for thirty seconds, strain into an ice-cold martini glass and finish with a strip of lemon peel. No. Ten makes it more floral, while London Dry makes it drier and pepperier.
Dry Martini recipe →As a Negroni
3 cl gin, 3 cl Campari and 3 cl red vermouth stirred with ice and served over a large ice cube, with a strip of orange peel. Tanqueray's robust juniper stands up well to the bitterness here.
Negroni recipe →The best cocktails with Tanqueray
Gin and tonic
Gin, tonic and plenty of ice. With a dry gin, a strip of citrus peel is enough.
Dry Martini
Gin and dry vermouth, stirred and ice-cold. The test for every gin.
Negroni
Equal parts gin, Campari and red vermouth. Three ingredients, no excuses.
Tom Collins
Gin, lemon, sugar and sparkling water over plenty of ice. Fresh and light.The right glass for Tanqueray
A large balloon glass for gin and tonic, an ice-cold martini glass for the Dry Martini, and a heavy tumbler for the Negroni. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about Tanqueray
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