Choosing the best gin is not an easy thing. Everyone's taste buds are different and thanks to the sheer amount of gin brands available right now (we seriously aren't complaining here), the choice can be overwhelming.

That's because gin has, quite deservedly, seen an explosion - there's been many varieties and gin brands over recent years, which means there are plenty to choose from.

And that's the issue: when it comes to picking the best gin, there are bloody loads.

Too many, if anything, so we’ve done you a favour and sieved through the rest and brought you only the best gins, all test tasted by the Shortlist team.

If you want more than the 5 we picked, head to our 19 best gins in the world guide.

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5. Isle Of Harris Gin

From the use of locally sourced Sugar Kelp, to the fact that every beautifully-designed bottle is hand-sealed, the Isle of Harris Distillery makes sure to put the Scottish Isle at the heart of their distilling process. The gin itself is infused with nine botanicals including a sweet citrus of orange peel, complemented by the fresh herbal flavour of crushed coriander and the base of Juniper. The Sugar Kelp adds a maritime note to this award-winning gin. Every bottle is shipped directly from the distillery in the Outer Hebrides.

4. Hendricks

Just brilliant, isn’t it? You don’t need us to tell you that. It contains 11 botanicals, along with cucumber and rose to give it that distinctive flavour. To best enjoy, have it with cucumber, in the sun. Obviously. This is a classic stepping stone gin for those looking to branch out beyond the basics. Try it out in the early part of your gin odyssey.

3. Ableforth's Bathtub Gin

Made using the traditional method of Cold Compounding, in which the spirit is slowly infused with botanicals including orange peel, coriander and cardamom, this gin has strong notes of citrus and spice. The award-winning gin is best served over ice with tonic and a wedge of orange.

2. Monkey 47

An incredibly fun gin that hales from the Black Forest in Germany. The name comes from the number of botanicals that go into this unique gin, and the fact it’s bottled at bedtime-inducing 47% proof. Palate-wise it’s complex (there are, also, pleasingly, forty-seven different tastes packed in there). Woody, spicy, fruity, and herby: it is pretty much everything a gin can be.

1. Pink Marmalade Gin

A new addition to our list, this colour-changing gin is a premium brand that would make a fantastic gift. It turns from blue to rose pink in your glass and contains a mixture of flavours, including juniper berries, dried orange zest, lime leaf, almond, liquorice root and many more.

HEAD TO SHORTLIST.COM FOR THE 14 MORE BEST GINS IN THE WORLD - AND WHERE TO BUY THEM.