Oldest Gin Brand: The Original Gin That Started It All

If you love gin, you’ve probably wondered which bottle kicked off the whole craze. The answer isn’t a fancy cocktail bar or a modern distillery – it’s a humble Dutch spirit called Genever that dates back to the 1500s. Genever was the ancestor of today’s London Dry gin, and its recipes still influence what you sip now.

Genever was first made by a guy named Sylvius van Helmont in the early 1500s. He mixed malt wine with juniper berries, creating a medicinal shot that doctors prescribed for gut aches. The drink quickly became popular in the low countries, and by the 1600s it was being exported to England. That’s when the English started adding their own twist, eventually giving us the crisp, botanical gin we know today.

Where It All Began

The oldest continuous gin brand you can still buy is Gordon’s, founded in 1769 in London. While Genever predates it, Gordon’s is the first brand that survived the industrial age and still bottles the same basic recipe. The founder, Alexander Gordon, was a Scottish soldier who opened a small shop in the Haymarket. He marketed his gin as “London Dry,” a term that later became a style of gin rather than a brand.

What made Gordon’s stand out was its clean, dry finish. Most spirits at the time were sweet and heavy, but Gordon’s used a higher ratio of juniper and fewer sugary additives. That dry profile won over sailors, soldiers, and later, cocktail enthusiasts. Even after 250 years, you’ll find Gordon’s on the shelf for a fraction of the price of craft gins, and it still tastes remarkably consistent.

What Made It Last

There are three reasons the oldest gin brand stays relevant: consistency, accessibility, and nostalgia. First, the distillers have kept the grain bill and botanical mix almost unchanged. Second, because it’s mass‑produced, you can find a bottle in almost any liquor store, making it the go‑to choice for beginners. Third, there’s a love‑it‑or‑hate‑it story behind the brand that pops up in movies and music, keeping it in the public eye.

If you ever want to try the original taste, look for bottles labeled “London Dry Gin” with a distillery date before 1800. You’ll often see “Gordon’s London Dry Gin” or “Old‑Style Genever” on the label. When you pour a measure, give it a quick sniff – you should smell sharp juniper, a faint hint of grain, and almost no citrus. That pure, unfiltered flavor is why the brand survived.

Want to know how to enjoy it today? The classic Gin & Tonic is still the best showcase. Fill a highball glass with ice, add one ounce of the gin, top with premium tonic water, and garnish with a lime wedge. The simplicity lets the gin’s heritage shine through. For a more historic vibe, try a “Genever Flip”: shake the gin with a raw egg, a dash of simple syrup, and a pinch of nutmeg. It’s a nod to the 1700s tavern drinks.

So next time you reach for a bottle, think about the centuries of history behind it. Whether you pick the original Genever or a bottle of Gordon’s, you’re tasting a piece of the oldest gin brand that still shapes the market today.