Favorite gin brands and gin cocktails?

Lately I'm on 50 pounds and the botanist 

Generally if I mix a cocktail its a negroni or a G&T.

Depends on what I am making. For a martini, something juniper forward like Tanqueray. For a gin & tonic, something more subdued like Bombay or Plymouth.

An interesting gin is Empress-it is purple. I can't quite figure out what to do with it!

Usually, I go for Hendrick's for a G&T, I like its light cucumber flavor.

Never tried Hendricks...bit pricey for my wallet.

I just love Stirling Gin and Tonic but imagine it’ll taste horrible.

Love the taste of gin and have a bunch of favorites:

For a traditional lime G&T: Martin Miller's - preferable the "Westbourne Grove" which is higher ABV. Clean, fresh gin. Second choice probably Hendrick's.
For a close to traditional basil leaf G&T: Gin Mare - a Barcelonan gin with a slight mediterranean herbal tinge.
For mixing into cocktails with various strong other ingredients: Beefeaters, Plymouth, Hendrick's all work great.
For a classic martini: Beefeaters. Yes, Beefeaters. It's -- to me -- the most classic London dry gin formulation and my absolute go-to choice when making or ordering a gin martini. Hendicks is also a good choice.


But there are lots and lots of great gins.....

I like Broker’s for a dry gin. Also enjoy The Botanist, and Dingle Gin.

Thinking about this a bit more I once was gifted an obscure "artisanal" gin, (maybe GunPowder gin? ) and found it to be almost undrinkable. The same friend gifted me another "artisanal" gin and it was also terrible.

What is it with this "artisanal" stuff that it is so awful? Is it just people trying to be different when the wheel has already been perfected?

What is it with this "artisanal" stuff that it is so awful? Is it just people trying to be different when the wheel has already been perfected?

I've had a decent amount of artisinal offerings that were great.... others not so much....

I think the deal is with gin as long as juniper is forward literally any plant that isn't poisonous can be a botanical and lots of plants just don't impart a pleasant flavor some people are real artists with their blends. Other distillers are just knocking out a gin because turnaround time is fast, offering quick cash while their whiskies rest and mature. And tacking the artisinal label on there offers a chance to bump the price a bit too