Best gin and tonic in a can taste test
Our mission: to find the best gin and tonic in a can available in the UK. Here are the results of our expert taste test.
Looking for the best gin tonic in a can? Read on to find the results of our canned gin and tonic taste test.
Gin continues to become more and more popular (read our expert guide to gin here). There are hundreds of gin brands on the market (take these 15 British gins, for example) and this summer, we've seen the classic gin and tonic growing in popularity. Of course, it's best served chilled with lots of ice, but there are occasions when only a can will do.
With festival season upon us, the olive team conducted a taste test to find the best canned gin and tonic to enjoy this summer, and we found surprising results...
How it worked
Our taste test was open to any gin tonic in a can that’s available to buy in the UK. The chilled gin and tonics were tasted blind by four members of the olive magazine team.
The group chose a 1st and 2nd place with the four others coming as equal runners up.
The results
1st place: Gordon’s
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About the gin and tonic: Gordon’s London dry gin was first distilled in 1769, and is the world’s number one best-selling gin. This can was mixed with Schweppes tonic. The volume was 5%.
Comments: With its strong juniper scent, well rounded balanced flavours and a kick at the end, this was an outright winner for us. It was mid-range price wise out of all the ones we tried.
Price: £1.60/250ml, ocado.com
2nd place: Sainsburys
About the gin and tonic: This Sainsbury’s own brand gin and tonic is a combination of London dry gin, sparkling tonic water, sugars and sweeteners. It has a volume of 5%.
Comments: A good balance between sweet and bitter flavours with notes of vanilla and cream soda. Slightly sweeter than others we tried.
Price: £1.50/250ml, Sainsbury’s
Runners up:
Adnams
About the gin and tonic: Copper House dry gin is distilled in Southwold from East Anglian malted barley. This can is mixed with Adnams tonic water. The volume is 5%.
Comments: Notes of citrus with a lemonade-y flavour. The gin wasn’t as prominent as in others, but if you like something sweet then this could be the one for you.
Price: £1.99/250ml, Adnams
Marks and Spencer
About the gin and tonic: This gin and tonic was a double measure, unlike all the others, giving it a volume of 8%. It was a mixture of extra dry gin with tonic water.
Comments: We tasted herbal notes in this one and it was less sweet than the others. Although some of us found it too bitter, it was still refreshing. This was the most expensive can we tasted.
Price: £2/250ml, Marks and Spencer’s
Aldi
About the gin and tonic: A combination of Aldi’s own Oliver Cromwell gin (which won gold at the International Wine and Spirits Competition) and tonic water. This one had a volume of 5%.
Comments: A flavour that resembles Sprite, this gin and tonic had a dry finish, but we detected a slightly sulphurous taste.
Price: 99p/250ml, Aldi
Lidl
About the gin and tonic: Finton’s special London dry gin was mixed with tonic water, sugar and sweeteners. It had a volume of 5%.
Comments: Very sweet with a lemonade-y flavour. We found this gin and tonic quite fizzy. The flavour of gin wasn’t that strong, but it was one of the cheaper ones we tried.
Price: 99p/250ml, Lidl
If you're thirsty for more gin, check out our top 15 British gins here
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