The World's Most Expensive Gin | Wine-Searcher News & Features (2024)

Like the determinedly weird kid at school – think Allison Reynolds from 80s teen classic The Breakfast Club – gin revels in being hard to pin down.

Although gin is always anchored by juniper, from there on the directions this often idiosyncratic white spirit can take are endless. Whether it's embracing a floral accent, a citrus quirk or wandering down the road of aged woody spice, this spirit offers the ultimate sandbox to distillers.

Known for its complex interplay between juniper and various far-flung and expensive botanicals, it's perhaps a surprise that the world of gin doesn't inhabit the same stratospheric spheres as whisky and Bourbon. However, this may well change as prices slowly but steadily begin to climb.

Single Malt Whisky can rest easy, however, as the current most expensive, the Yamazaki 55-Year-Old, sits at an average price of $773,584 meaning there's still some way to go before any gin comes even close.

Although it feels like gin may take some millennia before it reaches whisky's dizzying heights (if it ever does), some gins are certainly climbing the ranks faster than others.

The World's Most Expensive Gins on Wine-Searcher:

In number one spot, for a second year running, is the Watenshi The Japanese Angel Gin by UK-based Cambridge Distillery. Last year, the Watenshi had an average price of $2804 – remarkable for any gin. Today, the Watenshi now boasts an average price of $3287.

Marketed as "the world's most exclusive gin", the Watenshi is the brainchild of both Master of Wine and Master Distiller, William Lowe and his wife, Lucy. The spirit loosely translates to Japanese Angel and allegedly "captures that which should not exist". This, of course, refers to the 'angle's share' – the portion of spirit that inevitably gets lost during distillation. This Lowe has managed to keep via clever manipulation of chilled atmospheric pressure. By preserving these tiny angelic compounds that are almost always lost, the Watenshi stakes its claim as being one of a kind.

In second place, which again is unchanged from last year, is the Nolet's Reserve. At $701, it is a little more expensive than last year's $698, but the difference is arbitrary. Although it's yet to come anywhere near the stratospheric price of the Watenshi, Nolet's Reserve still commands megabucks for gin and, like the Watenshi, has its own USP ready and waiting to justify the price.

Produced annually in limited amounts, the Nolet's Reserve is the personal creation of tenth-generation distillery owner, Carolus Nolet Sr., who uses verbena, crocus flower and pricey saffron – saffron threads being the stigma of the aforementioned crocus flower – botanicals to create a uniquely floral (and naturally expensive) gin.

Third in line sees the return of Adler's KPM Edition Dry Gin. Information regarding the pristine porcelain bottle appears to be as limited as it is available – we currently list seven offers around the world. Its rarefied nature may go some way to explaining its rather sizeable price tag of $405 – which has made a slight jump from last year's $387

Number four sees another returnee in the same spot: the Kyoto Distillery Ki No Bi cask-aged gin. Japan's Kyoto Distillery was founded in 2014 by David and Tsunoda Kroll, and Martin Miller, all three having had an extensive background in Whiskey. However, although it was Whiskey that united them in the first place, they also shared a love of gin which would ultimately be the spirit their Kyoto distillery specialized in.

Using Yuzu, Japanese pepper, Gyokuro and other botanicals indigenous to Japan, Ki No Bi has both a unique and highly evocative sense of place, and at $383, although it's not cheap – having risen from last year's $346 – it's a far cry from the mad prices seen in other corners of the spirit world.

Fifth is another offering from the Cambridge Distillery – this time their Nordic-inspired Anty Gin which, at $283, is far more reasonably priced than their flagship label, although it has still crept up from last year's $235.

Six sees the return of the small-batch gin specialists Fifty Pounds and their 'Cask at the Back' aged Gin. Currently, this stands at $278, again up from last year's $259. The 'Cask at the Back' harkens back to gin's nineteenth-century heyday when the spirit often traveled in old Sherry casks. After spending time in old Pedro Ximénez barrels, the resulting gin is deep honey in color with sweet notes of dried fruit and toasted wood.

Lucky number seven comes from Hamburg's Gin Sul and is their cheerful 'Limao do Sul' – up from last year's $231 to $261. As the name suggests, Limao du Sul is all about celebrating lemon in all its glory and, with its sunny eye-catching design, looks great on the shelf too.

Eighth place is the Sarti Gin from Italy which has increased a whole six dollars from last year's $253 to $259.

Number nine is the other riotous offering from Gin Sul – this time their Fogo do Sul, which (as the label adorned with fiery chillis suggests) champions heat, spice, and the rich deep flavors of Goa. Like all Gin Sul products, the Fogo do Sul is only available in limited quantities although its current price of $235 is not a great leap forward from last year's $228.

Bringing up the rear, at $197, is the only gin to have not been present on last year's list. Newcomer, Phantom by Salcombe Distilling Company as part of their Voyager Series, is a limited-edition cask gin produced in collaboration with Bordeaux's Château Climens. In a nod to Sauternes, Phantom is rich in plush, honeyed orange, apricot and jasmine notes making it both unique and – as the name suggests – extremely elusive. We currently list only six offers.

All those who have seen The Breakfast Club know the film concludes with each kid explaining what they bring to the party and, more importantly, why they should be valued – even if you're the resident basket case. Gin may not yet be able to stand up to the big boys – its price jumps have been more incremental than rocketing – but it may no longer be back of the class, especially if Cambridge Distillery has anything to do with it.