Old Tom gin holds a special place in my heart. It's the missing link in gin's story — the bridge between the rough, sweetened Dutch genevers that preceded it and the crisp, dry London style that eventually took over. When a distillery takes on an Old Tom, they're telling you they care about history, about tradition, and about the craft of balancing sweetness with botanical complexity. Hernö's Old Tom Gin is exactly that kind of statement.
Style & Character
At 43% ABV, this sits at a confident strength that tells me Hernö aren't hiding behind sugar. Too many Old Toms lean on sweetness as a crutch — a way to mask rough edges or thin distillate. But when you bottle an Old Tom above 40%, you're backing yourself. You're saying the sweetness is there to complement the botanicals, not to bury them. That balance between the lightly sweetened character of the style and a proper juniper-led botanical backbone is what separates a good Old Tom from a forgettable one.
Behind the Bottle
What I find consistently impressive about Hernö is their dedication to the full spectrum of gin styles. They clearly understand that an Old Tom isn't simply a London Dry with sugar stirred in — it's its own tradition, with its own personality. At £39.25, this is priced at a premium, though it reflects the care that goes into a well-made Old Tom from a respected producer.
Best Served
This is where an Old Tom truly shines: cocktails. A Martinez — two parts Old Tom, one part sweet vermouth, a barspoon of maraschino liqueur, and a dash of Angostura, stirred long over a single large ice cube and served up with a lemon twist — is the drink this gin was born for. The sweetness of the style marries beautifully with vermouth in a way that London Dry simply can't replicate. If you're feeling more casual, a Tom Collins with fresh lemon, a touch of sugar syrup, and good soda water lets the gin's character sing.
