Tanqueray No. Ten holds a particular place in my estimation. When it launched at the turn of the millennium, it signalled a decisive shift — one of the world's most established gin houses turning its attention to the super-premium tier, and doing so with genuine conviction rather than mere packaging theatre. Two decades on, this remains a benchmark expression that every serious London Dry must reckon with.
Style & Character
At 47.3% ABV, the No. Ten sits at a strength that commands respect — comfortably above the category minimum and firmly in the territory where botanical complexity has room to express itself without being buried by ethanol heat. The litre format offered here is a sensible proposition for anyone who reaches for this bottle with any regularity, and at its price point it represents fair value for a gin of this calibre.
What distinguishes No. Ten from the mainline Tanqueray expression is its use of whole fresh citrus fruit in the distillation, a detail that has always set it apart in a category where dried botanicals are the norm. The result is a gin that wears its London Dry credentials with pride — juniper-led, structurally precise — yet carries a luminous citrus quality that lifts it into something altogether more refined.
Best Served
This is a gin that earns its place in a well-made Martini — stirred, cold, with a twist of grapefruit peel. It is equally at home in a considered G&T with Fever-Tree Indian Tonic, where its citrus brightness and juniper backbone find a natural balance. A textbook London Dry with polish to spare, Tanqueray No. Ten merits its 8.1 out of 10 without hesitation.
