Gin Botanicals Explained: What Goes Into a Bottle and Why It Matters

Ever wondered why one gin tastes completely different from another? The answer is botanicals, and understanding them will change the way you choose and enjoy gin.

Every gin starts with the same thing: a neutral grain spirit. On its own, that spirit has no real character. It is clean, strong, and essentially flavourless. What transforms it into gin is the addition of botanicals, the herbs, spices, fruits, roots, seeds, and flowers that give each gin its unique personality.

By law, gin must contain juniper as its predominant flavour. Beyond that, a distiller is free to use whatever botanicals they choose. This is why the gin category is so extraordinarily diverse. Two gins can sit next to each other on a shelf and taste nothing alike, because their botanical recipes are entirely different. Understanding what those botanicals are and what they do is the key to finding the gins you love and knowing why you love them.

The Essential Botanicals

Juniper

Juniper is the backbone of every gin. It is the only botanical that is legally required, and it provides the piney, resinous, slightly peppery flavour that most people associate with gin. The berries (which are technically cones, not berries) are usually dried before use. Some gins push juniper hard, making it the dominant note. Others use it more subtly, letting other botanicals take the lead while juniper provides a supporting foundation.

Coriander Seed

After juniper, coriander seed is the most commonly used botanical in gin production. It adds a warm, slightly citrusy, nutty quality that rounds out the sharpness of juniper. In Wicstun's Aromatic Yorkshire Dry Gin, coriander is one of the lead botanicals rather than a background player. The distillery uses it alongside cardamom to create a warmer, more aromatic profile than a typical juniper-forward London Dry.

Angelica Root

Angelica root does not add an obvious flavour of its own. Instead, it acts as a binding agent, helping the other botanical flavours knit together into a cohesive whole. Think of it as the bass guitar in a band. You might not notice it, but take it away and everything falls apart. Most quality gins include angelica root for this reason.

Citrus Peel

Lemon peel, orange peel, grapefruit peel, lime peel, and yuzu peel are all used widely in gin production. Citrus adds brightness, freshness, and a top note that lifts the heavier, earthier flavours of juniper and root botanicals. The oils in citrus peel are particularly potent during distillation, which is why even a small amount can have a significant impact on the finished spirit.

Cardamom

Cardamom is one of the more distinctive botanicals used in gin. It brings a warm, aromatic, almost eucalyptus-like quality that is immediately recognisable. Not all gins use it, but those that do tend to have a noticeably different character. Wicstun's aromatic dry gin uses cardamom as a lead botanical, which gives it a warmth and complexity that sets it apart from more conventional gin profiles. You can read more about how the distillery approaches botanical selection on their gin making process page.

Beyond the Basics

The botanicals above form the foundation of most gins, but craft distillers have access to a vast palette of additional ingredients. Here are some of the more interesting ones you might encounter.

Orris root. Derived from the iris flower, orris root adds a delicate, violet-like floral note and, like angelica, helps bind other flavours together. It is expensive and takes years to dry properly, which is why it tends to appear in more premium gins.

Cubeb pepper. A relative of black pepper that adds a warm, slightly spicy note with a hint of allspice. It gives gin a gentle heat without the sharpness of chilli or the bluntness of regular pepper.

Liquorice root. Adds a subtle sweetness and a smooth, almost silky mouthfeel. It is used sparingly in most gins, as too much can make the spirit taste medicinal.

Lavender. Increasingly popular in contemporary gins, particularly those marketed as floral or garden-style. Lavender adds a perfumed, calming note that works well with citrus and lighter botanicals. Too much can make a gin taste like soap, so the dosage requires precision.

Rose petals. Another floral botanical that adds a delicate, fragrant quality. Often used in pink gins alongside fruit botanicals to create a softer, more aromatic profile.

Fresh fruit. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and other fruits are increasingly used in gin production, particularly for pink and fruit-forward gins. The key distinction is between gins that use real fruit and those that use artificial fruit flavourings. At Wicstun Distillery, the pink gin gets its colour and flavour from real strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries rather than synthetic additives. The difference in taste is significant.

How Botanicals Are Used in Distilling

There are two main methods for getting botanical flavours into gin, and the method used affects the final character of the spirit.

Steeping (maceration). The botanicals are soaked directly in the base spirit for a period of time, usually hours or days, before the mixture is redistilled. This produces a bold, robust flavour because the spirit has prolonged contact with the botanicals. Heavier botanicals like roots and seeds tend to work well with this method.

Vapour infusion. The botanicals are placed in a basket or chamber above the base spirit. As the spirit is heated and the vapour rises, it passes through the botanicals, picking up their flavours in a lighter, more delicate way. This method tends to produce a more refined, nuanced gin, particularly with delicate botanicals like flowers and fresh herbs.

Many craft distillers, including Wicstun, use a combination of both methods. Heavier botanicals might be steeped while more delicate ones are vapour-infused during the same distillation run. This allows the distiller to extract the best qualities from each ingredient without overloading any single flavour.

How to Taste Botanicals in Your Gin

Next time you pour a gin, try this. Nose it first, before adding tonic or ice. You should be able to pick out the dominant botanical notes. Is it piney and resinous (juniper-forward)? Warm and spicy (cardamom, pepper, or cinnamon)? Bright and citrusy (lemon or orange peel)? Floral (lavender, rose, or elderflower)?

Then take a small sip neat. The flavours on the palate may be different from what you smelled. Some botanicals come through more on the nose, others more on the tongue. Pay attention to the finish, the flavour that lingers after you swallow. Root botanicals like angelica and orris tend to show up here, providing a dry, earthy quality that balances the brighter top notes.

Finally, add your tonic and see how the flavours change. Tonic water's quinine bitterness can suppress some botanical notes and amplify others. A juniper-heavy gin might taste more citrusy with tonic. A cardamom-forward gin like Wicstun's might become warmer and more aromatic. This is why the right tonic pairing matters, and why experimenting is half the fun.

If you want to explore botanicals properly, a distillery tour at Wicstun includes the chance to see and smell the individual botanicals before tasting them in the finished spirits. It is the best way to connect what you smell in the botanical store with what you taste in the glass, and it will permanently change the way you think about gin.

Browse the full range of Wicstun gins, including the aromatic dry gin and the fruit-forward pink gin, on the website. All products are vegan-friendly, made without artificial flavourings, and available with free delivery on orders over £50.