Skip to content
the GIN is IN, since 2009
  • Search by flavor
  • 2023 Awards Winners
    • 2022 Awards Winners
    • 2021 Award Winners
    • 2020 Awards Winners
    • 2019 Award Winners
    • 2018 Award Winners
    • 2017 Award Winners
    • 2016 Award Winners
    • 2015 Award Winners
  • Gin Reviews
    • All 800+ Gin Reviews (filterable)
    • All 800+ Gin Reviews (in order)
    • Gins by base spirit
      • Gins distilled from Wheat
      • Gins distilled from Potato
      • Gins distilled from sugarcane
      • Gins distilled from Corn
      • Gins distilled from Grape
      • Gins distilled from Rye
    • Gins by style
      • Juniper-forward Classic gin
      • Contemporary style gins
      • Barrel rested gins
      • Old Tom style gins
      • Navy Strength Gins
      • Flavored and Pink Gins
    • Gins by region/place
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
      • England
      • Canada
      • Japan
      • Australia
    • Gins by Botanicals
  • Other Reviews
    • Tonic Water Reviews
    • Ready to Drink Reviews
    • Aquavit Reviews
    • Non-Alcoholic Gin Reviews
  • Articles
  • Cocktails
  • Contact Us

Base: Wheat

The base spirit of a gin refers to the distillate to which botanicals were added. It’s helpful to think about the base spirit as a vodka-like spirit that the distiller used as a starting point— a blank canvas upon which the gin was designed.But choice of base alone doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to taste it. Depending on choices the distiller makes, such as how many times the base is distilled, or to what strength it is distilled to— there might be no character at all coming from the base spirit.

Wheat Base

Even the term “wheat” itself isn’t a single ingredient. When a distiller makes a wheat base it can be from any number of cultivars.Most wheat is categorized by the hardness of its kernel (soft or hard)And further broken down by the color of its kernel (red and white) and which season it is grown in.Some common wheat types include “hard red winter,” “soft red winter,” “hard red spring,” etc.Bakers value the different varieties based on protein content. But since protein doesn’t survive the distillation process, distillers often select the cultivar for their wheat base based on a combination of factors like local availability and desired mouthfeel.Soft Red Winter wheat is particularly common among distillers. Sipping a vodka distilled from that wheat base and you might notice a residual creamy, gentle vanilla flavor.Historically speaking, wheat was not a common base for gin up until the 20th century. Wheat as a crop needs to be alternated with other crops, and because it is such a useful grain for baking, there was often very little good-quality grain on the market for distillers. Advances in crop technology and modern agriculture have reduced wheat scarcity and now distillers can choose a wheat base if their heart-so-desires.

No Return Gin

No Return Gin

Sipsmith Sloe Gin 2013

Sipsmith Sloe Gin 2013

Venus Spirits Aquavit Blend No. 1

Venus Spirits Aquavit Blend No. 1

Liberator Gin

Liberator Gin

Bilberry Black Hearts Gin

Bilberry Black Hearts Gin

Sipsmith Gin

Sipsmith London Dry Gin

Juniper's Wit Gin

Juniper’s Wit Gin

Warden Gin

Warden Gin

Adrift Distillers Gin

Adrift Distillers Gin

Hardshore Original Gin

Hardshore Original Gin

Wintonbury Gin

Wintonbury Gin

Black Button Distilling Garden Gin

Black Button Garden Gin

Goral Borovička

Goral Borovička

Boodles Gin

Boodles Gin

Leopold's Gin

Leopold’s Gin (Batch no. 17-27)

Manly Spirits Australian Dry Gin

Manly Spirits Australian Dry Gin

Principe de los Apostoles Mate Gin

Principe de los Apostoles Mate Gin

Spirit of Hven Gin

Spirit of Hven Gin

Orange County Distillery Gin

Orange County Distillery Gin

Bluecoat American Dry Gin

Bluecoat American Dry Gin

The Botanist

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

Hernö - Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Gin Company)

Swedish Rose Gin

Scribbles Dry Gin Bottle

Scribbles Dry Gin

Blue Line Gin

Post navigation
Older posts
Newer posts
← Previous Page1 Page2 Page3 Page4 Next →
+ Load More

Search by Flavor

Flavor search
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Contact Us
© 2023 the GIN is IN
Next Page »
  • Search by flavor
  • 2023 Awards Winners
    • 2022 Awards Winners
    • 2021 Award Winners
    • 2020 Awards Winners
    • 2019 Award Winners
    • 2018 Award Winners
    • 2017 Award Winners
    • 2016 Award Winners
    • 2015 Award Winners
  • Gin Reviews
    • All 800+ Gin Reviews (filterable)
    • All 800+ Gin Reviews (in order)
    • Gins by base spirit
      • Gins distilled from Wheat
      • Gins distilled from Potato
      • Gins distilled from sugarcane
      • Gins distilled from Corn
      • Gins distilled from Grape
      • Gins distilled from Rye
    • Gins by style
      • Juniper-forward Classic gin
      • Contemporary style gins
      • Barrel rested gins
      • Old Tom style gins
      • Navy Strength Gins
      • Flavored and Pink Gins
    • Gins by region/place
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
      • England
      • Canada
      • Japan
      • Australia
    • Gins by Botanicals
  • Other Reviews
    • Tonic Water Reviews
    • Ready to Drink Reviews
    • Aquavit Reviews
    • Non-Alcoholic Gin Reviews
  • Articles
  • Cocktails
  • Contact Us