GinGin

Contemporary Gin

The Contemporary label emerged alongside New Western in the early 2000s as the craft gin renaissance produced spirits that didn't fit neatly into established categories. Bombay Sapphire (launched 1987) is sometimes cited as a proto-contemporary gin — its vapor infusion and ten-botanical bill presaged the category's direction before the term existed.

Flavor Profile

More juniper presence than extreme New Western expressions, but with significant non-juniper botanical complexity. Typically more versatile across cocktail applications than highly specific New Western expressions.

Key Producers

Premium

Bombay Sapphire

10 botanicals, Carter-Head vapor infusion, elegant and proportioned; includes grains of paradise, cubeb, almond

Craft

Ford's Gin

9 botanicals from 8 countries including jasmine and Turkish grapefruit peel; designed for cocktail performance over neat sipping

No legal category — synonym for New Western Gin in most usage. A descriptive term for gins technically produced as London Dry or distilled gin but stylistically departing from juniper-dominant tradition. Some writers distinguish 'Contemporary' (moderate juniper, added complexity) from 'New Western' (juniper actively de-emphasized) but the distinction is not legally or universally defined.