Tanqueray
Last updated 16 May 2026
The bartenders' choice. Distilled at Cameronbridge in Fife, Tanqueray is a four-times-distilled, juniper-led London Dry — bigger and cleaner than Gordon's, structurally built for serious cocktails. The recipe hasn't changed since 1830.
Tanqueray is the bartenders' default for a reason. £22-28 buys you a 43.1% London Dry with the structural backbone for any serious cocktail. The standard bottle is the right call for a home bar; No. Ten is the upgrade for serious martinis. If you make Negronis at home, this is the gin.
Tasting notes
A bold, juniper-dominant gin with a clean, dry, slightly piney character. The four-botanical recipe gives it less complexity than contemporary gins but more structure — Tanqueray is a tool, not a finished drink. Built for Negronis, dry martinis, and serious bar work.
- Nose
- Big juniper, hint of pine, faint citrus
- Palate
- Juniper-forward, pine, dry coriander warmth
- Finish
- Clean, dry, properly long for the price
Flavour profile
- juniper5/5
- citrus2/5
- floral1/5
- herbal1/5
- spice2/5
- sweet1/5
Botanicals
Just four classic London Dry botanicals — the original recipe from 1830 keeps it pure and uncompromising
How it’s made
- Production
- Distilled four times at Cameronbridge Distillery in Fife using the same recipe and broadly the same process since 1830. Made alongside Gordon's, J&B and other Diageo spirits.
- Still type
- Pot still ("Old Tom")
- Base spirit
- Neutral grain spirit
Perfect serve
Indian tonic, lime wedge (not lemon), heavy tumbler.
- Garnish
- Lime wedge (the signature Tanqueray serve, not lemon)
- Ratio
- 1:3
- Ice
- Plenty — the high ABV holds up to dilution.
Lime, not lemon — Tanqueray's signature serve specifies lime, and it suits the bigger juniper. Fill the glass with ice; the gin can take it.
Cocktails to make with Tanqueray
Tanqueray Negroni
Rocks
Stir all ingredients with ice for 30 seconds. Strain over a large ice cube. Express orange oil over the surface.
Tanqueray Dry Martini
Coupe
- 60ml Tanqueray
- 5ml dry vermouth
- Lemon peel or olive
Stir gin and vermouth with ice for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe.
Food pairings
Apéritif food rather than a meal pairing. Tanqueray is built to work with vermouth, not lamb.
- Olives and almonds
- Cured charcuterie
- Citrus tarts
- Salty cheese
Where to buy
Supermarket availability
| Supermarket | Stocked | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| tesco | Yes | £24 |
| sainsburys | Yes | £23 |
| waitrose | Yes | £26 |
| morrisons | Yes | £24 |
| asda | Yes | £22 |
| co-op | Yes | £26 |
Other expressions from Tanqueray
Tanqueray No. Ten
A premium contemporary at the top of the Tanqueray range — fresh citrus, brighter and more rounded than the standard. Built for elegant martinis.
Tanqueray Sevilla
Orange-forward and sweeter — more of a flavoured London Dry than a classic. Works in a spritz.
Frequently asked questions
+Is Tanqueray Scottish?
Yes. Tanqueray has been distilled at Cameronbridge Distillery in Fife, Scotland since 1989, when production moved north from London. The recipe is the original 1830 London Dry style.
+How does Tanqueray compare to Gordon’s?
Tanqueray is at 43.1% ABV (vs Gordon's 37.5%), with a bigger juniper character and cleaner finish — a serious cocktail gin. Gordon's is fine for a casual G&T but Tanqueray is the better choice for martinis and Negronis.
+What does Tanqueray taste like?
Bold juniper, hint of pine, dry coriander warmth, clean long finish. The four-botanical recipe is uncompromising — this is gin in its classic London Dry form.
+Is Tanqueray No. Ten worth the upgrade?
For drinkers who like a softer, more citrus-forward gin in their martini, yes — No. Ten is genuinely excellent. For Negronis and other big-flavour cocktails, the standard Tanqueray is the right tool at half the price.
Compare with similar gins
Gordon's
london-dry · lowland
The everyday gin of every British pub for the last fifty years. Distilled at Cameronbridge in Fife — the same Diageo grain distillery that makes Tanqueray and J&B — Gordon's is a classic juniper-led London Dry that does the basic job better than most things at twice the price.
Pickering's Gin
london-dry · lowland
Distilled at Summerhall in Edinburgh — the city's first exclusive gin distillery in over 150 years. The recipe is from a handwritten Bombay note dated 1947, scaled up by hand into a London Dry style with notable warmth.
Makar Glasgow Gin
london-dry · lowland
Made by the Glasgow Distillery Co., the city's first whisky and gin distillery for over 100 years. Makar is a juniper-forward London Dry — drier and more traditional than most Scottish contemporaries, with the Glasgow distillery's seven-pot-still expertise behind it.
Plan your distillery visit
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