Enjoy them on the terrace with a posh tonic
A gin and tonic is the drink of the British summer.
We’ve teamed up with Manchester’s legendary gin bar, Atlas, to share their top ten gins.
Enjoy them with a posh tonic and garnish - all selected to enhance the drink - on Atlas Bar’s outstanding suntrap terrace.
After all, Atlas Bar has over 570 gins to enjoy so we thought we’d whittle them down to Atlas’s absolute favourites.
Atlas Bar’s top ten gins
1. Whitley Neill Rhubarb Gin
This gin was inspired by the glory of a traditional English country garden. Keeping Whitley Neill’s signature botanical, the baobab fruit, it is infused with rhubarb and combined with ginger. Rhubarb brings a certain sharpness whilst the ginger gives a delicate spice and warmth to the palate. Distilled to an ABV of 43%, enjoy with a slice of lemon, some thyme and a premium tonic or ginger ale.
2. Kuro Gin
This premium small batch gin is inspired by a ski trip to Japan. Distilled at Langley’s Distillery in the West Midlands using 12 Japanese-style botanicals including bamboo, silver birch bark, spruce needles, and cinnamon. It’s the charcoal-activated bamboo which really comes to the fore. Enjoy with Folkington’s tonic, a sprig of mint, and some ginger.
3. Solway Gin
This small batch gin is made on the south west coast of Scotland. Only 50 bottles are produced per batch, and Atlas sold over half of one batch in four days. It’s easy to see why it’s popular: locally foraged botanicals including coriander, orris root, and angelica give a distinctive flavour. Enjoy with a premium tonic and a lemon garnish.
4. Unit 6
Atlas Bar was the first bar in Manchester to stock this Guernsey-based gin made using vacuum distillation.. It’s a clean, balanced drink with notes of bergamot, pink peppercorn, kaffir, coriander and freesia. Team Atlas love this with Fevertree Elderflower tonic
5. Slingsby Rhubarb
Atlas owner, Mark, met the Harrogate-based Slingsby team at their start of their gin journey and they’re real masters of their craft. 17 of the 24 botanicals used are locally sourced from the beautiful surrounding area and the rest are from the garden of a local hotel, Rudding Park. The addition of rhubarb to this gin has proven to be a huge hit at Atlas Bar and it is beautiful when enjoyed with tonic and grapefruit or even ginger beer.
6. Hendrick's
This gin could be the one that stopped the spirit being a nan drink. It’s now the UK’s favourite and Hendrick’s have definitely had a hand in it. The Bennet still that Hendrick’s originally used was made back in 1860. This was succeeded by a Carter-Head still in 1948, and after Charles Gordon bought the stills in 1966, it took him 33 years to decide what to do with them. In 1999 he and his partner Lesley Gracie hit upon the peculiar deliciousness of adding rose petals and cucumber to their gin. The rest is history.
7. Brockmans
Brockmans was always going to make the top ten, it’s just a question of where. This tried and tested Scottish gin is owner Elaine’s go-to. It’s smooth enough to drink over ice but it’s best enjoyed with a Premium Double Dutch Indian Tonic water, blueberries and a twist of pink grapefruit. The gin is distilled in a 100-year-old copper still and the botanicals include: Tuscan juniper, European blueberries and blackberries, alongside Chinese liquorice and almonds. It has a real signature flavour.
8. Four Pillars Rare
This gin is really close to Atlas owners’ Mark and Elaine’s hearts. It was first launched in the UK at Atlas Bar and the owners and distillers of this fabulous Australian gin have become great friends of the team. Distilled in the beautiful Yarra Valley wine region, in a still named Wilma, this gin is made with wonderful local botanicals including Tasmanian pepper berry and lemon myrtle. Best enjoyed with Fevertree Mediterranean tonic and an orange garnish. Watch out for the Four Pillars x Atlas Bar collaboration gin later this year.
9. Divine Raspberry
This fabulous small batch gin wasdistilled by Ray Woolhead in nearby Holmfirth. Only the best quality raspberries are used to infuse Divine’s fantastic London Dry Gin, using modern distilling techniques and fresh Yorkshire spring water. We love this gin served with a premium tonic water and mint garnish.
10. 5th Gin Fire
Spanish gin is at the heart of gin’s ‘cool renaissance’ with fancy serves and glassware. This example is distilled at the Modesta Soler Distillery which has operated since 1875. A traditional London Dry, it is the soft pink hue and highly aromatic flavour, delivered by using red berries, which sets this gin apart. Enjoy this one with tonic and berries or with a Fevertree tonic.
With a gin of the week to help you discover new favourites and great value paddleboards to showcase different varieties from the best local independents, Atlas Bar is the best place in the city to indulge in your love for gin.
