10 Best Low Calorie Gins in 2023 (Updated)
Last Updated on October 26, 2023 by Lydia Martin
A spirited welcome to all the loyal fans and supporters of Drink Mary! We are delighted to have you check out our site and our shared love for distilled spirits. We are a team of liquor enthusiasts committed to providing you not just the strongest alcohol but also drinks with a lighter touch on your body, mind, and the world.
Drink Mary advocates a responsibly sourced botanical blend made with seven sustainable sourced garden ingredients with a dash of alcohol. It has 6x less alcohol than gin and only nine calories per single 25ml pour. No carbs, no sugar, no artificial flavors or sweeteners – just pure, fresh, and sophisticated dry taste.
The calories present in gin are significantly lower compared to most other spirits, like wine and beer. The interest in finding low-calorie alcoholic drinks has skyrocketed over the years, with people being more health-conscious.
You might start making gin your favorite spirit once you see how few calories it has. Of course, this is considering you don’t put any unnecessary sugary mixers into it. Let’s find out what’s the best low-calorie gin available today.
Top 10 Low-Calorie Gins For Your Diet
10. Plymouth Gin
ABV: 41.2%
Calories: 62 per 25ml
Plymouth Gin is known as one of the best gins in the world — it’s easy on the palate for both beginners and enthusiasts alike. Thanks to the immersive botanical flavoring, it’s not as dry as the typical London dry and doesn’t have the harsh pine notes. It used to be made exclusively in Plymouth, England, but the gin standards have been updated since then.
Plymouth Gin has one of the lowest calories per serving of 25ml at just 62. This one is good in shots or a low-calorie gin and tonic.
9. Copperhead Gin
ABV: 40%
Calories: 60 per 25ml
Copperhead Gin is more citrus-forward while still having pleasant juniper berry notes. This gin uses cardamom, angelica, and coriander seeds in the flavoring process for a final liquor that is sweet and citrusy. It’s one of the best options for low-calorie gin as it has only 60 calories per 25ml.
Fun fact: the brand was only established in 2013, and they named the gin after the antique copperhead still in which the spirit is made.
8. Bombay Sapphire
ABV: 47%
Calories: 56 per 25ml
Of course, if you’re talking about gin, who can forget the iconic blue bottle of Bombay Sapphire? Unlike traditional gins that boil the botanicals directly with the spirit, this brand uses a “vapor infusion process,” wherein the spirit vapor gently passes through copper baskets containing the ten botanicals. This gentle process results in a more nuanced, light spirit, with flavors that tickle the tongue instead of bombarding it.
Perhaps this delicate flavoring process gives the final spirit very few calories — you’ll only get 56 calories per 25ml shot.
7. Beefeater London Dry Gin
ABV: 40%
Calories: 67 per 25ml
If you’re looking for a solid London dry, Beefeater is the way to go. This gin has balanced flavors of juniper, coriander, and citrus — basically everything you should expect in a London dry. Its classical flavors will work extremely well in a gin and tonic and are the perfect choice if you’re looking for a spirit that doesn’t have a lot of calories.
A 25ml shot of Beefeater London Dry Gin only has 67 calories.
6. Botanist Gin
ABV: 46%
Calories: 56 per 25ml
Botanist Gin uses 31 different botanicals in its flavoring process, 22 of which are hand-foraged from the Isle of Islay and the other nine core gin botanicals. This gin has complex layers — from woodruff, chamomile, and warm juniper, laced with vanilla cream and licorice hints.
Despite its use of a handful of botanicals, Botanist Gin remains easy on the calories at just 56 per 25ml. We think its layers of flavors make it perfect for sipping, even though most people prefer drinking gin in shots.
5. Bulldog Gin
ABV: 40%
Calories: 52 per 25ml
Bulldog Gin has a fairly mild flavor, which means it’ll likely stay a neutral alcohol base in cocktail drinks. Their botanicals come from many different parts of the world: longan, from Southeast Asia; lotus leaves from China; and poppy seeds. This gin is mostly floral, with a slight touch of citrus.
Bulldog Gin will work great with many cocktails, and a 25ml shot only has 52 calories.
4. Hendrick’s Gin
ABV: 41.4%
Calories: 54 per 25ml
When we first took a sip of Hendrick’s Gin, we winced — it had some serious juniper-backed astringency. It can be a bit overwhelming, especially for gin beginners.
Hendrick’s Gin was launched in 1999 before gin took the world by storm. It set the bar for most contemporary brands available today, from production to flavors. The spirit itself has unique floral notes, with sweet orange, lime zest, and the signature juniper berries.
This gin is also easy on the calories at just 54 per 25ml shot.
3. Tanqueray London Dry Gin
ABV: 47.3%
Calories: 67 per 25ml
If you’re looking for a gin that celebrates juniper berries through and through, Tanqueray London Dry Gin is the way to go. It is still made with the four iconic botanicals that the founder Charles Tanqueray had chosen: juniper, coriander, angelica root, and licorice. The four botanicals have a perfectly balanced flavor, making this brand one of the best for gin cocktails.
There are only 67 calories per 25ml shot of Tanqueray London Dry, so that’s a great win.
2. Gordon’s Special Dry Gin
ABV: 37.5%
Calories: 52 per 25ml
Gordon’s Special Dry Gin has one of the lower ABVs at just 37.5 percent, instead of the quintessential 40. This spirit is earthier than most other brands, with a nice balance of juniper berry and coriander. Other tasting notes include licorice and lemon citrus.
Gordon’s Special Dry is also one of the brands with the least calories; each 25ml serving only has 52 calories.
1. Monkey 47 Sloe Gin
ABV: 29%
Calories: 64 per 25ml
You’ll probably wonder how Monkey 47 is gin when it’s clearly not clear (pun intended). The spirit’s pinkish hue comes from the sloe berries from the Black Forest in Germany used in the production process. The 47 in the brand name comes from the 47 other botanicals used in the flavoring process.
The sweet Monkey 47 Sloe Gin is perfect as a base for tangy cocktails. Each 25ml serving only has 64 calories.
How To Figure Out Calories In Gin
If you’ve encountered a brand that’s not on this list but would like to know how many calories it has, you want to check the ABV, or alcohol by volume, to figure out how many calories it has.
For distilled spirits like gin, whiskey, vodka, or brandy, the general rule of thumb is the higher the ABV, the more calories it likely has.
The energy per gram of ethanol (the type of alcohol present in spirits) is about seven calories. You can assume that the standard bottle of gin will have 60 to 70 calories per 1.5-ounce serving.
Is There A Healthy Gin?
Actually, if we were faithful to gin’s origins, this spirit was created as a medicinal liquid called genever to cure chest ailments. So yes, gin is considered one of the healthiest spirits. [1]
Gin has plenty of health benefits. It can boost your immune system and fight off common colds. Apart from that, the antioxidants in juniper berries (the main ingredient in gin) keep you looking young, assist in better blood circulation, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders.
Of course, this isn’t a free pass to drink gin until you pass out. These health benefits can only be yours if you follow the suggested daily serving (1.5 ounces).
Read:
Is There A Low-Calorie Gin Alternative?
Low-Calorie Cocktail
Since we’re talking about gin, there are plenty of low-calorie cocktails that showcase the flavors of this spirit.
The most popular low-calorie cocktail featuring gin is the Skinny Gin and Tonic, containing only 55 calories.
Here’s how you can make one:
- Fill a glass with fresh ice and add a few slices of cucumber.
- Pour 1.5 oz gin, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tsp rosewater into the glass.
- Top everything off with chilled tonic water and stir. Enjoy (without the guilt).
Low-Calorie Botanical Blend
There are plenty of “gin” alternatives with very few calories per serving. We especially love low-calorie botanical blends because most of them have an impressive nine calories per 25ml serving. These gin alternatives mostly have an ABV of only six percent.
Mary, a low-ABV botanical blend has a fresh flavor, with light citrus and freshly cut herbs, with a long, drying finish. It is made from sourced garden herbs like basil, thyme, sage, coriander seed, angelica root, juniper, and pine needles.
FAQs
What is the healthiest brand of gin?
Gin is not necessarily healthy (as it is still alcohol), but it can be a healthier alternative than most other liquors. You can choose from any of the brands we’ve mentioned above as we consider them “healthy” gin brands.
Is gin okay for weight loss?
Studies have shown that gin helps with weight loss, provided that it is drunk moderately. It is proven that gin boosts your metabolism for one hour after it is drunk, thanks to the antioxidants present in the spirit. Gin can also improve your digestion and prevent bloatedness.
Is gin the healthiest alcohol?
Gin is one of the healthiest alcohols, with humble origins as a medicinal liquid to cure chest ailments. Of course, modern gin isn’t primarily used as medicine, and it’s best consumed moderately. But what does gin taste like?
Conclusion
Gin is one of the healthier spirits out there with very few calories.
The next time you’re out at a party, opt for gin instead of light beer or wine… your body will thank you for it.
Of course, this is only if you’re not mixing your gin with sugary additives, like sodas or fruit juices. These are packed with calories and will make for a high-calorie drink.
It’s best to consume gin in small shots, so you don’t partake in the unnecessary mixers. And always remember to consume all liquors in moderation.
Reference:
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/gin-liquor
Informative 👍