There are bottles that earn their place through heritage alone, and then there are those that take a legacy and push it somewhere genuinely interesting. Tanqueray No. Ten falls squarely into the second camp. Built on the bones of one of the most recognised London Dry recipes in the world, No. Ten strips back the armour and lets fresh citrus do the talking — and it does so at a confident 47.3% ABV that gives the botanicals real authority in the glass.
A Modern Classic from a Historic House
Distilled by Charles Tanqueray & Co, now under the Diageo umbrella, No. Ten takes its name from the tiny No. Ten still at the Cameronbridge distillery. What sets it apart from the standard green bottle is the use of whole, fresh citrus fruits — grapefruit, orange, and lime — rather than dried peels. That distinction matters. It pulls the gin away from the austere, juniper-forward profile of a traditional London Dry and into something brighter, more aromatic, more immediately appealing.
The botanical bill reads like a well-balanced cocktail in itself. Juniper is present as the backbone — this is still a London Dry, after all — but it shares the stage with coriander seed, angelica root, and liquorice, all of which add depth and a subtle earthiness. The real star turn, though, comes from that trio of fresh citrus backed by chamomile, a botanical I always appreciate for the gentle, honeyed softness it lends. It reminds me of the yuzu and chamomile tisanes I used to drink in Tokyo — that same delicate floral quality that rounds off sharper edges without dulling them.
Who Is This For?
If you find classic London Dry gins a touch too austere or piney, No. Ten is a superb gateway. It retains the structural integrity and clean distillation character that the style demands, but the fresh fruit gives it a lift that feels contemporary. At the same time, serious gin drinkers will find enough complexity here to reward slow sipping. The interplay between the citrus brightness and the quieter herbal and root notes is genuinely well-judged. At around £33, it sits in the sweet spot between everyday pour and considered purchase — good enough to justify reaching past the standard bottle, accessible enough to use freely.
I would rate Tanqueray No. Ten an 8 out of 10. It does not attempt to reinvent London Dry, and it does not need to. What it does is take a proven template and add just enough personality to stand apart. That restraint is harder than it sounds, and Tanqueray nails it.
Best Served
Try this in a Highball with premium tonic, a wheel of pink grapefruit, and a sprig of fresh shiso leaf — the herb's peppery anise quality plays beautifully against the chamomile and citrus. For something more ambitious, it makes a stunning White Negroni, where the fresh grapefruit notes amplify the Suze and dry vermouth into something electric.
