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Orson Welles was famous for many things. One of them was not a habit of turning down a bracing beverage. Mostly he was deep into the Scotch, I gather, but the late film icon apparently was also instrumental in drawing light in America to the third-best gin cocktail of all time. That would be the negroni, an inspired, rusty-red mix of equal parts gin, Campari liqueur and dark vermouth, a drink now enjoying a well-deserved comeback at bars tended by young men with waxed mustaches and undersized fedoras.

"The bitters are excellent for your liver," Welles proclaimed for the record in Rome while working on the 1949 feature Black Magic (a.k.a. Cagliostro). "The gin is bad for you. They balance each other."

I'm a collector of famous quips about booze but this one was new to me. I came across it in a superb new coffee-table book called Celebrity Cocktails by Brian Van Flandern, a New York-based mixologist who, among other things, worked at Thomas Keller's famous Per Se restaurant and Bemelmans Bar in the Carlyle Hotel. (If your dad is, like me, fascinated with old Hollywood and under the delusion that he would have hit it off with the likes of Ava Gardner and Humphrey Bogart, get it for Father's Day.)

As temperatures rise and gin season gets under way, Welles's line might serve as a reminder, for those who needed one, that tonic is not gin's only raison d'être. Though nice, the G & T ranks No. 4 on the gin-cocktail list in my book. Besides the negroni, you might want to consider No. 2, the white lady, which Van Flandern noted to my glee was an Alfred Hitchcock favourite whenever the director docked his gondola at Harry's Bar in Venice: 1 ½ ounces gin, ¾ ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 ounce Cointreau and one egg white shaken over ice. (I prefer more affordable Triple Sec to Cointreau and you can skip the egg white if you're vegan.)

I probably need not point out that No. 1 is the simple dry martini. And if you hold the vermouth and olive or citrus garnish, you've got Ava Gardner's preferred tonic: gin straight-up. So, maybe I'm not deluding myself about Ava and yours truly after all. We've got the most important thing in common.

Herewith some gins, new and old, for straight-up drinking or for mixing – even if that mixing happens to involve tonic water.

Whitley Neill Handcrafted Dry Gin Small Batch, England

SCORE: 95 PRICE: $44.35

Silky as a royal wedding dress yet as dry as a rare sunny day in London, this is a complex spirit that Whitley Neill describes as "inspired by Africa." That's a reference to the unusual inclusion of grapefruit-like baobab fruit and Cape gooseberries in the botanical mix, which may be partly responsible for the zesty flavour and plump mouth feel. There's heady juniper in the foreground for those who love classic gin, as well as lively spice for perfect balance. Sublime on its own, on the rocks.

No. 3 London Dry Gin, Netherlands

SCORE: 95 PRICE: $49.95

From storied London-based wine and spirits merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd, this relatively new creation is simply marvellous. Fresh, breezy and elegant, it delivers a strong punch of juniper along with notes of citrus, coriander and cardamom. I once scored it 94 but I'm loving it more and more as I compare it to the growing gin category. Try it in a martini and go easy on the vermouth; $47.79 in B.C., various prices in Alberta, $49.75 in Quebec, $49.95 in Nova Scotia, $55.48 in Newfoundland.

Death's Door Gin, United States

SCORE: 93 PRICE: $37.85

Not that death's door. The reference here is to a reputedly treacherous passage in Lake Michigan between Washington Island, Wisconsin, and the northern tip of Door County on the mainland. Death's Door Spirits, headquartered near the city of Madison, Wis., grows its hard red winter wheat on the tiny island. Unlike with most gins, the earthy grain quality seems to come through in this brilliantly crafted spirit. And while some gins get their aromatic flavour from as many as 10 or more botanicals, including orris root and citrus, this one relies on just three locally grown crops: wild juniper berries, coriander and fennel. Sometimes less is more. It's dry, delectably chewy and peppery, perfect for a martini. Available in Ontario.

Hendrick's Gin, Scotland

SCORE: 93 PRICE: $49.95

Hendrick's almost single-handedly altered the modern gin landscape with its untraditional profile. The up-front notes of rose petal and cucumber, along with its soft, creamy texture, are like a trip to the spa. Then the more classic pine-like essence kicks in as though there were juniper bushes next to the outdoor spa pool. Although perfect for a G & T, it makes a deliciously fragrant, if untraditional, martini; $47.99 in Manitoba, $48.99 in Nova Scotia, $45.45 in Newfoundland.

Plymouth Gin, England

SCORE: 92 PRICE: $44.95

Made in Plymouth rather than London but still dry enough to be a classic for martinis, this is silkier and slightly heavier in texture than most bone-dry gins, with a big juniper-forward flavour and excellent balance between the other aromatic botanicals, trailing off into a spicy finish.

Broker's Premium London Dry Gin, England

SCORE: 91 PRICE: $27.95

The biggest bargain in the gin firmament, Broker's comes distinctively packaged with a black bowler hat on its screwcap, as though the bottle were imitating a natty London stockbroker. Fresh citrus gets the show started, followed by subtly tailored juniper and suggestions of licorice and coriander. A well-rounded gin worthy of any application. On sale for $25.95 in Ontario until June 21, $26.29 in B.C., various prices in Alberta, $28.12 in Manitoba, $25.80 in Quebec.

The London No. 1, England

SCORE: 91 PRICE: $45.45

Something's different here and you can tell before popping the cork. The liquid is a pretty turquoise blue, which might remind you of your dad's (or granddad's) Aqua Velva. Produced in London by Gonzalez Byass, the prominent sherry firm behind Tio Pepe, it met with success in gin-crazy Spain before an international launch. Very dry, it's decidedly floral yet robust, with a spicy grip owing in part, no doubt, to the bracing 47-per-cent alcohol. Black pepper, citrus and celery-like notes support the pine-like juniper and a whisper of Earl Grey tea to give it a fresh yet firm character. A serious base for G & T; $44.99 in Manitoba, $48 in Quebec.

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