Coriander plays a central role in the gin world, and is the second most used botanical after juniper. It is actually quite rare to find a gin that doesn’t have coriander see. That said, its tone is usually nuanced. The plant has a complex flavour once distilled, all at once citrusy, nutty and a little spicy.
Typically, in a gin, the flavour of coriander seed is more discernable towards the end of the flavour journey. If a gin has citrus, these elements will come off upfront while the citrusy nature of coriander seed will present itself thereafter –towards the heart / end of a gin.
Beyond the spirit and the juniper berries, you can feel free to experiment with whatever botanicals you like. Some of the most commonly used gin botanicals (after juniper) are coriander seed, angelica root, citrus peel and cassia bark or cinnamon – but feel free to raid the spice cabinet and herb garden. You could try bay leaves, rosemary, liquorice powder, lavender, cardamom, cumin, fennel seeds, lemongrass…pretty much anything you fancy!
Check out this link for some info on ratios and some recipe ideas.
https://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/guides/gin-recipes-using-botanicals/
Current BBE date 12/10/2025
