If you’re a gin drinker, you know brands like Beefeater, Tanqueray, and Bombay Sapphire – but, what about 100&NOMORE or Four Pillars? These brands likely won’t be sitting together on grocery store shelves but will likely be found together in only one place: the largest gin collection in the world.
This collection boasted over 5,500 gins (as of 2022) and it continues to grow, with bottles sourced from more than 60 countries. It’s not the work of a museum but of a British couple by the names of Mr. and Mrs. Roberts. They originally set the goal of sourcing 100 unique and rare bottles in 2008, starting with a limited production of Tanqueray Malacca Gin. Brands, distilleries, friends, and other collectors have donated unique gins to the project, which is now called the Gin Archive. The couple also has a budget for adding to the collection each year and makes trips abroad specifically for gin hunting.
Now, the world’s largest collection of gin sits within their home in England. Rooms display the bottles divided by country of origin or style –- such as barrel-aged –- and other rooms contain an impressive assortment of memorabilia and glassware for gin cocktails or sipping straight. Know that the collection is private and only viewable by invite only. If you’re curious, the Roberts launched an online directory that lists thousands of gins, and their Instagram, @theginarchive, features an inside look at the collection.
What can you find in the largest gin collection?
Best known for its starring role in the gin & tonic cocktail, gin has a bright, pine-like flavor that comes from juniper berries, and a mix of other botanicals is often added during distillation. Juniper berries are the only must-have, but there aren’t other rules as to what botanicals can or can’t be added to gin, making each brand unique. You’ll find gin in the Gin Archive that contains rare plants, such as Hendrick’s Kanaracuni, which is infused with the Amazonian scorpion tail plant.
Gin is best known for being produced in the U.K., the U.S., and Spain, but the Roberts have also sourced bottles from Japan, southern Africa, and other less-traditional locales. You’ll also find some of the most expensive and oldest gins in the world in the collection, like a 1495 bottle from the French distiller Maison Villevert or Cambridge Distillery Watenshi Gin, which has a $3,700 price tag. Some of the world’s strongest gins, ranging from 75–95% ABV, also have shelf space in the Gin Archive.
If you want to experience an impressive gin collection and don’t have an invite from the Roberts, check out Atlas Bar in Singapore. It’s open to the public and is host to over 1,300 gins from around the world. The atmosphere is impressive, too — an Art Deco theme creates an ambiance of the roaring ’20s, and the 26-foot-high gin tower is a must-see landmark for gin lovers.