Tanqueray vs Beefeater Gin - The Difference

Tanqueray and Beefeater are respected traditional Gin brands. And both of them, Beefeater and Tanqueray, are among the top-selling Gin brands in the world.

While Beefeater ranks at a respectable 4th place, Tanqueray Gin managed to secure the 3rd place. The only Gin brands ranking them out are Bombay and Gordon's.

Beefeater and Tanqueray both are popular options in mixology. Therefore, let's take a closer look at these two.

Let's find out their differences and the strengths and weaknesses of each product. And let's see which one you should choose for which purpose when stocking up your home bar.

Tanqueray vs. Beefeater - The Comparison Chart

Let's start by looking at some hard facts.

Having that clear, let's see where the other similarities and differences are.

London Dry Gin

As mentioned, Tanqueray and Beefeater are London Dry Gins. 

London Dry is practically the most traditional type of Gin you can get. -Btw., if you're a bit confused regarding all those terms coming up, I wrote an article explaining the different types of Gin.

But back to the London Dry: among the different types of Gin, it is the one with the strictest rules. Although contrary to what the name suggests, none of these rules is that it has to be from London.

London Dry Gins have to fulfill these regulations: 

• Contain at least 37,5% alcohol
• Only use natural botanicals (all added at the same time)
• Water is the only allowed addition
• Strictly no additional sugar or flavoring afterward

Plus - but that's not officially required- when sipping London Dry Gins and comparing them to others, you will often notice more prominent notes of juniper.

So now that the basics are covered, let's look at the defining characteristics of Beefeater and Tanqueray.

Beefeater Gin

Tasting Beefeater Gin, you'll be surprised by notes of candied lemon peel, berries, rosemary, cardamom, vanilla, and hints of cloves. Overall it has a fruity, almost sweet finish, which, in fact, is unusual for a London Dry Gin.

Beefeater is a Gin you can use for various purposes. You can drink it neat and it works in a classic juniper forward Gin and Tonic, but it is an even better choice for mixing cocktails.

In my opinion, the flavor of Beefeater often get a little lost when mixing it, which is fine in Gin cocktails but not ideal in a G&T.

Tasting notes

Nose: Overall, the nose is quite subtle but very fruity with notes of lemon zest, fresh apple, juniper, and hints of vanilla.

Palate: Dominated by candied lemon and sweet juniper. Subtle notes of vanilla, coriander, and hints of cloves.

Finish: Quite subtle but long and fruity finish. It is somewhat on the sweet side.

Production Process & Ingredients

Beefeater Gin uses a single distillation process.

Before that, the botanicals infuse in a 24-hour steeping process. The steeping allows extracting the maximum amount of flavor of the nine botanicals.

According to Beefeater, the following botanicals are in the Gin:

• Juniper
• Angelica root
• Angelica seeds
• Coriander seeds
• Licorice
• Almonds
• Orris root
• Seville oranges
• Lemon peel

Tanqueray Gin

Tanqueray is quite famous for its distinct taste of juniper. 

The piney juniper-forward taste is indeed the most outstanding characteristic of the Gin. There are hints of citrus as well as angelica and licorice.

It is a classic Gin that works exceptionally well in a Gin and Tonic. For me, it's one of the best choices if you're looking for an affordable Gin to create some G&Ts. 

However, the dominant and intense taste of Tanqueray can sometimes be overpowering for some cocktail recipes.

Tasting notes

Nose: Piney juniper notes, intriguing hints of lemon zest, and angelica.

Palate: Strong notes of juniper are complemented by angelica root and coriander seed.

Finish: The finish is quite long, dry, and warm.

Production Process & Ingredients

Tanqueray Gin uses a double distillation process.

The botanicals are added in the second distillation step. One of the reasons for its distinct juniper taste is that it uses only four different botanicals.

Those botanicals are: 

• Juniper
• Angelica root
• Licorice
• Coriander

Conclusion

Doubtlessly, Tanqueray and Beefeater are two quality Gins. Both are versatile and have slight advantages in different fields.

If you're looking for a Gin to make some Gin and Tonic, I would recommend Tanqueray.

If you're looking for a Gin to create cocktails, Beefeater should be your first choice.

Either way, with both, you're getting a quality spirit for little money.

More Gin comparisons

Tanqueray and Beefeater are not the only two gins that are often discussed. Here are some more comparisons of popular gin brands, showing how they compare against each other.

• Tanqueray vs Bombay Sapphire
• Monkey 47 vs Hendrick's vs Bombay Sapphire