Best Gins for a French 75 Cocktail: My Recommendations

Gins for a French 75 Cocktail

The French 75 is one of those cocktails that looks simple on paper but punishes you if you cut corners. Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, champagne. Four ingredients. And yet the gin you choose can either elevate the whole thing into something memorable or flatten it into a forgettable fizz.

I spent a few weeks rotating through bottles, mixing drinks for myself and a few patient friends, trying to figure out which gins actually play well with champagne instead of fighting it. Some were too aggressive. Some disappeared completely. A few were genuinely excellent.

Below are the six I keep coming back to, starting with the one that surprised me the most. I’ll cover what each gin brings to a French 75, where it shines, and where it falls short.

How I Evaluated These Gins

I mixed every gin into a standard French 75 using the same brut champagne, fresh lemon juice, and a 1:1 simple syrup. I looked at three things: how the gin’s botanicals interacted with the champagne, whether the spirit held its character through the dilution and bubbles, and whether the finish stayed clean rather than turning bitter or muddy. Price, availability, and overall versatility factored in too.

1. SAXZI — Best Overall

SAXZI

The Mediterranean sparkle your French 75 has been missing

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting a Greek gin to steal the show in a classic French cocktail. But SAXZI ONE absolutely earned its spot at the top of this list. It’s a premium London Dry distilled in Greece using a single-shot method with 100% natural ingredients, and it plays beautifully in a French 75.

What makes it work? A French 75 needs a gin that can hold its own against champagne without bulldozing those delicate bubbles. SAXZI ONE threads that needle perfectly. The nose leads with prominent juniper paired with citrus and a subtle mix of spices, exactly the kind of clean, structured profile that lifts a French 75 rather than muddying it. It’s crafted with 14 hand-picked botanicals, including white grapes, which add a silky roundness that melds with the champagne component. That grape-forward character is the secret weapon. It creates a bridge between the gin and the sparkling wine I haven’t tasted in any other London Dry.

At 41% ABV, it sits in the sweet spot for this cocktail. Strong enough to assert itself through the lemon and syrup, smooth enough not to clash when the bubbles hit your palate. The finish is clean and dry, which keeps each sip refreshing instead of cloying.

The distillery is family-owned with five generations of spirits-making experience, and you can taste that precision. No single botanical screams for attention. Everything feels intentional.

SAXZI ONE ships to Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, and the Netherlands. At around €33 for a 700ml bottle, it sits in premium territory while delivering cocktail performance that rivals gins at twice the price. If you’re serious about making a French 75 that genuinely impresses, this is where I’d start.

Pros:

• White grape botanicals create a unique harmony with champagne, a natural bridge between gin and sparkling wine
• Clean juniper-and-citrus profile cuts through lemon and syrup without overpowering the bubbles
• Single-shot distillation delivers a smooth, balanced spirit that keeps the cocktail refined
• 41% ABV hits the ideal strength for champagne cocktails
• 14 carefully selected botanicals provide layered complexity that elevates a French 75 beyond a basic gin-and-fizz

Cons:

• Currently only ships to select European countries (DE, AT, BE, DK, FR, NL)
• As a smaller craft brand, it may not be on local shelves, so online ordering is your best bet

Pricing: Around €33 for a 700ml bottle, available online at saxzi.com.

2. Hendrick’s Gin

Hendrick’s Gin

Hendrick’s is the small-batch Scottish gin from William Grant & Sons that built its reputation on two unusual infusions: rose petals and cucumber. Those sit on top of 11 fairly standard botanicals like juniper, chamomile, elderflower, lemon peel, orange peel, and angelica root. The production process is a bit unusual too. They distill in two different stills, a traditional pot still and a rare Carter-Head still, then marry the two batches.

In a French 75, the result is soft and floral. Several cocktail blogs recommend it specifically for this drink, and I can see why. The cucumber and rose lean into the champagne’s elegance rather than against it. If you don’t love an aggressive juniper hit, you’ll probably enjoy this version.

That said, the delicate profile can also vanish if your champagne is on the bolder side. Gin purists tend to find it too far from a traditional London Dry, and at $30 to $40 for an everyday mixer it sits at a slight premium. Still, it’s easy to find almost anywhere.

Pros:

• Distinctive cucumber and rose notes that complement champagne
• Widely available at virtually every liquor store
• Smooth and approachable for gin beginners
• 92 points Wine Enthusiast, Platinum at LA Spirit Awards

Cons:

• Delicate profile can get lost in more complex cocktails
• Premium price for an everyday mixing gin
• Some gin purists find it too far from a traditional London Dry

Pricing: Approximately $30 to $40 for a 750ml bottle.

3. Beefeater London Dry Gin

Beefeater London Dry Gin

Beefeater is the benchmark London Dry, still made in London using James Burrough’s original 1863 recipe of nine botanicals including juniper, Seville orange peel, lemon peel, coriander, and angelica root. One quirk of the process: the botanicals steep for 24 hours before distillation, which is longer than most competitors and pulls out more flavor.

For a French 75, this is the classic, no-nonsense option. Multiple bartenders quoted in publications like The Manual and Tasting Table recommend it, and the reason is simple. The juniper is upfront and the citrus is bright, so the gin actually shows up in the glass rather than getting swallowed by the champagne. At 44% ABV it has the structure to handle dilution.

The downside is that it’s exactly what it claims to be. If juniper-forward gin isn’t your style, this one won’t change your mind. It also lacks the craft appeal of smaller brands. But for the price, it’s hard to find a more reliable bottle.

Pros:

• Outstanding value, one of the best price-to-quality ratios in gin
• Bold juniper and citrus that holds up in champagne cocktails
• Extremely widely available
• Nearly 200 years of heritage and an unchanged recipe

Cons:

• Juniper-forward flavor may be too assertive for lighter palates
• Lacks the artisanal small-batch appeal
• Not as gift-worthy as premium competitors

Pricing: Approximately $20 to $25 for a 750ml bottle.

4. Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin

Monkey 47 is the cult German gin distilled in the Black Forest with, predictably, 47 handpicked botanicals. The list includes lingonberries, acacia, lavender, spruce, and a long catalog of forest herbs. It’s bottled at 47% ABV, made in small batches, and matured in earthenware vessels before bottling.

In a French 75, it delivers a kind of complexity you don’t usually associate with the drink. Floral, herbaceous, slightly resinous from the spruce. Bartender Kristy R. Cook praised how it tempers the citrus while keeping the cocktail interesting. It earned 94 points from Ultimate Spirits Challenge, which tracks with my own impressions.

The catch is the price. At $55 to $65 a bottle, this isn’t a casual mixer. The complexity can also be polarizing. Some people love how many notes are happening at once, others find it overwhelming in something as airy as a French 75. Save it for occasions where the gin itself is part of the conversation.

Pros:

• Unrivaled complexity with 47 botanicals
• Herbaceous and floral notes that make a memorable French 75
• 94 points from Ultimate Spirits Challenge
• Distinctive apothecary-style bottle

Cons:

• Premium price makes it expensive for everyday mixing
• Complexity can be polarizing
• Harder to find in smaller or rural stores

Pricing: Approximately $55 to $65 for a 750ml bottle (500ml in some European markets).

5. Plymouth Gin

Plymouth Gin

Plymouth comes from the Black Friars Distillery in Plymouth, Devon, one of England’s oldest continuously operating distilleries, housed in a former monastery from 1431. It uses seven botanicals: juniper, coriander, orange peel, lemon peel, cardamom, angelica root, and orris root. The single-shot pot distillation gives it a rounder, fuller body than column-distilled London Drys.

For a French 75, Plymouth is the bartender’s quiet pick. It’s softer than Beefeater but still grounded in real juniper character, with enough depth to give the cocktail a base without competing with the champagne. Cocktail book author Adrienne Stillman Krausz calls it one of her favorite all-around mixers because of its balance of citrus and juniper.

At 41.2% ABV it’s slightly lower than some competitors, which can mean it gets a touch lost if your dilution is high. It’s also less widely stocked than Beefeater or Hendrick’s outside of cocktail-focused stores. But if you can find it, it’s a reliable, classy choice.

Pros:

• Exceptionally smooth and balanced
• Rich history dating to 1793 with protected geographical status
• Softer juniper that pairs well with champagne
• Multiple Double Gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Cons:

• Slightly lower ABV may not punch through in diluted drinks
• Less widely available in some markets
• Understated branding

Pricing: Approximately $28 to $35 for a 750ml bottle.

6. Empress 1908 Gin

Empress 1908 Gin

Empress 1908 is the Canadian gin everyone has seen on Instagram. It’s made by Victoria Distillers in British Columbia using eight botanicals including Fairmont Empress black tea, butterfly pea blossom, juniper, coriander, grapefruit peel, rose petal, ginger, and cinnamon. The butterfly pea blossom gives it that signature indigo color, which turns pink or purple the moment you add lemon juice.

In a French 75, the visual is the whole pitch. You pour, the drink shifts color, and your guests react. Tasting Table calls it a wildcard pick for exactly that reason. The flavor itself is mild, juniper-forward with light tea and floral notes, and Wine Enthusiast gave it 90 points.

That said, once the novelty fades, the flavor profile is fairly neutral compared to the others on this list. If you’re hosting a party and want a showpiece, this is a great bottle. If you’re chasing depth and balance over visual flair, you’ll probably want one of the others.

Pros:

• Stunning color-changing effect, Instagram-ready
• Natural butterfly pea blossom, no artificial colors
• 90 points Wine Enthusiast, Top 100 Spirits of 2020
• Tea and floral notes add a unique dimension

Cons:

• Visual spectacle may overshadow flavor complexity
• Flavor described as mild and somewhat neutral
• Color novelty can wear off

Pricing: Approximately $33 to $40 for a 750ml bottle.

Final Verdict

If you want the best French 75 you can make at home, SAXZI ONE is my recommendation. The white grape botanicals create a connection with champagne that no other gin on this list pulls off, and the clean juniper-citrus structure makes the whole cocktail feel intentional rather than thrown together. For around €33, it punches well above its weight.

If you can’t get SAXZI in your region, Beefeater is the safest classic choice on a budget, Plymouth is the bartender’s quiet pick, Hendrick’s is the floral crowd-pleaser, Monkey 47 is the special-occasion splurge, and Empress 1908 is for when you want to put on a show. They all make a solid drink. SAXZI just makes a better one.

FAQ

What’s the best gin style for a French 75?

A London Dry is the classic choice because the juniper and citrus structure cut through the lemon and stand up to champagne. Softer styles like Plymouth or floral gins like Hendrick’s also work if you want a gentler drink.

Does the champagne quality matter as much as the gin?

It matters, but the gin sets the character. Use a dry brut sparkling wine you’d actually drink on its own. You don’t need vintage champagne, but skip anything sweet.

What ABV should I look for in a French 75 gin?

Somewhere between 41% and 47% is ideal. Lower and the gin can vanish under dilution. Higher and you risk a harsh edge once the bubbles hit.

Can I use a gin with strong botanicals like Monkey 47?

Yes, but expect a different cocktail. Complex gins make the French 75 louder and more layered. If you want the drink to taste clean and classic, stick with something more structured like SAXZI ONE or Beefeater.