Gin kits start with vodka because gin's flavour comes from juniper and botanicals, not from the spirit underneath them. Vodka is a neutral blank canvas, which is precisely what an infusion needs: nothing of its own to argue with the juniper, and nothing to hide behind. Starting with a bought spirit is also what keeps the whole exercise legal, since you are flavouring alcohol rather than producing any. This guide covers which vodka to buy, whether spending more helps, what bottle size to get, and why the answer to "can I just use gin instead" is usually no.
Why vodka and not gin?
Because a gin already has somebody else's recipe in it. Pour your botanicals into a finished gin and you are layering a blend on top of a blend, and the two rarely flatter each other. The juniper doubles up, the citrus goes muddy, and you cannot tell which decisions were yours.
Vodka gives you a clean start. Add juniper, coriander, citrus peel, allspice and lemongrass to a neutral spirit and what comes out is your gin, tasting of the things you put in it. That is what the Gin Making Kit is built around, with the blend leaning on bright citrus and fragrant spice to echo a premium London style gin, and juniper providing the classic backbone.
The exception is the colour changing kit, which works the other way round and asks for a plain, uncoloured gin as its base, because there the job is colour rather than building a gin from scratch.
Does the vodka need to be expensive?
No, and this is the single most useful thing to know before you shop. The subtle character that distinguishes a premium vodka is exactly what gets buried under juniper and botanicals, so there is no benefit to spending more. A supermarket own brand bottle works perfectly well, and a mainstream unflavoured vodka is a safe choice.
There is one edge to avoid. The very cheapest bottles on the shelf can carry a harsh note that the botanicals will not cover, and that harshness follows the gin all the way into the glass. Somewhere in the ordinary middle of the range is the sweet spot: unremarkable, clean, and inexpensive.
Should the vodka be unflavoured?
We recommend unflavoured, because the botanicals already carry all the flavour the recipe wants. Add a flavoured vodka and you are running two recipes at once, with no way to predict where they land.
That said, experimenting is half the fun, and a citrus vodka can come out rather nicely with a citrus forward blend. Treat it as a second batch rather than a first one, so you know what the kit tastes like straight before you start bending it. The same applies to your own additions: use whole ingredients rather than powders, which are very hard to filter out, and go easy with anything dried, no more than about a teaspoon, so it does not overwhelm the blend.
Does the bottle size matter?
Each batch is written around a 700ml bottle, which is the standard size on most shelves. If you come home with a 500ml bottle instead, use it. Add the full sachets of juniper and botanicals as normal and taste as you go with the pipette, straining everything out as soon as the gin tastes right, which will simply happen a little sooner in a smaller volume.
You will want one bottle of vodka per batch, but there is no need to buy them all at once. The botanicals keep in their grip seal bags somewhere cool and dry, so you can spread the batches over months and make one whenever you feel like it.
Where should the infusion actually happen?
A large jar or any wide mouthed container is easier than the vodka bottle itself. You can infuse straight in the bottle, and plenty of people do, but fishing the botanicals back out through the neck is a faff and filtering is fiddly. Use a jar, then decant into a clean bottle at the end.
Keep it at room temperature and out of direct sunlight, with the lid on to keep dust out. There is no need for a pitch black cupboard. When the flavour is where you want it, pour the gin through a sieve or filter bag into a jug, let it drip, and give it only a gentle press: squeezing hard pushes sediment through and clouds the gin.
What does starting with vodka mean legally?
It means you are not producing alcohol, which is the whole point. The vodka was made, declared and taxed by a distillery before you bought it, and steeping botanicals in it adds flavour without adding a drop of alcohol. Infusing does not change the strength either, so a 37.5% vodka gives you a 37.5% gin.
Distilling is the regulated activity. Since 1 February 2025, producing alcoholic products, including spirits, requires HMRC's Alcoholic Products Producer Approval, and producing without the appropriate approval is an offence, according to GOV.UK. Selling what you make is separate again and needs a licence from your local council under the Licensing Act 2003. Making a bottle for yourself needs neither. Gin kits are for adults aged 18 and over.
Choosing vodka for gin making FAQs
What vodka should I buy for a gin kit?
An inexpensive unflavoured vodka, in a 700ml bottle. Supermarket own brand is fine, and a mainstream unflavoured vodka works well. Avoid the very cheapest bottles, whose harsh edge is hard to cover.
Can I use gin instead of vodka in a gin kit?
For a standard gin kit, no, because you would be adding a blend on top of an existing one. A colour changing kit is the exception and asks for a plain, uncoloured gin as its base.
How much vodka does one batch need?
A 700ml bottle per batch. A 500ml bottle also works if that is what you have, and it will simply reach the flavour you want a little sooner.
Does the vodka change the strength of the finished gin?
The vodka sets it. Infusing does not dilute the spirit, so whatever percentage is printed on your vodka label is the strength of your gin.
Can I use flavoured vodka?
Unflavoured is the recommendation, since the kit already carries all the flavour the recipe needs. A citrus vodka can work nicely as a second batch once you know the blend.
Ready to pick up a bottle and get steeping? Browse our gin making kits.
