Sure, spirit snobs can point out the tiny differences that distinguish the British-made big dogs of gin—Gordon's, Bombay, et al.—but your average martini drinker? He tastes juniper. For as long as there's been gin, that herbal, evergreen flavor has been the whole point.

Or it was. Now America's upstart distillers are in the gin game and doing something revolutionary: pushing the juniper into the backseat. Trendsetter credit goes to California's St. George Spirits, godfather of West Coast craft distilling. Its Dry Rye Gin, born from the same peppery grain that's behind rye whiskey (and bread), ushered in this whole wave of Stateside gin-novation.

One state north, Portland's House Spirits built a loyal following for its Aviation Gin, a light, cocktail-perfect reason to care what the bartender puts into your Collins. Green Hat, in D.C., arrived in 2012 with a similar aim: a citrusy spirit that anchors the most refreshing G&T you'll drink all summer.

And up in New York, Brooklyn Gin distills its clear stuff with all the reverence of a single-malt scotch. The result is an 80-proof argument for drinking gin neat—something you'd never do with a tongue-melting London dry—and yet another example of Americans outdoing the Brits at their own game.