That profile, Reiner felt, wouldn’t work with just any gin. “Eau-de-vie is nuanced and subtle. It’s going to get overwhelmed if you hit it with a big London dry gin, an aged spirit ...

His favorite, Cadenhead’s Old Raj Gin Blue Label, is more punchy and traditional. At home, he recommends Tanqueray for a dry martini, or Boodles London Dry for a dirty martini—and says both ...