cream of the valley
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
gin
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
gin; as opposed to or distinguished from "mountain dew," whisky.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “cream of the valley” mean?
gin
Is “cream of the valley” formal or informal?
cream of the valley is generally slang.