I don't think Gin isn't a manly drink. Anyway, I have three standards for measuring the toughness of drinks. This is a recurrent talk with friends, feel free to object or add data at will.
First is what I call the "punch", this is the immediate reaction it generates in the person.
Tequila takes the first spot for dry drinks (those not in mixes, but ice is ok) in this category as sometimes it can be a killer. If I'm not feeling well I preffer to avoid it. Dry Vodka and some Whiskeys would come in second place.
Second is the percentage of alcohol per litre of each drink and the correlative drunkenness you feel after drinking a glass of it (a glass is not an exact measure, tequila gets the small "shot" glasses while whiskey uses the "normal" ones. I wouldn't drink a dry quarter litre of tequila no matter what.) Gin would be up there with some Whiskeys and dry Vodka.
Third comes the type of hangover it generates, measured both in length and harshness.
Tequila and some Wines (generally Red/Burgundy) take the podium, mixed drinks come close (mainly because sometimes I lost count of how much I'm drinking of each), Vodka comes close and Gin too. Whiskey, if taken alone is sort of "safe", so is beer, at least for me.
In this three categories Gin is ok in my book, it has a decent punch and it tastes good, it has quite a considerable ammount of alcohol (between 43º and 47º) and doesn't forgive, and I've never got properly drunk only by drinking mostly Gin but those friends who have have told me that its hangover is just unbearable.
In the same league comes Martini (which is actually a mix) and other "sweet" drinks people think are girly (those generally taken in mixes), try taking them dry, mixed they get camouflaged and take time to process but, after a while, they get you.
