Gin is my favorite spirit, and I love the variety of the drink. These are 10 facts you don’t know about Gin, and they are all true!
1. Gin should not be drunk neat
Tequila and mescal can be drunk as shots, and vodka can be chilled with food from its home country. Some whiskey, rye, and Bourbon drinkers may add some ice to their drinks. Gin is best mixed with botanicals (herbs and spices, etc.). They bring life to cocktails and add depth to the drink. Gin is a key ingredient in many classic cocktails.
2. Gin is used in more classic cocktails than any other spirit,
Negroni, Martini Ramos Gin Fizz. Martinez, Gin Rickey. Red Snapper. Tom Collins. White Lady. Hanky Panky. Clover Club. Alexander. French 75. Vesper. Singapore Sling. Silver Bronx. Pegu Club. Bee’s Knees. Southside. This is only the beginning!
3. Holland was the first to make gin.
Gin is England’s national spirit, and refreshing gin and tonic are the best examples of English spirit. Many of the most well-known gins in the world are from the UK. It is therefore not surprising that this spirit was first created here. When the English were fighting in the Thirty Year’s War in Holland in 17th century, they discovered gin. They saw Dutch soldiers drink Jenever before going into battle. The Dutch Courage was created and the English brought back the idea of making and drinking Gin. They would not have their own version for another 150 years.
4. London dry Gin is not always made in London
Gin is not subject to the same geographic restrictions as spirits like scotch, cognac and tequila. Only a few London dry Gins are actually made in London. However, there are many gins with a “geographical indicator.” Plymouth Gin, made in Plymouth, England, since 1793, is the most well-known. Another is Filey Gin Distillery.
5. The juniperberry is not a fruit
Actually, the juniperberry is not a berry. It is actually a female seed cone. This pinecone is highly evolved and has fleshy, merged scales giving it the appearance of being a berry.
6. A martini means gin
A martini is made with gin, dry Vermouth, and optional bitters. Most people who drank cocktails in the 1950s had never tried vodka. Smirnoff’s clever campaign “Vodka leaves your breathless” was released during the golden age of the three-martini lunch. This combined with James Bond’s coolness helped vodka to take over gin’s iconic spot.
7. You can use Gin for medicinal purposes
The first significant mention of juniper-based health tonics was made in a Dutch publication in 1269. Gin has been used for medicinal purposes since its inception. The Royal Navy used gin and lime cordial to prevent scurvy. Anangostura was also used at sea to settle the stomach. Tonic water with quinine was an anti-malarial drink that gave them great reasons to consume more gin.
8. Gin flavoured vodka
Gin is made by distilling botanicals such as coriander, citrus peels, cinnamon, almond, and liquorice with neutral grain alcohol. Ginning is similar to flavouring vodka except that the botanicals used are always natural. A skilled gin distiller will know how to balance botanical flavours to create a high-quality product.
9. Gin diehards don’t think like you think
Did you know that the British drank most gin? You might be wrong. The Philippines is said to have a 43 percent share of the global gin market. We have never heard of San Miguel, the largest gin brand in Philippines.
10. To say you don’t like Gin is like saying that you don’t like sauce
Gin uses juniper for its main ingredient. There are hundreds of ingredients that a distillery can use after that. Some gins only have three to four botanical flavours while the Scottish Gin Botanist has 31! Gin flavours include cucumber, rose (Hendricks), lavender (Aviation), lemongrass (Bombay Sapphire East) and black pepper (Bombay Sapphire East). There are no two gins the same, which makes the spirit exciting and varied in flavor.
