Base Spirits 101: Gin

Mixed with tonic water or shaken into the Aviation gin is a hit in spring and summer. During the warmer months we often reach for lighter spirits and cocktails and where vodka drops off gin fills in. Gin is the booze for lighter cocktails with flavour. Gin is not meant to be hidden in a drink but rather celebrated. The ever-present taste of evergreen is enjoyed by gin enthusiasts worldwide.

Where there have been precursors to the London dry gin that makes up the majority of well-known gins today, gin dates back to the 17^th century in England. Prior to London dry gin there was a similar spirit in Holland; genever. Italy also lays limited claims to originally creating the spirit. The term “Dutch Courage” comes from the spirit that soldiers were given in Holland during the Thirty Years War. By 1689 anyone in England could begin producing gin, they were simply required to publically post a notice and wait ten days. In 1729 a twenty-shilling license was required to produce gin and by 1730 London had over seven thousand shops dedicated to selling spirits. Fast forward a few years to 1736 in an effort to control the spirit the license was increased to 50 shillings and helped inspire riots in the streets and push gin production underground. Gin production would eventually come to be regulated as it is today.

Gin is known by those who both love and loathe the spirit by its signature pine scent and taste, this comes as no surprise as the predominant flavouring in gin is juniper, the female seed cones from an evergreen plant. Other flavours can include cucumber, citrus and floral compounds. While there are several ways to infuse flavours into alcohol a traditional London Dry gin is only able to infuse flavours through distillation rather than maceration.

Gin is one of the few alcohols that are rarely, if ever, served straight. Gin is often mixed into drinks or cocktails. There are countless opportunities to include gin in cocktails however some of the most common uses are in drinks such as; the original martini, gin & tonic, Negroni cocktail, Tom Collins and the Aviation.

Love it or hate it gin is here to stay. There has been a recent revival of sorts however it has never reached the acclaim it did in the glory days of the seventeenth century. It takes a certain type of person to enjoy the signature flavours of gin, would that certain someone be you?