Gin Facts
Gin is without a shadow of a doubt the most popular spirit right now. It's made an unprecedented resurgence over the last few years, something that seemed unlikely considering how it went out of fashion. People can't seem to get enough of this juniper nectar and new gins are being distilled and bought to market almost daily. It's drunk at home, in bars and is a key ingredient in many a cocktail. Here are some fun facts about this often misunderstood spirit. London had around 1500 stills in operation in 1726. There were over 6000 outlets where you could buy gin. You won't find juniper farms in many places - nearly all of it grows wild and is handpicked. Sailors in the Royal Navy used to get a ration of rum each day. The officers got gin instead. Despite how crazy we are about the stuff here in the UK, it's the Philippines that drinks the most gin in the world. Juniper isn't a berry. It's a sort of pine cone with fleshy scales. It's not pleasant to eat as you would a berry. London Dry Gin has nothing to do with London. It's a style of gin as opposed to one defined by a geographical location. Old Tom Gin is a sweeter style than London Dry and was created in the 1800's. The Swan Neck refers to the pipe at the top of a copper pot still which is often used for distilling craft gins. James Bond author Ian Flemming created the Vesper cocktail. It's contains vodka, gin and vermouth with a twist of lemon. G&Ts were first became popular in the British colonies. The quinine in tonic water was good for combating malaria. It's very bitter on its own so gin was added to make it taste good.
