Gin

Guide Note

Gin is made by distilling a neutral white spirit, usually made from wheat or rye, with select botanicals. The distinct flavor of gin comes from juniper berries, but depending on the variety, it may also include other botanicals including bitter orange, licorice, cinnamon, anise and coriander.

Fast Facts

1. Relatively dry compared to most other spirits
2. Most common style: London dry gin
3. Originated in Holland
4. Original ingredient in a martini
5. Often drunk in the form of a gin and tonic
6. Name comes from Genever, the Dutch word for juniper

Gin's popularity in the United States can be traced back to the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s. Prior to that time, commercially prepared whisky was the alcoholic drink of choice for Americans. With the closure of commercial distilleries came the bootleggers, who had neither the required oak barrels nor the time to age whisky. Gin, on the other hand, required no aging and could easily be made by mixing raw alcohol with juniper berries and other botanicals in a large container such as a bathtub. This discovery gave rise to the practice of making "bathtub gin."