GIN

Gin is a spirit that originated in Holland. There, in the 16th century, genever (a simple juniper brandy) appeared in medicine for the first time. Gin, which is made by flavoring ethyl alcohol, reached Great Britain via British soldiers in the Dutch-Spanish War (1568-1648). The mostly colorless spirit, which always contains juniper and has to be bottled with at least 37.5% alcohol, has gained popularity all over the world via Great Britain and is also one of the most used spirits for cocktails.

Neutral alcohol and various botanicals (plant-based substances) are used to make gin. The gin finally gets its taste from the botanicals. The botanicals can be placed in the alcohol both cold (maceration) and warm (digestion) during production. The duration of the maceration or digestion varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. The flavored mixture is then usually (with the exception of Compound Gin) distilled. The shape and size of the still and the speed of the distillation are decisive for the quality and taste of the end product. After the gin has been distilled, it usually has an alcohol content of over 95%. After distillation, the freshly distilled gin is stored in steel or metal vats and left to rest. This rest period also varies from brand to brand and can be several months. There are now also some gin brands that store their gin in different casks, following the example of other spirits. These so-called cask aged gins are particularly suitable for pure tasting and, in contrast to the gins that are not downstream, less suitable for mixing for long drinks such as gin and tonic or for making cocktails. After the gin has come to rest and settled, it is diluted to the desired drinking strength with selected water of the appropriate properties and quality. This must be at least 37.5%.

Depending on the substances added and the details of the manufacturing process, the gin can be classified into the different categories of London Dry Gin, Dry Gin, New Western Style Gin, Plymouth Gin and Compound Gin. The category of dry gins has the highest quality. Accordingly, our focus is on this category. There is also the Sloe Gin, a gin that is mixed with sloe berries or their juice, is significantly sweeter than conventional gin and is bottled with a significantly lower alcohol content.