13 Facts About Gin

Gin is a distilled alcoholic drink that derives its flavour from juniper berries .

Gin subsequently emerged as the national alcoholic drink of England.

Gin today is produced in different ways from a wide range of herbal ingredients, giving rise to a number of distinct styles and brands.

Gin emerged in England in varying forms by the early 17th century, and at the time of the Stuart Restoration, enjoyed a brief resurgence.

Gin became vastly more popular as an alternative to brandy, when William III, II and I and Mary II became co-sovereigns of England, Scotland and Ireland after leading the Glorious Revolution.

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Gin drinking in England rose significantly after the government allowed unlicensed gin production, and at the same time imposed a heavy duty on all imported spirits such as French brandy.

The reputation of the two drinks was illustrated by William Hogarth in his engravings Beer Street and Gin Lane, described by the BBC as "arguably the most potent anti-drug poster ever conceived".

Gin Act 1736 imposed high taxes on retailers and led to riots in the streets.

The Gin Act 1751 was more successful, however; it forced distillers to sell only to licensed retailers and brought gin shops under the jurisdiction of local magistrates.

Gin is a common base spirit for many mixed drinks, including the martini.

Gin is a juniper-flavoured spirit made not via the redistillation of botanicals, but by simply adding approved natural flavouring substances to a neutral spirit of agricultural origin.

Gin produced only through the redistillation of botanicals can be further distinguished and marketed as "distilled gin".

Gin can be broadly differentiated into three basic styles reflecting modernization in its distillation and flavouring techniques:.