One of the most classic cocktails in pop culture is the Gin & Tonic, considered the gentleman’s drink appreciated by the showstoppers of pop culture from James Bond to Humphrey Boggart in Casablanca. The popularity of the cocktail is celebrated worldwide through International Gin & Tonic Day on 19 October. The key element to the delight of every bar is the crown gem of aromatic alcohol known as Gin.
“The gin and tonic has saved more Englishmen’s lives, and minds, than all the doctors in the Empire.” - Winston Churchill
What is Gin?
Gin is a crystal clear distilled spirit that gets its primary flavour from being infused with dominant aromatic botanical flavours of juniper berries, herbs, spices, flowers, and fresh and dried fruits. It is traditionally made in Europe but it is a versatile spirit that can be made anywhere. The main criterion for this aromatic, flavourful spirit is its discernible juniper character which is supported by other botanical elements; traditionally coriander, cassia, liquorice, orris and other herbs. The modern contemporary gins are distilled using different spices, leaves, fruits and flowers to add greater complexity.
Gin Origins
The name gin derives from the old English word genever, derived from genièvre in French and jenever in Dutch, all of which are derivatives of the Latin word juniperus, meaning juniper. Juniper-infused concoctions originated as a medicinal liquor made by monks and alchemists in the Low Countries which is the region of Belgium and The Netherlands during the Middle Ages. The juniper berry was well-known for its physiological effects for many years, but the Dutch pioneered the recreational use of juniper-flavoured beverages with the addition of exotic spices from Holland’s spice trade monopoly. Franciscus Sylvius, a Dutch physician, created jenever as medicine during the 16th century. His high-proof concoction was believed to improve circulation and relieve ailments. During the Dutch Independence War in the 17th century, it was given to soldiers and referred to as “Dutch Courage.” When the British troops saw the effect drinking jenever had on the bravery of the Dutch troops before they went into battle, they were intent on bringing the spirit home.
The National Spirit of England
The English took a liking to the style of spirit they found in Genever. It made its way to England and nearly destroyed London during the gin craze of the 1700s. It was produced in large masses and became cheap and available. This spirit was not really the distilled gin we know today but rather a cheap alcohol mixed with flavours and sugar.
Its popularity led to efforts to improve the quality of the spirit which created a less malty and cleaner spirit which would become gin about 150 years later! When England restricted imports of French brandy, gin became the national spirit. The appeal of gin gradually spread across Europe and the rest of the world along with the British Empire.
The Story of the Gin & Tonic
During the initial phase of the British colonization of India, there was a massive outbreak of Malaria. However, the British were quick to find its cure in an infusion of the bark of the chinchona tree with its quinine property which came to be known later as tonic water.
The taste of the chinchona bark was so exceedingly bitter that to make it palatable, the British decided to mix it with the most commonly available drink of their choice which at the time was gin. By adding the chinchona bark infusion to gin with a little lime juice, the British colonials gave birth to the legendary cocktail known as the Gin & Tonic.
The heavy alcohol drinking traditions of the British led to another timeless classic in cocktails. In the old days, sailing the vast open seas was not for relaxing vacations. The oceans were travelled by the class of Empire builders and the large navy that was required for the maintenance of the Empire. The threat of death by disease was prominent. The Royal Navy decided to mix the gin supply of the sailors with lime juice to prevent scurvy, the lack of vitamin C and the most widespread cause of death in the navy. This drink would soon reach the shores of the British Empire and become known as the Gimlet.
The Spirit of Cocktail Culture
The popularity of gin never stopped growing, especially after crossing the Atlantic and arriving in America, where it turned into the life of every party and the soul of every cocktail!
Surprisingly, the largest consumer of Gin is not England but rather the Philippines! The Filipinos cover about 43% of the global gin market. There is even a Tagalog word for a gin-drinking session called a “Ginuman.”
A bottle of gin can stay on the shelf of your cabinet indefinitely without any change to be brought out for indulging in a drink during the best moments of your life.
Gin is usually mixed long with tonic water, with Vermouth in a Martini or in any one of hundreds of cocktail recipes, each designed to enhance the genius recipe of infused botanicals.
There really is a gin cocktail for any occasion you might think of but there is no better way to enjoy the spirit best than the warm months of summer. Celebrated every second Saturday of June, shake up a pitcher of your favourite gin cocktail this World Gin Day on the 10th of June 2023 to welcome the warmth and glory of the summer.
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