Gin and its worthy counterpart, tonic

The medicinal properties of juniper berries have been known since ancient times. The predecessors of gin may have been among the medicinal alcohols that appeared in the 11th and 12th centuries. Today's gin is a distilled spirit made from a neutral-tasting alcohol spirit (mostly grain spirit in the case of quality varieties) flavoured with the cone berry of the common juniper or its extract. Many other spices are also used for extra flavouring, but the taste is ultimately dominated by juniper.

The name gin comes from either the French genièvre or the Dutch jenever, both meaning juniper. There are many different types, depending on the origin, but there are two main types of gin. Distilled gin is made in the traditional way: juniper berries and other spices are steeped in the spirit and then redistilled. Then, sometimes pure alcohol, a little sugar and flavourings are added. In blended gin, some neutral spirit is flavoured with extracts or aromas. Gin has an alcohol content of at least 37.5% in the European Union.

It is thanks to the English that it has become a household name. At the end of the 17th century, the English government issued a series of decrees restricting the import of French brandy and encouraging home distillers to distil spirits. In the early 18th century, London was flooded with gin and the drink embarked on a triumphant conquest. The per capita consumption of gin by English and Welsh people increased eightfold to 14 gallons, or 53 litres, a year.

Gin's worthy counterpart, tonic, is another English delicacy. Around 1600, a Spanish noble family contracted malaria in Peru and cured it with the bark of the native chinone tree, which was dried and ground into a fine powder and used as a medicine. Later, the active ingredient of the ground chinchona, quinine, was successfully extracted and used in medicine. In the 1800s, members of the British army stationed in India were also given it as medicine. But as quinine was found to be very bitter on its own, they began to make it more drinkable by adding water and sugar, as well as their favourite, gin, and voila: gin and tonic was born.

To this day, gin and tonic is one of the most popular long drinks, due to its refreshing taste and quick preparation.
If you're looking for a truly unique gin and tonic cocktail, we heartily recommend the dedicated gin and tonic section of our drinks page, where you'll find gins with different flavours and exciting tonics and spices!