What is Gin?

Gin is a distilled alcoholic drink produced from a mash of cereal grains, usually consisting of corn, rye, barley, and wheat. The spirit’s predominant flavor and aromas come from the botanical, juniper berries. Other botanicals that are traditionally used to round out the flavor profile include –but are not limited to– coriander, lemon and orange peels, fennel, cassia, anise, almond, and angelica. Gin by law cannot carry an age statement and generally ranges between 80 and 94 proofs. As per history gin was being used “for medicinal purposes.” Voyager (the one who travel by through Sea) used Gin with lime cordial to stop scurvy (lack of vitamin C), and angostura (made of herbs and spices )settled the stomach at sea. Tonic water with gin is an anti-malarial drink, giving them a great excuse to drink more gin and tonics

Juniper berries

“Compound gin, or just plain ‘gin,’ can mostly be found—Most compound gins have juniper flavoring infused after distillation, which makes it essentially a glorified flavored vodka. They’re cheap, but you get what you pay for.”

“Unlike most gins, we don’t cook the botanicals in the spirit, we turn the spirit to vapor and allow it to pass through a special perforated copper basket which holds the botanicals. We gently extract the flavors in this way for a much more complex and balanced experience on the palette.”

Types of Gin

London Dry Gin

In the world of gin, London Dry is the benchmark of quality. It is owned by the British spirits company Diageo. Gordon’s gin has a strong juniper base, which is the mark of a good London dry gin. The flowery and aromatic characteristics of this type of gin are a result of botanicals added during the 2nd or 3rd distillation. The vapors from these flavoring agents reach the alcohol as they pass through a specialized still with an attachment called a gin head. Dry gins are often preferred for making Martinis and are the most popular style used in cocktails.

What is the difference between the London Dry, Distilled gin, and gin?

London Dry gins have to have all-natural ingredients, and most importantly can’t have any flavorings or colorings added (except for a minuscule amount of sugar) after the distillation process. London Dry is really a showcase for the botanicals.

“Distilled gin is made essentially the same way as London Dry, with one big difference—flavoring can be added after distillation. In recent years, as the perception of what gin can be has expanded, more distilled gins have hit the market, and some of them have become quite popular.

Plymouth Gin

Plymouth Gin is a clear, slightly fruity, full-bodied gin that is very aromatic. This style of gin originated in the port of Plymouth on the English Channel, but only one distillery, Plymouth, Coates & Co., has the right to produce Plymouth Gin now. A few cocktails like an Admiral Benbow and Douglas Fairbanks Cocktail specifically call for Plymouth Gin.

Old Tom Gin

Old Tom Gin is a sweeter version of London dry gin. It’s a recipe popular in 18th-century England. Simple syrup is used to distinguish this old style of gin from its contemporaries and many include notes of citrus. Old Tom was the original gin used for Tom Collins and the gin of choice in the 19th century. Not too long ago, the stock of Old Tom Gin was unavailable in the United States and it is exclusively found in the United Kingdom. In recent years, however, there have been a number of U.S. distilleries started producing this gin, which is most ideal for mixing into the oldest of cocktails.

Genever

Genever, was also known as Holland genever or Schiedam gin, the Dutch and Belgian version of gin, which predates and inspired all other gins. It was first distilled in the Middle Ages for medicinal purposes and was the original gin used in many of the cocktails of the 19th Century. This variety is distilled from malted grain is mash similar to whisky and tends to be lower proof (70-80 proof) than its English counterparts. Genever is often aged in oak casks for 1-3 years and comes in 2 styles. Oude (old) Genever is the original style with a straw hue and is relatively sweet and aromatic, while Jonge (young) Genever has a drier palate and lighter body.

New Western Dry Gin

The name “New Western Dry Gin” (or “New American Gin”) began to be used in the early 2000s to describe a number of new gins that have pushed the boundaries of the spirit’s definition that relies on the dominance of juniper. . In this era, many American craft gin distillers released gins that concentrated on flavors other than juniper and brought up the question of whether these brands could technically be called gin.

supported by Prof.Bhavik Vakaria