10 things you did not know about gin

In my opinion, gin is one of the most underrated spirits. Here are 10 things you probably did not know about gin and its origin.

1. The name gin means juniper
   Gin is a shortened form of the older English word genever, which stems from the word juniperus, the Latin word for juniper.
2. Gin is predominantly meant to be mixed.
   Cognac and aquavit are meant to be enjoyed on its own,  but you can use both as ingredients in drinks. Whiskey is usually enjoyed alone, or with ice or a few drops of water. Gin, on the other hand,  is predominantly meant to be mixed. Because gin contains herbs and spices it can be used to make a complex variety of cocktails. A few modern types of gin is produced to be enjoyed alone. This is an emerging trend now.
3. There are three types of gin

   

   1. Gin
      Gin is a juniper-flavored spirit made by adding natural flavors to a neutral spirit of agricultural origin. The predominant flavor must be juniper.
   2. Distilled gin
      Distilled gin is produced by re-distilling spirits of agricultural origin with an initial strength of 96%, in the presence of juniper berries and herbs and spices.
   3. London gin
      London gin is produced exclusively by the method described above. London gin may not contain added sweetening exceeding 0.1 grams of sugars per liter of the final product, nor colorants, nor any added ingredients other than water. London dry gin does not have to be produced in London.
4. There are more than 200 books about gin on Amazon.com.
5. The number of cocktails you can make with gin greatly exceeds those made with any other spirit
   Gimlet, Gin & Tonic, Singapore Sling, Dry Martini, Gin Fizz, Tom Collins, Alexander, White Lady, Vesper. The list could go on forever.

   

6. Gin is England’s national spirit
   Gin has been produced in England since 1730.
7. A gin has no artificial ingredients
   Gin is made from distilled grain that is mixed with herbs and spices. The only must-have ingredient is juniper.
8. There is no worldwide common standard for gin.
   In the EU, the minimum alcoholic strength for gin is 37,5%. Gin produced in the United States must have a minimum alcoholic strength of 40%.
9. The Feathers Hotel, located in Woodstock, a two-hour drive from London, has the world’s biggest selection of gin. They currently have more than 400 types!
10. The world’s oldest distillery in is Plymouth, UK
    The production of Plymouth Gin has been done in the same place since 1793.

As you can see, there is a lot to know about gin. Did I forget something important?