WHAT IS GIN?

Gin is a hard alcohol flavoured with the seeds of the juniper bush. Gin is a rather dry alcohol and
is rarely drunk on its own, but used instead as a base for many different types of drinks.
Good gin is very smooth, with a strong juniper flavour exciting the senses. Gin made its way to
England with the ascension of William of Orange to the British throne. And a new style of gin
evolved. Dutch gin is distilled from barley and is somewhat nearer whiskey than the London Dry
style, which evolved in the 19th century.
One difference today is that the London style, since it uses column stills, rather than the pot stills
preferred by the Dutch, tends to have a higher alcohol concentration. The famous brands include
Beefeater London Dry gin, Bombay Sapphire, Plymouth and Tanqueray.