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Spirits 101: What is gin?
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Gin, like vodka, is an alcoholic beverage generally distilled from a grain like wheat or rye. Gin is flavored with juniper berries. The word gin is derived from the French word for juniper, genevrier, which flavors the drink.
"Compound" low-quality gins simply mix the base spirit of distilled grain with juniper. To make mass-market gins, the juniper is soaked in the base spirit and then the mixture is redistilled.
Higher-end gins are flavored with juniper as well as botanicals. After the base spirit has been distilled once or more, it is distilled a final time. In this last distillation, the vapor from the alcohol wafts into a chamber where the dried juniper and botanicals are kept. The vapor extracts the aromatic and flavoring oils and adds complexity and flavor to the spirit.
The dominant style of gin is London dry gin. It is the most commonly used gin in mixed drinks.
The largest gin market in the world is in the United States where London dry gin accounts for most domestic gin production.
Gin is most well known as one of the main ingredients of the Martini. It is also used in the gin and tonic, the gin and juice and in the Tom Collins.
For more information on gin, click here.
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