Currently, gin is one of the most famous and consumed alcoholic beverages in the world. One of the reasons is thanks to the fashion of gin and tonics, elaborations that are living a good time, another more in its history.

It is a white alcoholic beverage, with a high content of alcohol and that is achieved thanks to the distillation of alcohol from different cereals such as barley, rye or corn, as well as juniper berries. Currently we can find a large number of varieties and forms of processing, although the best known are the Dutch and the English.

The origins of the gin

The origin of the gin dates back to the seventeenth century in Holland, being created by an apothecary known as Leiden, who was responsible for mixing the gin that was consumed at that time (which was very low quality), with juniper berries to be able soften it.

The name of the gin comes from the Dutch word «jenever», which means juniper, and which in turn derives from the Latin word «juniperus», which is the root of the word gin in Spanish.

The success of this drink quickly spread throughout Europe. When he arrived in England, the Dutch word contracted, creating the word gin, which we all know. One of the most famous gins is the well-known London Dry.

This kind of gin is made from the alcohol of cereals and also a process called fractional purification. In this case, the purified alcohol is mixed with juniper berries and other kinds of flavoring agents such as cumin, fennel, cardamom, anise, almonds, orange peel or coriander seeds and is distilled, diluting it until achieving a certain degree.

In the case of Dutch gin, it is elaborated in a similar way, although it should be noted that alcohol does not have as much purification. This means that the flavor of the grain is better preserved, giving it that characteristic flavor.