| Gin (Sometimes referred to as Mother's Ruin) is a spirit, or strong alcoholic beverage. It is made from the distillation of white grain spirit and juniper berries, which provide its distinctive flavor. The taste of ordinary gin is very dry, and as such it is frequently mixed with other beverages. It should not be confused with sloe gin, a sweet liqueur traditionally made from sloes (the fruit of the blackthorn) infused in gin.
The most common style of gin, typically used for mixed drinks, is "London dry gin", which refers not to brand, marque, or origin, but to a distillation process. London dry gin is a high-proof spirit, usually produced in a column still and redistilled after the botanicals are added to the base spirit. In addition to juniper, it is usually made with a small amount of citrus botanicals like lemon and bitter orange peel. Other botanicals that may be used include anise, angelica root, orris root, cinnamon, coriander, and cassia bark. A well-made gin will be very dry with a smooth texture lacking in harshness. The flavor will be harmonious yet have a crisp character with a pronounced juniper flavor. Other types of gin include Jenever (Dutch gin), Plymouth gin, and Old Tom gin (said to approximate the pot-distilled 18th century spirit). Gin originated in the Netherlands in the 17th century. Its invention is often credited to the physician Franciscus Sylvius. It spread to England after the Glorious Revolution put a Dutchman on the British throne. Dutch gin, known as jenever, is a distinctly different drink from English-style gin; it is distilled with barley and sometimes aged in wood, giving it a slight resemblance to whisky. Schiedam, in South Holland, is famous for its jenever. Jenever is produced in a pot still and is typically lower in alcohol and more strongly flavored than London gin. Gin became very popular in England after the government allowed unlicensed gin production and at the same time imposed a heavy duty on all imported spirits. This created a market for poor-quality grain that was unfit for brewing beer, and thousands of gin-shops sprang up all over England. By 1740 the production of gin had increased to six times that of beer, and because of its cheapness it became extremely popular with the poor. Of the 15,000 drinking establishments in London, over half were gin-shops. Beer maintained a healthy reputation as it was often safer to drink the brewed ale than unclean plain water. Gin, though, was blamed for various social and medical problems, and it may have been a factor in the high death rate that caused London's previously increasing population to remain stable. The reputation of the two drinks was illustrated by William Hogarth in his engravings Beer Street and Gin Lane (1751). This negative reputation survives today in the English language, in terms like "gin-mills" to describe disreputable bars or "gin-soaked" to refer to drunks. The Gin Act of 1736 imposed high taxes on retailers but led to riots in the streets. The prohibitive duty was gradually reduced and finally abolished in 1742. The Gin Act of 1751 was more successful, however. It forced distillers to sell only to licensed retailers and brought gin-shops under the jurisdiction of local magistrates. Gin in the 18th century was produced in pot stills, and was somewhat sweeter than the London gin known today. The column still was invented in 1832, and the "London dry" style was developed later in the 19th century. In tropical English colonies, gin was used to mask the bitter flavor of quinine, a protection against malaria, which was diluted in tonic water. This was the origin of today's popular gin and tonic combination, even though quinine is no longer used against malaria. Many other gin-based mixed drinks were invented, including the martini. Secretly produced "bathtub gin" was a common drink in the speakeasies of Prohibition-era America due to the relative simplicity of the basic production methods. It remained popular as the basis of many cocktails after the repeal of Prohibition. At the present time there are numerous types and manufactures of gin, the most notable of which are listed below. Tanqueray Ten has received several awards since its 2000 debut, including double gold medals in 2004 and 2005 at the San Francisco Spirits Competition. Bombay Sapphire is another premium gin that has won international awards since debuting in 1992. In 2005, the Monde Selection in Brussels awarded South Gin (made by Pacific Dawn Distillers of New Zealand) the "Grand Gold with Palm Leaves," rating it the best gin in the world. The National Gin Museum is in Hasselt, Belgium. Premium / famous brands Beefeater - first produced in 1820 Blackwood's Superior Nordic Vintage Dry Gin Bombay - distilled with eight botanicals Booth's - first produced in 1790 by Sir Felix Booth Bombay Sapphire - distilled with ten botanicals Cork Dry Gin - Ireland's preferred brand Ginebra San Miguel - has juniper berries as its main flavor, produced by the company of the same name and is the largest-selling gin in the world although it is mainly sold in the Philippines Gordon's Greenall's Hendrick's Gin - infused with cucumber, coriander, citrus peel and rose petals Plymouth - first distilled in 1793 Seagram's South Gin - triple distilled in New Zealand using nine botanicals, two of which are native: manuka berries and kawa kawa leaves, believed by the indigenous Maori people to offer medicinal properties Tanqueray Tanqueray Ten Whitley Neill London Dry Gin - premium gin containing two African botanicals, the fruit of the Baobab tree, the "Tree of Life", and the Cape Gooseberry Buy gin gifts online for delivery UK wide. Our most popular Gin Gifts brands include Gordons, Beefeater, Tanqueray and Sloe Gin. Bombay Sapphire and white satin gin are also supplied. To find out more about the Gin Gifts that Gifts2Drink supply visit our website. All our Gin Gifts are available in highly stylish and attractive gift packaging with gift cards and your own personal message. We provide a high quality service with products and gift packaging that our customers can rely on to impress every time. At Gifts2Drink we have a track record of reliable, high quality delivery of luxury gifts delivered to exacting schedules and our couriers try to deliver on time, every time. "....Gin is an extremely popular gift suitable for any occasion...." As well as Gin Gifts we have an array of the most popular Champagnes, Wines, Whisky's, Liqueurs, Beers and Spirits available, accompanied by Cigars, Flowers, Chocolates and Balloons all gift boxed together and delivered to the door at the same time. |
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