10 Not so Widely Known Facts About a Favourite Drink – Gin

In this article, we will be looking at 10 facts that are not very commonly known, all relatable to Gin. A lot of Gin myths have been circulating over the years but we’re not here to focus on the myths, but on the truths instead.

These Gin facts are based on an array of subjects such as Gin & Tonics, Gin nutrition facts, Calories in a glass, How To Drink Gin, Gin Cocktails and more. After the facts have been cleared up, we will suggest some gins for each fact and pair them with a mixer. So, before you go and buy gin online, make sure to take a look at our selection of the best ones out there.

Gin & Tonics originated in India.

After the Sepoy rebellion of 1857, Brits began to move to India and as a result, Gin & Tonics became all the rage among locals. To combat malaria, the demand for ‘Indian Tonic Water’ skyrocketed and when people paired it with Gin, they noticed it masked the bitterness of the Gin itself.

Our Favourite G&T Gin –  Isle of Raasay Hebridean Gin, 70cl.

Holland invented it.

Gin may be the national spirit of England, but the spirit was actually born in Holland. Whilst the British were fighting the Dutch War of Independence in the 17th Century, they discovered Genever and took the spirit home. The ‘London’ style of Gin that is widely popular now was created no less than 150 years later. Drinking Genever during this war is where the term ‘Dutch Courage’ comes from.

Our Favourite British Gin –  Burleigh’s London Dry, 70cl.

There are legal criteria on what defines a liquid to be ‘Gin’.

Gin, to be called Gin, legally must contain Juniper as one of its Botanicals and have a ‘predominant juniper flavour’. There are however, no laws that limit the amount of, or types of, the other botanicals used in the distillation of Gin. This is where the most popular Gin’s get their strong flavours and aromas from and can vary from liquorice & ginger to berries and plants. Even limited edition spirits must comply with this requirement if they want to put ‘Gin’ on a label.

Our Favourite Botanically Extravagant Gin – Monkey 47, 50cl.

There are more gin-based cocktails than any other spirit.

Gin dominates the cocktail world with its many, many cocktail recipes. The most famous among these are Tom Collins, citrusy and sweet, Negroni, dark & bitter and the classic G&T. Ice and a lime wedge, beautiful.

Best Tom Collins Gin – Malfy Con Limone, 70cl.

A Gin-Based cocktail is the most popular in the world, thanks to one man…

James Bond drinking the Martini has affected the global gin-loving population a considerable amount. Martini is now the number one cocktail in the world and JB is fully to blame. Shaken not stirred.

Our Favourite Martini Gin –  Hendrick’s, 70cl.

 

Gin is Fat-Free.

How many calories in Gin? Gin isn’t just fat free, it also doesn’t contain any Carbohydrates, Protein, Sugar or Fibre. For one shot (25ml) of 80 proof Gin at 40% ABV, there are 97 Calories. At this volume of liquid, it is equal to 14g and therefore there is 7kcal per gram of liquid. Some flavoured Gins may include carbohydrates, mainly sugar – thankfully all of them contain alcohol.

Our Favourite Fat-Free Gin –  Death’s Door, 70cl.

The country with the worlds highest per-capita gin consumption is The Philippines.

Whilst Gin is commonly seen to be the Brit’s favourite spirit, it doesn’t compare to the consumption in The Philippines. According to the International Wine & Spirits Research Group, The Philippines have topped the global consumption market for years, owning over 43% of the global consumption for Gin.

Our Highest Selling Gin – Dr Squid, 70cl.

‘London Dry’ doesn’t mean it was made in London.

The term ‘London Dry’ Gin doesn’t mean that the liquid was distilled in London. Or that the company who distilled it was founded in London or are based in London or have relatives who live in London. It doesn’t actually have anything to do with London. The ‘London Dry’ label is used to describe the style of Gin that it is, which is usually just plain, unflavoured, botanically fused, colourless Gin.

Our Favourite London Dry Gin – Piston, 70cl.

Old Tom is different to London Dry.

As we said in the paragraph above, London Dry is a style of Gin, not where it was made. Old Tom is a similar concept – it is a style of Gin. Old Tom is a smoother, more sweet style of Gin.

Our favourite Sweet Gin –  Warner’s Honeybee, 70cl.

Gin is not meant to be drank straight.

Ho to drink Gin? As previously mentioned, Genever was drank during the Dutch War of Independence and was later coined ‘Gin’ by he Brits. At this point, Gin was being drank straight all over Europe and it was only until the Indian Tonic Water pairing became popular that people started to opt for a mixer rather than neat.

Our Favourite Gin overall –  Piston Strawberry & Hibiscus, 70cl.

So, there’s some facts about Gin. We hope that your Gin-based queries have been answered with our series of factual blasts. Hopefully, our recommendations were useful and that you debate trying one of them soon! We do also have a load of other Gins in stock, be sure to check out our Gin section to see our range. We’d like to point out that we haven’t been paid to suggest certain types of Gin but have given our honest opinion for every last one. Happy Ginning People.