How gin began life as a herbal remedy, and ways to drink it now

Gin is a classic fixture of any bar. It has a long, storied history, its origins dating back to the Middle Ages, when it was used as a herbal medicine. It's believed to have been produced since the 17th century in Holland. King William III, a Dutchman who became king of England in 1689, encouraged the drinking of gin.

The word gin was taken from the French word genievre and the Dutch jenever, both of which mean juniper, the plant used by distillers of the era to make medicines for apothecaries.

Today, juniper berries are still required to be the main flavour for gin under European Commission regulations. Gin is gluten-free as the distillation process destroys the gluten and yeast in the cereals/grains used in the spirit.

Interestingly, gin also uses almonds, and their allergenic substances are also consumed during the distillation process. The most common botanicals used in the production of gin are:

juniper, cardamom, liquorice, caraway seed, grains of paradise, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise seed, cassia bark, orris root, ginger and saffron

coriander and angelica

lemon, orange, grapefruit and almonds