Where do GIN, Tonic & GIN-Tonic come from?
There are over 4000 different types of GIN produced worldwide, but few people know how this spirit came to be.
We would like to tell you a little bit about the history of the GIN.
History of the GIN
It was first the German physician "Franciscus Sylvius de la Boe" who developed the first Wacholder "Schnaps" in the 16th century. Century.
He lived in the Netherlands and initially developed it for medical purposes. Later, the benefits of alcohol were discovered through the addition of
by adding herbs and fruits, and it became a "spirit drink".
The first gin was called 'Genever' (Dutch: Wacholder) and became a traditional drink of the Dutch in every shift.
From royalty to simple farmers and blacksmiths, everyone knew and drank gin.
How the GIN came to be and why it is now called GIN
In the 16. In the 16th century there was a war between Holland and Spain. The English were allies of the Dutch at this time and stationed their troops in Holland.
The English soldiers quickly came to know and love genever. When they returned to England, they took the genever with them and renamed it "GIN".
The Dutchman William III of Oranien-Nassau supported the establishment of GIN in the kingdom and had it produced in
produced in many places in England. Gin was very easy to produce and therefore cheap.
The Dutchman William III of Oranien-Nassau supported the establishment of GIN in the kingdom and had it produced in
produced in many places in England. Gin was very easy to produce and therefore cheap.
This made it an affordable alcoholic drink for everyone, but it was also very popular with the navy. This was the birth of the "Worldwide GIN".
Restriction/prohibition of gin production
William III was so closely associated with GIN that in 1690 he banned the import of French brandy, but also passed a law allowing every private household to make GIN.
This made GIN even cheaper, but also inferior in quality.
Around 1736, the "GIN law" was passed, which only allowed licensed distilleries to produce Gin, which the population did not accept.
There was a lot of alcohol abuse with inferior gin, and many decrees were passed. It was not until the passing of the "The Tippling Act of 1751 reduced the cost of a GIN licence, but also imposed heavy fines for poor quality GINs.
As a result, the cost of distillation increased, materials became more expensive, and poor harvests led to production shortages. As a result GIN became more expensive.
In the 18th century, much more Gin was being produced again as a result of the Industrial Revolution. The methods of production became simpler and everyone, whether aristocrat or simple working class, could now afford GIN.
Botanicals (plant extracts) are the basis for the many good GINs in the world. They are made from herbs, fruits, seeds and grains, as well as roots and bark. The many different combinations result in a wide variety of flavours and aromas,
History of the tonic
From medicine to pleasure
Tonic comes from the early 19th century. It was used as a malaria remedy by British soldiers stationed in India. The main ingredient in tonic is chinin, which makes it bitter. It was therefore usually mixed with water, sugar and lemon. You could say it was the birth of the lemonade. A classic tonic water therefore tastes sweet, dry, bitter and has a subtle citrus note.
By adding different botanicals and the amount of chinin, sugar and lemon, many different types of tonic have been created.
Histtory of GIN-Tonic
Eventually, some soldiers came up with the idea of mixing the tonic with GIN. This not only increased the willingness to take the "chinin" to protect themselves, but was also the birth of the GIN Tonic and a popular drink in the army. It has been a popular drink around the world ever since.