Gin has experienced different histories since the First World War depending on the country. As a standard drink in Great Britain, as a drink that white Protestants tend to drink in the USA or as a more herby speciality in Spain where gin tonic bars mix their gin, tonic and garnish as they wish.
Since the 1970s, it has been the drink that Billy Joel wrote a sad epitaph to with the failed existence of his “Piano Man” in many countries. Cocktails with as much exotic fruit juice as possible were popular for many years.
Noel Gallagher demanded gin and tonic in Oasis’ début single “Supersonic” in 1994. Barney Stinson, the notorious womaniser in the cult TV series “How I Met Your Mother”, ranks gin and tonic among his favourite drinks again ten years later.
Today, gin is mixed with lavender syrup and bitter orange marmalade, quince brandy or ayran. Mixologists are getting more and more creative. The selection of excellent quality tonics is also unrivalled and is quite rightly considered to be just as important as the spirit. Studies prove that young people are going out less often but are drinking with a greater awareness of quality.
Many people are buying their gin at the supermarket by the bottle like wine and enjoying it at home. Even in Germany, where millions of baby boomers look back on rather unpleasant first experiences with gin, the spirit has been the fastest growing spirits segment for years (GfK). Domestic consumption almost doubled between 2014 and 2017.
Like for most spirits, there is also a cocktail competition for gin. The Mare brand from Barcelona invited entries for “Mediterranean Inspirations” in Ibiza, a symposium for gastronomic geeks. Mare flavours like olive and basil literally cry out to be accompanied by food.
The winner Jo Last from “Domino Club” from Leeds perfected the botanicals in her winning drink “Heart” with a tea bag of rose and milk thistle. The perfect match to go with this was artichoke salad with mango vinegar.
Gin is back to party. “World Gin Day” is on 10 June. “Gin and Tonic Day” is on the calendar for 19 October.
Matthias Stelzig