White Gin

WHAT IS WHITE GIN?

When we talk about gin, the famous gin and tonic always comes to mind when it comes to drinking it. And if it is true that gin is one of the most consumed drinks in the world, moreover, it gives us the opportunity to combine it in different ways, there are even different types and among them is white gin. What is it really?

Gin is a distilled drink flavoured with nebrin and juniper berry, which is the base of any gin, with an alcohol content ranging from 37º to 47º. It is made using ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin, usually from cereals or beetroot. This alcohol is flavoured by distillation in copper or stainless steel stills.

This traditional process is what gives rise to white gin, which can later be derived from various types, but what really stands out is its lack of colour.

HISTORY OF GIN

The origin of this drink comes from 17th century Holland. An apothecary named Leiden, who mixed the gin that was consumed at the time, being of low quality, with juniper berries to soften it. The name gin comes from the Dutch word "jenever" meaning juniper.

From its earliest origins in the Middle Ages, the drink has evolved from an herbal medicine to an object of commerce in the spirit industry. It became popular in Britain (particularly in London) when William of Orange became King William III of England.

The success of this drink soon spread to different parts of Europe and when it reached England, the Dutch word contracted, giving way to the word gin, which we all know and use.

THE PRODUCTION PROCESS

There are different types of white gin, each one is made in a different way, but the base follows the traditional process mentioned above. What changes is whether they have different flavourings and related elements, although they still produce an explosion of flavours on the palate.

White gin is made from grain alcohol and a process called fractional purification. The purified alcohol is mixed with juniper berries and other flavouring agents such as cumin, fennel, cardamom, anise, almonds, orange peel or coriander seeds and distilled and diluted to a certain strength.

Nebrins dominate the flavouring of gin, but other ingredients are used to obtain different aromatic profiles that will characterise the final product. The biggest secret that different gin manufacturers can keep is the proportion and combination of herbs they use in their production to flavour and give a pleasant taste to the liquor.

TYPES OF WHITE GIN

The first classification we can find is according to the process of elaboration between Dutch and British gin.

Dutch Gin

Called "Genever" or "Jenever", soft alcohols are distilled together with treated and fermented malt, where the obtained production is then mixed with different elements with aromatic and flavour characteristics. Finally, it is distilled again, resulting in a gin with an alcohol content of about 44 proof. There are several families of genevers

• Young: with no or almost no cask ageing.
• Old: which have a certain level of ageing.
• Fruity: such as citroneen genever, young genevers flavoured with lemon.

British Gin

The main difference is the use of a strong alcohol reduced afterwards, as the rest of the process is the same, it is also flavoured and re-distilled. This gin is drier and reaches 47 proof.

A second classification varies by the amount of flavourings, type of juniper in its production, sweeteners and ageing in the distillation. They are:

Juniper-flavoured spirit drinks

These are actually more of a juniper-flavoured spirit. They are considered under the classification of gin. This type of gin results from a process in which the drink is flavoured with berries of the common juniper or red juniper (as distinct from other gin denominations). To be recognised as such, it must be made with alcohol of agricultural origin, spirit or a grain distillate.

London Dry Gin

This gin is the best-selling and best-known gin in the world. It is characterised by being dry and by the absence of colourings, sweeteners and other additives in its content, which in this case are those that the other types of gin would have. Its aromatisation is carried out in traditional stills, in which it is possible to obtain a distillation of around 70 degrees of alcohol, which is then reduced with water. It is distilled after flavouring.

Gin

This gin must be made with only common juniper berries and ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin. It must be predominantly flavoured with juniper berries, although it is usually flavoured with other flavours during redistillation to make it smoother to the taste.

Distilled Gin

This type of gin is characterised by the fact that in its manufacturing process the alcohol of agricultural origin must first be flavoured and then distilled. It may contain extra flavourings that can be added after distillation with the flavourings. This distillation must also have a minimum of 96% alcohol in its composition.

Old Tom Gin

This classic style of gin is characterised by being made the old-fashioned way. Therefore, it is sweetened and seeks more vegetal notes in the flavouring of gin like this.

Sloe Gin

Sloe means sloe in English. These slightly acidic and bitter fruits are what give pacharán its characteristic flavour. Sloe gins are made from an Old Tom gin and sweetened and flavoured with sloes by maceration.

After this maceration, the sloes are removed and it is bottled after filtering, with an alcohol content of approximately 25-30 proof. A couple of examples are Plymouth Sloe Gin or Hayman's Sloe Gin.

Aged gins

Classic gins are not aged at all. But in recent years, traditionally made gins have appeared that include a brief barrel ageing process, the aim being to develop new aromatic nuances.

The first aged gin to appear was Citadelle Reserve 2008. A year later, Beefeater Burrough's Reserve, a gin aged in oak casks, was launched.

COMPOSITION OF WHITE GIN

White gin is a distillate made with neutral alcohol of high alcohol content, flavoured with juniper berries and other aromatic ingredients of vegetable origin: citrus, spices, roots, flowers, herbs or fruits.

The vast majority of gins on the market obtain their base alcohol from grain or beetroot, although in reality any source of sugar or fermentable sugars could produce it.

There are several different types of white gin:

• London Dry
• Jenever
• Old Tom
• Aged
• Premium
• Ultrapremium

TASTE OF WHITE GIN

The flavour of white gin will always highlight the juniper berries, but it will depend on the type of white gin you are drinking. Some are more flavoured with citrus, fruits, flowers and spices. The base will be very similar in the mouth, but the final flavour will vary depending on how it is made.

COCKTAILS MADE WITH WHITE GIN

Among the wide variety of cocktails and mixed drinks made with white gin that we can find, the ones we highlight are:

• Gin tonic
• Pink Lady
• Negroni
• Tom Collins

WHITE GIN BRANDS

• Beefeater
• Seagrams
• Tanqueray
• Bombay
• Nordés
• Brockmans
• Bulldog
• Citadelle