Why London Dry Gin? We are often asked why we call our gin 'London Dry Gin' when it is made in Newcastle? Well, the answer is that 'London Dry Gin' is a process and not a place and refers to the highest quality standard when making traditional gin.
When applied to gin, you need to understand the history of gin making as this standard mark can be compared to the ‘Appellation d’Origine Controlee’ of French wines or the ‘Reinheitsgebot’ Purity Laws applied to the making of the highest quality German beer.
To explain the history, gin began its life as a medicinal liquor in the 11th century when it was made by monks across Europe and particularly Southern Italy and Flanders. Gin became popular in England after the introduction of Jenniver, a medicinal drink imported from Holland and Belgium. Its popularity grew in England after 1688 with the ‘Glorious Revolution’ led by William of Orange and the restrictions placed on the import of French brandy by the Crown.
During the 18th Century gin became particularly popular when the government allowed unlicensed gin production and again imposed heavy duty on imported spirits. As a result, between 1695 and 1735 thousands of gin shops grew up across England in what was known as the ‘Gin Craze’. The quality and flavour of the gin produced was often very poor and was masked by the addition of sugar or other flavourings and was often hazardous to health. As a result, gin was portrayed as the scourge of the working class and was famously portrayed by Holbein in his etching of ‘Gin Lane’.
The invention of the ‘Column Still’ in 1826 enabled the distillation of pure natural spirits and the creation of ‘London Dry Gin’ which is a process that ensures the highest quality distilled spirit.
To meet the standards of a ‘London Dry Gin’ we start with the purest alcohol with an initial strength of at least 96% ABV, ensure a predominant flavour from natural juniper berries, guarantee that no artificial ingredients are included in our gin, and we add nothing after distillation other than the purist spring water to achieve the required alcohol strength.
At Silk Route Spirits we are proud to meet this quality measure when we present to you our range of ‘London Dry Gins’, we promise you the purest of tastes and the highest possible standards from a modern gin.
For more information, visit our website and online shop – www.silkroutespirits.co.uk