On Food and Cooking

last time, to a minimum of 37.5% alcohol,
along with juniper berries and other spices
and herbs, whose aromatic molecules end up
in the final gin.
English-style, or “dry” gin, begins with
neutral 96% alcohol produced from grain or
molasses by other distilleries. This flavorless
liquid is then diluted with water and
redistilled in a pot with juniper and other
flavorings. Juniper is required for the product
to be called gin, and most gins also contain
coriander. The other ingredients may include
citrus peel and a great variety of spices. This
distillate is diluted before bottling to 37.5 to
47% alcohol.
The primary aromas in gin come from the
terpene aromatics (p. 390) in the spices and
herbs, especially notes of pine, citrus, flowers,
and wood (pinene, limonene, linalool,
myrcene). Dutch gin is generally enjoyed on
its own, while beginning in the 1890s, English
dry gin inspired many cocktails and tall mixed