The science of distilling gin
Do you know your cold compound from your London dry? Nina Notman sorts through the botanicals to find the perfect cocktail
We’re in the middle of a gin renaissance, with sales of rocketing globally. Most quality gin is made by redistilling 96% pure ethanol with botanical flavourings, the main one of which is juniper berries. These infuse an array of flavour compounds, including mono- and sesquiterpenes. The distilling set-up is remarkably like familiar lab equipment, with condensing a key part.