A History and Tasting of Gin

Join the British Chamber of Commerce as we take a journey through the world of gin, sampling gins from 5 different countries, whilst learning about the history of the famed drink.

Once called 'mother's ruin', gin was actually incredibly popular in the UK back in the 1700s – in fact, it got somewhat out of hand. There were around 7000 (legal) gin shops in London alone, plus many more distributors acting outside the law, in the 1730s. By 1743, England was consuming 10 litres of gin per person annually. The Gin Act in 1751, plus a greater demand for tea and some bad harvests making gin more pricey, put an end to this massive craze.

Gin has made a massive comeback in the UK, with figures showing that in the 12 months to June this year sales in the UK were worth over £1.6 billion, up 38% on last year. The UK now boasts over 320 distilleries, more than double of that 5 years ago. Gin is now officially the UK's favourite spirit overtaking whisky and vodka. Global sales also experienced an 8% increase over the last year.

With this in mind, we have acquired some of the finest gins from around the world, as well as an award-winning Chilean Tonic for you to sample. Bring your friends and colleagues for what promises to be an informative and extremely fun Friday evening!