Editing Gin (section)

=== Flavouring ===

Botanical ingredients used to flavour gin include various spices, roots and fruits. The most common ingredient, besides the required juniper, is [[coriander]], which adds a warm, spicy citrus-like flavour. Common spice botanicals include [[cinnamon]], [[Cinnamomum aromaticum|cassia]], [[cardamom]], Pepper ([[Black pepper|black]] or [[Sichuan pepper|sichuan]]), and [[nutmeg]]. Root botanicals, which add their own flavour but also aid in combining and fixing more volatile flavours together, include [[angelica]] root, [[orris root]], and [[liquorice]] root. Citrus peels are the most common fruit botanicals and are used for their flavoursome oils which impart fresh citrus flavours, but also a gentle heat; the most commonly used are [[lemon]], [[Orange (fruit)|orange]], and [[grapefruit]]. Many distillers will add other exotic and mundane botanicals to impart a unique flavour and [[Unique selling proposition|USP]]; these include [[saffron]], [[baobab]], [[frankincense]], [[clove]], [[ginger]], [[pine]] needles and cone, [[Aframomum melegueta|grains of paradise]], dragon eye ([[longan]]), and many more.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Difford |first1=Simon |title=Gin botanicals | url=https://www.diffordsguide.com/g/1108/gin/gin-botanicals |website=Difford's Guide |date=28 March 2014 |access-date=19 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Newman |first1=Kara |title=Gin Botanicals, Decoded |url=https://www.winemag.com/2017/05/09/gin-botanicals-decoded/ |website=Wine Enthusiast |date=9 May 2017 |access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Hines |first1=Nick |title=The 10 Most Popular Botanicals in Gin, Explained |url=https://vinepair.com/articles/most-popular-botanicals-gin/ |website=VinePair |date=25 October 2017 |access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref>

Chemical research has begun to identify the various chemicals that are extracted in the distillation process and contribute to gin's flavouring. For example, juniper [[monoterpene]]s come from juniper berries. Citric and berry flavours come from chemicals such as [[limonene]] and gamma-terpinene [[linalool]] found in limes, blueberries and hops amongst others. Floral notes come from compounds such as geraniol and eugenol. Spice-like flavours come from chemicals such as [[sabinene]], delta-3-carene, and para-cymene.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Riu-Aumatell|first1=M.|last2=Vichi|first2=S.|last3=Mora-Pons|first3=M.|last4=López-Tamames|first4=E.|last5=Buxaderas|first5=S.|date=2008-08-01|title=Sensory Characterization of Dry Gins with Different Volatile Profiles|journal=Journal of Food Science|language=en|volume=73|issue=6|pages=S286–S293|doi=10.1111/j.1750-3841.2008.00820.x|pmid=19241573|issn=1750-3841}}</ref>

In 2018, more than half the growth in the UK Gin category was contributed by flavoured gin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2018/12/flavoured-gin-contributes-over-50-of-the-growth-in-sector/|title=Flavoured gin contributes over 50% of the growth in sector|date=21 December 2018 }}</ref>