The spirit is in fashion, driven by cocktail culture and an interest in botanical flavors. Varieties have proliferated, including gins that change color when mixed with tonic and others flavored with Brussels sprouts, seaweed, fresh cream and beef.
Nicholas Cook, director general of Britain's Gin Guild, which was spun off from the centuries-old Worshipful Company of Distillers, has been willing to accept all of those. But there's a simple rule he won't bend: beverages labeled gin must be at least 37.5% alcohol by volume in Britain, and 40% in the U.S.
“If it's not gin in the bottle, a brand should not put gin on the bottle,” is his mantra.
He makes his point over and over, often with a dash of bitters: “No no no #thisisnotgin” he writes on Twitter while pointing out offending beverages.
— The Wall Street Journal
