There is nothing more English than a G&T on a fine summers day. Only two flaws in that statement; the chances of having a fine summers day are not high, and gin is Dutch.

Bought over with William of Orange in 1688 as genever, the English have taken this potent spirit and made it their own. But on it's way to becoming a quintessential English spirit, it has wreaked havoc in London, where you could be drunk for a penny, dead drunk for twopence and clean straw for nothing. For several decade the majority of the poor in London was completely plastered, and only proper legislation meant that the drink problem was tackled and bought under control.

All through the book, Williams brings you stories, tales and anecdotes of the rise and fall and rise again of this aromatic drink. From the histories of the stills and distillers, and the methods that gave us London Dry gin, to the rise once again as a base for the drinks in the modern cocktail industry, it is a fascinating account of this simple drink.

Worth a read for anyone who has a penchant for gin, now pass me the tonic. ( )

Gin is a peculiarly English drink, developed in the seventeenth century from a Dutch spirit. Due to tax breaks gin became a very cheap spirit which was consumed in vast quantities before falling out of fashion and currently undergoing a revival. This simple premise has been woven into a truly fascinating exploration of the social history of drinking in London.

The detail and research is great but there are wonderful twists in this book - ideas for cocktails, information about the newer artisan brands and the references to great literature - which make it a good read as well. ( )