This turn to respectability was due, in large measure, to the introduction of the column still, which proved to be far more hygienic and efficient than other cruder gin stills. With the expansion of the British Empire, gin became a favorite international tipple. London Dry Gin was viewed as the clear, limpid counterpart to Britain's other wildly successful spirit, amber-colored Scotch whisky. Indeed, in Britain's tropical colonies, quinine was widely added to gin, creating the gin and tonic, as much a combatant of malaria as a late afternoon cocktail. All suggested retail prices are for 750-ml bottles.
Juniper berries stand out.
A sinewy beauty that's an international icon. A genuinely superb martini base. Noted for its cream, vanilla bean and spice flavors. A sturdy, blue-collar gin that's tangy with juniper, coriander and cassia. The Raj and Tonic is a deviously ribald cocktail around which one could build an entire summer.