Stephen Jardine: Food for thought

Cursed Fiend, with Fury fraught

Makes human race a Prey

It enters by a deadly Draught

And steals our Life away

WHAT was the Reverend James Townley writing about 260 years ago? His words sound like they could be related to the plague or smallpox. But he was actually warning of the dangers of gin.

It arrived in Britain from Holland in the early 17th century, but a hundred years later the country had gone gin crazy. William Hogarth’s famous engraving Gin Lane dates from 1751 and depicts the many lives destroyed by the spirit.

A woman drops her baby – the ultimate taboo – and a barber hangs himself in the filthy attic of his shop, ruined because no-one can afford a haircut or a shave. It’s an apocalyptic scene, but back then gin consumption was a crisis threatening the very fabric of society.

Hogarth’s cautionary depiction was an early attempt to warn of the dangers, but eventually the government had to turn to legislation and the Gin Act slapped crippling taxes on the spirit to deter consumption.

The idea of using price to discourage problem drinking is nothing new and back then it worked, and in time duty was gradually relaxed.

Fast forward to today and gin is suddenly back in fashion. The last couple of years have seen an explosion in the number of specialist gin producers. In the 1970s Gordon’s and tonic became a shorthand order for the drink as it was quaffed up and down the land by every golf club bore.

But Britain’s most traditional brand has now been joined by Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Plymouth and many others.

More to the point, Scotland is playing a full part in the gin revolution, producing fantastic, great-tasting brands like Caorunn, Edinburgh, Blackwoods, Hendricks and Spencerfield Spirit Company’s excellent Edinburgh gin.

The key constituent in gin is juniper and it grows in abundance here, from Orkney down to the Borders. But what has given gin its new lease of life in recent years is the cocktail craze, where gin tends to play a key balancing role, and our current food obsession with seasonal and local. Gin is basically a pure spirit like vodka, but the flavour comes from the botanicals and gives a natural twist to the product.

Blackwood’s Gin contains bog myrtle, wild water mint, violets and sea pink. It may be gin, but it sounds like aisle five in your local health food shop.

Andy Gemmell, from Maxxium UK, is one of Scotland’s leading mixologists and a gin fan. “One reason I think gin is on the increase is because more consumers are looking for something more than just vodka, which is the country biggest- selling spirit.

“It’s also versatile and people like that. You can have it in a simple G&T or you can have it in many classic cocktails. Now with many premium and speciality varieties coming on to the market it is becoming more of a fashion statement what brand of gin you drink,” said Gemmell.

Just as ordering a glass of white wine elicits a choice of grape varieties, the development of contemporary bar culture has led to a stage where asking for gin and tonic now brings a choice of brands representing different styles. But is there something more at work here? Think of wine and you think of celebrations and good times. That doesn’t feel right at the moment as Europe deals with the biggest economic crisis for a generation.Perhaps gin is a more appropriate drink for the times we are living through. As businesses go bust and unemployment rises, maybe we are turning to the drink that has been our national comfort for nearly 300 years. Who can blame us in these dark days for relying on a little bit of Dutch courage?

• Stephen Jardine is director of Taste Communications