Gin is a grain spirit that is distilled a second time with juniper berries and botanicals (assortment of herbs and spices). All gin must include juniper berries and the combination of botanicals that can range from as few as four to as many as 15. Originally produced in Holland for medicinal purposes, the spirit was found by British troops during the Dutch War of Independence around 1580. The word ‘gin’ is an English shortening of genever, the Dutch word for juniper. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, the British government establish control over gin production and took the beverage with them to the far corners of their Empire.