Gin might be England’s national spirit but Holland was the first country to produce this popular distilled product.
Most of the most famous gins you see around the world hail from the UK, so it is forgiveable to think that the spirit first came from here.
The English actually discovered gin when they were fighting the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century in Holland and saw Dutch soldiers drinking Jenever to boost morale before heading into battle. The term “Dutch Courage” was born, and the English brought the idea of making and drinking gin back with them. It would take another 150 years before they would have their own version.
