Observed annually on the second Saturday of June, World Gin Day is a holiday that celebrates the taste, splendor, and versatility of gin. For people who might not be aware, gin is essentially a distilled alcoholic drink that derives the majority of its flavor from juniper berries.

Although it was originally used as a medicinal tonic back in the day, it has since become a very popular addition to many different mixed drinks. Some of the most popular mixed drinks that use gin include the Martini, the Gin and Tonic, the Tom Collins, the Negroni, and a variety of other drinks, all of which are nice to enjoy on this holiday.

The History of World Gin Day

Gin is a drink that can trace its origins back to the Middle Ages. There are various historical documents that reference a 13th-century Flemish drink known as “Genever.” However, it wouldn’t be made on a regular basis until the 17th century when the Dutch began producing large quantities of it.

It was so popular in the Netherlands that there were hundreds of distilleries in Amsterdam at the time. The Dutch physician Franciscus Sylvius used the drink as a medical tonic, and he firmly believed that it contained some sort of mysterious healing properties. However, people liked the taste so much that it quickly shifted from a medicinal potion to a social drink.

By the 18th century, it had become an extremely popular drink in Europe, especially in London. From there, it spread throughout the world and is now one of the more popular libations available. In 2009, World Gin Day was created to celebrate this drink.

It was created by Neil Houston, someone who was a huge fan of this drink. Afraid that spirits such as whiskey and vodka were upstaging gin, he and his partner Emma Stokes decided to launch this day to popularize a gin bar. From that point on, this holiday would be observed by anyone and everyone who loves gin.

Observing World Gin Day

The question people of legal drinking age should be asking themselves is not whether they should observe World Gin Day, but how. And we would like to offer a suggestion in that regard. There are dozens of gin-based drinks that we enjoy, but probably one of our favorites is the Salty Dog.

Although this drink is usually made with grapefruit juice, vodka, and a salted rim, it’s twice as glorious when the vodka is replaced with gin. With that said, people can either opt to try that drink or another one of the many gin-based drinks. And while they’re doing so, they can let everyone know what they chose by using the hashtag #WorldGinDay on social media.