What is Gin made from?

What is Gin Made From? Is Gin Made From Vodka?

One of the most common questions we get asked time and time again on our tours or at markets; is gin made from vodka? The simple answer is yes….however read on to discover why gin is not just vodka.

Vodka is a spirit produced from a range of products such as malt barley (like ours), potatoes, milk, wheat - the list goes on! Texture is one of the most important features that differentiates a premium vodka from a low-quality vodka, and different products can affect that quality. Many companies will experiment with a variety of products to create a spirit that they feel is high in quality and smooth in texture.

We have experimented with many different recipes, some more successful than others! Some leading to absolute disasters, but also to our Malt Barley Vodka that has now been nominated one of the Top 10 Vodkas in the World. Experimentation and patience is key to creating a premium vodka. Unlike us, many gin distilleries skip this part of the process because of how difficult it can be! However, we like to get messy and create a vodka that is our own and tastes just like we want!

Once you have produced your vodka, you can begin to think about gin! Here is the legal definition:

‘ Gin is a juniper-flavoured spirit drink produced by flavouring ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin with juniper berries (Juniperus communis L.).
(b)  The minimum alcoholic strength by volume of gin shall be 37,5 %.

(c)  Only flavouring substances or flavouring preparations or both shall be used for the production of gin so that the taste is predominantly that of juniper.’ 

Gin is fairly straight-forward depending on which type you decide to make and there are legal definitions for those too, but different types of gin are for another blog! To put it simply, Gin is vodka infused with juniper. Another term which can be used for vodka, is grain neutral spirit/ethyl alcohol (GNS) - this is the product many gin distilleries will buy and then use to distill their gins if they do not produce their own vodka. There are a range of methods which you can use to create a gin but that would also warrant another blog haha! 

So for everyone wondering if gin is made from vodka, but why it is different from vodka - I hope this blog answered your question and gave a little bit more clarity surrounding the topic of Gin vs Vodka!