Good morning! 
It is Tuesday, 19 October 2021
(W42 | D292 | 73 rem)
Today is: 
International Gin and Tonic Day
International G&T Day was founded in honour of gin lover Mary Edith Keyburn, who passed away aged 95 on that date in 2010 with a G&T in a teacup by her bedside in a hospital in the USA.
According to her friends who established the day in her memory, Edith was âa remarkable woman who loved to have the occasional tipple of gin and tonicâ. Her family smuggled the G&T into the hospital in a water bottle and hid it in plain sight in a teacup.
Starting with family and friends, the International Gin and Tonic Day Facebook page was established in 2012.
Gin and tonics have been substantially a British drink for the longest time. As a staple among the list of amazing cocktails out there, gin and tonics have a high bitterness to it, but it dies down with lime and sugar to make it palatable for most people. Whether you order it at a bar or make it at home, gin and tonics deserve their day to be celebrated.
The cocktail idea began during the reign of the British East India Company in India during the 1700âs. Malaria had been roaming around in India and became a problem. To treat malaria, George Cleghorn, a Scottish doctor, discovered that quinine, a flavour component of tonic water, could be used to treat malaria. However, not many liked the taste.
So, British officers in India in the early 1800âs began adding water, sugar, lime, and gin to the tonic water, and thus a gin and tonic was born. While tonic water isnât used as an antimalarial treatment, tonic water contains less quinine and is sweeter.
As for the gin component of the cocktail, gin is made explicitly with juniper berries and was sold in 17th century Holland as a cure for medical issues like gout, gallstones and stomach problems.
From there, gin and tonic became a popularized British drink, one that would even transcend into popular culture. One of the most famous references for this drink was in the movie Dr. No from the James Bond series. Bond talks about one of these drinks in Jamaica, a recipe where you would squeeze a whole lime into the drink itself, making the drink tart and refreshing. While there are other references in popular culture, gin and tonics are considered to be a classic cocktail.
Organizers of the event bill it as a day when gin-lovers can enjoy their favourite drinks in the time-honoured tradition. It is an opportunity for them to step back in time, and enjoy the once-medicinal flavors of the beverage, and enjoy contemporary twists.
One of the hallmarks of the event is the sheer variety of gin and tonic recipes out there. Mixologists have plied their trade, creating beverages for practically every palate, from the person who loves bitterness to those who prefer their G&Ts spicy (yes, literally!).
International Gin and Tonic Day is an opportunity for regular drinkers to find out more about their favourite drinks. For instance, sloe gin â one of the all-time classics â is made by soaking the fruits of the blackthorn tree in sugar water for several months. Harvesters pick the sloes off the trees following the first frost of winter, usually in October or November, and then submerge them in spirits. They then leave them to steep, imparting their flavour to the rest of the gin over the following months.
We also see a proliferation of flavoured gins in trendy bars. Punters can now get their hands on rhubarb, orange, and raspberry varieties, adding a little extra kick to the experience. For those with more refined palates, several companies are now experimenting with adding herbal flavours to the drink, such as lovage. This savoury gin is nothing like the regular flavours and provides drinkers with something fundamentally new to tickle their taste buds.
Itâs always gin oâclock somewhere! And remember, itâs okay if itâs to help ward off malaria. Cheers! 
Know more:
https://m.facebook.com/InternationalGinAndTonicDay/
