Gin The National Jenever Museums are located in Hasselt, Belgium, and Schiedam, the Netherlands. The name "gin" is a shortened form of the older English word "genever", related to the French word "genièvre" and the Dutch word "jenever". All ultimately derive from "juniperus", the Latin for juniper. Although several different styles of gin have evolved, it is legally differentiated into four categories in the European Union, which are described as follows. In the EU, the minimum bottled alcoholic strength for gin, distilled gin, and London gin is 37.5 per cent ABV. In the United States, gin is defined as an alcoholic
Juniper berry 8–10 months in a few species, and about 24 months in "J. drupacea"). The mature, dark berries are usually but not exclusively used in cuisine, while gin is flavoured with fully grown but immature green berries. The flavor profile of young, green berries is dominated by pinene; as they mature this piney, resinous backdrop is joined by what Harold McGee describes as "green-fresh" and citrus notes. The outer scales of the berries are relatively flavourless, so the berries are almost always at least lightly crushed before being used as a spice. They are used both fresh and dried, but their