If there’s one thing the Brits take seriously, it’s their gin and tonic.
It requires a precise blend of the spirit, mixer, lime wedge and – of course – ice.
But the subtle fusion of flavours is at risk, experts have warned – with climate change to blame.
Juniper berries are what give gin its distinct piney, woody and citrus-y notes.
Now, scientists have found that volatile weather patterns – made more likely by climate breakdown – could make the botanical sweeter and spicier in some years and less intense during others.
Experts from Heriot-Watt University’s International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD) warned changing weather might be altering the flavour compounds in the berries.
Like grapes, the climate and environment that junipers grow in can influence their intensity and dominant flavours.
‘A wet harvest year can reduce the total volatile compounds in juniper by about 12 per cent compared to a dry year,’ Matthew Pauley, an assistant professor at the ICBD told The Guardian.
Gin and tonic is so popular in the UK that last year, it overtook tea as the nation’s favourite drink
Juniper berries, pictured here growing on a tree, are the main ingredient of gin and provide its distinct taste
‘This has direct implications for the sensory characteristics that make gin taste like gin.’
For their research, scientists distilled juniper berries from different regions across Europe including Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo and Italy.
Analysis of the resulting spirits revealed berries from each region had distinct chemical profiles which gave them slightly different tastes.
For example, gin from Albania has a higher abundance of orange and citrus compounds, while gin from Bosnia might have a more woody, pine-y taste.
The team distilled juniper berries from varying harvest years and discovered the amount of rainfall in a given year could significantly impact the flavour of the berries.
Wetter weather meant longer drying periods for the berries were needed, which changed the abundance of chemicals within them.
They found the abundance of Alpha-humulene, which contributes to the berry’s spicy and peppery notes, drops during rainy years.
Beta-Caryophyllene, which provides citrus, floral and sweet attributes to juniper, also declines.
The researchers found that the abundance of compounds varied markedly between wet and dry years
Previously, scientists have revealed the recipe for the perfect gin and tonic – and it includes a slice of mango
And levels of Beta-myrcene, which helps provide a ‘minty’ taste to the berries, also decreases during wet harvest years.
The countries involved in the study, which are located around southern and southeastern Europe, are expected to be significantly impacted by climate change.
Experts predict this area of Europe will experience increased heatwaves and droughts – along with periods of intense rainfall that can vary drastically from year-to-year.
The study showed that across all six countries the total harvest rainfall in 2017 was 1,218mm, which dropped to 774mm the following year.
If this pattern continues then hotter, drier years could produce juniper berries that are especially sweet and spicy, while wetter seasons could results in a product that has markedly less intense flavour.
Professor Annie Hill, the study’s supervisor, said: ‘For distillers, this means the flavour profile can shift depending on harvest conditions.
‘For a multibillion-pound industry, which is increasingly focused on consistency and quality for its discerning customers, this represents a risk.’
The study, published in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing, reads: ‘Juniper berries and other plant botanicals are used in the production of beverages and contribute signature flavour and aroma.
‘Inconsistent or inferior quality of botanicals is a concern and result in consumer dissatisfaction, and reduced sales.
‘This work will be of interest to distillers, suppliers of botanicals and juniper farmers, and will inform drying regimes consequent on climate change.’
The team said that the most likely outcome of the impact of climate change would be that gin distillers would choose to harvest their juniper berries from a different area.
In a similar way to champagne companies buying vinewards in the south of England, previously non-suitable areas for growing juniper berries may be considered.
