The flavour of gin and tonic may never be the same again due to climate change, a new study has suggested.
Scientists have found that volatile weather conditions, could change the taste of juniper berries – the botanical that gives the spirit its distinctive taste.
It could make the drink less floral, sweet, citrus, woody, earthy or musty than its current flavour, according to scientists from Heriot-Watt University’s International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD).
The same species of berry grown in different parts of the world contain different flavour compounds, just like wine. This is dependent on rainfall and sunshine, according to the study, published in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing.
Researchers put this to the test by distilling berries from different regions across Europe. This included Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo and Italy all from varying harvest years.
The spirits were analysed by separating the compounds of the gin using gas chromatography to measure the levels of key flavour compounds.
It confirmed that each region had its own distinct chemical profile, which impacts the overall flavour of the gin.
Wetter weather meant the berries needed longer drying periods, which changed the amount of water-soluble chemicals in the berries. As a result, harvest conditions can change how gin tastes.
For example, meteorological data shows it rained 57 per cent more in the harvest months for juniper- September to November- in seven locations in 2017 in comparison to 2018.
The juniper berries harvested in 2017 needed more drying to achieve the optimum 15 per cent moisture content in comparison to the 2018 harvest.
Matthew Pauley, an assistant professor at the ICBD, said: “A wet harvest year can reduce the total volatile compounds in juniper by about 12 per cent compared to a dry year.
“This has direct implications for the sensory characteristics that make gin taste like gin.”
Study authors stress that their observations relate to the difference in moisture content at harvest and not directly to the growing conditions of the berries.
Professor Annie Hill, the study’s supervisor, explained this is a “risk” for the multibillion-pound industry which has a focus on “consistency and quality”.
Gin producers select their berries from certain regions to achieve a distinctive taste, but climate change disrupting weather patterns and causing more rainfall in certain areas could change the final product.
