Second 'gin craze' sweeps london

Alfie Amayo, a 23-year-old brand ambassador for the City of London Distillery, pours a gin in the distillery in London. The quintessentially British drink of gin is shaking off its grandmotherly image to enjoy a revival led by the capital London.Ben Stansall / Agence France Presse

Drink once promoted as an alternative to French brandy enjoying a renewal NAOMI O'LEARY

Gin, the quintessentially British drink, is shaking off its fusty image to enjoy a revival led by the capital London, which has seen a boom in distilleries and dedicated bars.

"We cannot keep up with demand," says William Borrell, who since May has been making 12 bottles a day in a former public bathroom in North London, which has been converted into a bar called "Ladies and Gentlemen".

Sales of premium gin have risen 49 percent over the past two years, according to consultants CGA, and industry observers point to a second "Gin Craze" after the drink's first boom in the 18th century.

Back then gin was promoted as a patriotic alternative to French brandy. By 1726 there were 1,500 stills in London, but the government was forced to backtrack when the production boom was blamed for causing a crisis of drunkenness and debauchery.