About Suffonian Gin

[Sheczar 378]

 

 

SUFFONIAN GIN

 

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About Suffonian Gin

Suffonian Gin is an alcoholic beverage brewed from juniper berries, herbs, and cinnamon alongside various other spices which are not disclosed to the public. On the day King Edward I, ordered his Warwick Castle, Suffolk Woods were covering all of the Suffonian domain and thus in order for the castle to be built the forest had to be cut down. While the timber from the chopped down trees were used in the construction they also beared an excess amount of juniper berries. While some Suffonians waited the construction of the castle in Avalain City (hosted by King Wilhelm I), some more eager ones formed tent camps around the construction site. These campers started experimenting with their juniper berry stockpile and these experiments led to the foundation of the Suffonian Gin. Suffonian Gin became an instant phenomenon amongst the Suffonian people and to this day it is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in Suffonia (followed by local Suffonian wine brands). Following the construction of Warwick Castle, Suffonian Gin production was professionalised and flavoured up by additional ingredients imported from southern provinces. Today Royal Liquor & Wine Company has monopoly rights over the production and distillation of the beverage to ensure quality control.

 

Taste and Bottling

Suffonian Gin tastes similar to Vodka, yet it holds more flavour. It has a piney flavour and hints of citrus from the juniper berries and an earthy flavour from various herbs, followed with a bit of tang from the citrusy ingredients such as lime can be tasted with every taste bud. As Suffonian Gin is aged in spruce barrels for at least five years, this aging process also roughens up the taste. Following the aging process, Suffonian Gin is bottled in glass bottles with a glass cork (shaped as an eagle as most things are in Suffonia) to ensure nothing interferes with the taste. Suffonian Gin is a hard liquor, it is often mixed with other drinks and consumed as a cocktail especially by female consumers. Locals tends to call plain Suffonian Gin as Suffonian Dry while ordering.

 

Gin in Belly

For some decades now, “gin in belly” has become a phrase for attestation of truth amongst Suffonian people. The phrase is known to be used dryly such as “gin in belly” or as an enrichment for another attestation such as “I swear gin in belly” or “he took a gin in belly oath”. For example if a Suffonian man would wish to express that he never cheated on his wife, he could either say “Gin in belly I have never cheated on old Betsy” or “I swear gin in belly I have never cheated you cutiepie”. While this phrase was first used by the commoners it comes from a superstition originated from Pembroke Palace. 

Starting from the days his royal majesty King Edward I was only the Duke of Warwick, it became a tradition for him to treat his councillors and ministers with a glass of Suffonian Gin before every council meeting. This was because even if he does not consume alcohol due to religious purposes, he was buying bottles of Suffonian Gin to support local producers and merchant and thus he had an excess amount of Suffonian Gin which he was not able to store anymore. Our etymological research yields that during such a meeting a palace maid heard Prince Anthony Suffolk saying, “Suffonian Gin again, the Archduke clearly wishes to loosen our tongues” to Viscount Valentin Castelo, where in return the Viscount jested back with saying “Let us then tread carefully for a loose tongue before the Archduke can end up on a lost head”. The aforesaid maid was terrified of this conversation but she was also very curious for she was the one constantly serving Suffonian Gin during council meetings and she built up her courage and asked one night to Prince Anthony Suffolk why the Archduke kept treating them Suffonian Gin. As she caught Prince Anthony in a happy mood, he jested “Ah the Archduke probably wishes to keeps us honest while giving him council!”. 

Prince Anthony did not know back then that his jest would be taken so seriously. The said maid returned home later that night and disclosed what she learned to her husband. Her husband next day told everyone in tavern that the Archduke was forcing his councillors to drink Suffonian Gin to prevent them from lying. This rumour spread like a forest fire on a bone dry summer morning and became widely accepted. Soon merchants begun to force each other to drink Suffonian Gin before business transactions and people started to say things such as “I drank gin so I must be telling the truth” or “I have gin in my belly, clearly I cannot lie!” These sayings ended up forming the phrase “gin in belly” with today's modern meaning.

Also with the support and advertisements of the Royal Liquor & Wine Company, in addition to the common usage of the “gin in belly” phrase, it became tradition for in Suffonia to drink Suffonian Gin before signing any contract and before important meetings and transactions, with the belief that the act will end up an honest one if parties have "gin in belly". Thus Suffonian Gin is now served in all council meetings regardless of the attendance of the King and most contracts to this day are signed after a glass of Suffonian Gin.

 

 

POPULAR COCKTAILS

Suffonian Gin & Warwick Tonic

Before the completion of Warwick Castle, Suffonians suffered a dark age where some needed to stay in different cities while some resided in tent camps. During this period pounding of proper medicine was a challenge since ingredients were scarce. To supply the much needed medicine during this time, first Head Physician Warwick the Healer came up with a tonic which he made by pouding spruce bark and herbs in to mineral water, which he named Warwick Tonic after himself (as most Suffonians tends to do). While the medical value of this Warwick Tonic was highly questionable, Warwick the Healer forced this treatment to all of his patients claiming it was a miraculous medicine. Even after the death of the Head Physician and construction of Warwick Castle, Suffonian physicians who failed to diagnose a disease usually prescribed Warwick Tonic to their patients hoping GOD would take care of the rest. As Warwick Tonic has a splintery (literally) flavour, some patients begun to add Suffonian Gin to their Warwick Tonic and soon it was discovered that the sparkly new drink had an enjoyable taste. Thereafter it is possible to find Suffonian Gin & Tonic in all Suffonian inns and taverns.

 

Bloody Eagle

On a dry summer day, Prince Henry, Prince Anthony and Princess Eleanor were having a family picnic at their palace garden (Emperor Alexander II Garden). While Prince Anthony and Princess Eleanor were swimming in the pool and enjoying the day, Prince Henry was preoccupied with the task of elevating the flavour of Suffonian Gin. He recently had an argument with a local innkeep when the man claimed Suffonian Gin was not popular amongst foreign visitors from the south because of its bitter taste. Prince Henry was bewildered for drinking Suffonian Gin was a privileged delight but he still begun  experimenting with different spices and ingredients to come up with an alternative that would appease foreign customers. While the prince was working like a commoner, his highly bored and entitled sister, came out of the pool grabbed and threw him a badly aimed tomato "Why dont thee put this in, hm?" Believing revenge is a dish best served with gin, with the intention shoving the liquid down from his devious sisters throat the prince grabbed the tomato and squeeze its juice into the cup, stirring it neatly with pepper and some sauces he just grabbed from the picnic basket. Before he was able to execute his revenge plan, Prince Henry realised just how fair a colour the liquid has taken and couldn't resist a sip. After having the first taste the prince was simply perplexed and quite shocked upon what his taste buds encountered, it was actually pretty good. So he chuckled, made another fresh one for his sister, this time added a few more herbs that he likes to keep hidden, and her sister's reaction was simply "This is Bloody Good, Henry!" Which lead to the name be the "Bloody Eagle" a special drink derived from the royal family

 

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