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Planet's Gin Supplies Threatened By Rapidly Spreading Juniper Fungus
By
Lauren Evans
Published Jun 20, 2013
Modified Jun 20, 2013
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Goodnight, sweet drink. Igor Norman/Shutterstock
By
Lauren Evans
Published Jun 20, 2013
Modified Jun 20, 2013
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Attention, Drinkers of Earth: First, it's important to note that this article is not meant to alarm you, but it is our obligation to deliver the news, be it good, Citi Bike, or bad. And so it is with great regret that we must tell you that, as of this day, the world's gin supply is under threat.
The Telegraph reported yesterday that Phytophthora austrocedrae has been spotted on juniper bushes in northern Britain, primarily in the Lakes District and Scotland. Juniper berries, as you know, are a key component in gin flavoring, and Phytophthora austrocedrae is akin to juniper berry cancer. The situation is grave.
Much of southern England has already lost 60 to 70 percent of its juniper population, and now, plants in the north are threatened as well. The paper reports that while "most commercial gin is largely from Eastern Europe nowadays, the British population is key to the survival of the whole species." The fungus has likely been in Argentina and Chile for at least 50 years, it has only recently been identified in the UK. Conceivably, it can go anywhere.
Is this the End of Gimlet Days? We don't want to speculate, but from now on, hold your Hendricks a little closer at night. Tell your Bombay Sapphire that you love it, and most importantly, never go to bed angry and/or sober. These last days of gin are precious, and we don't want you to regret...or remember...a thing.
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Lauren Evans
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