Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Planet's Gin Supplies Threatened By Rapidly Spreading Juniper Fungus
By
Lauren Evans
Published Jun 20, 2013
Modified Jun 20, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Goodnight, sweet drink. Igor Norman/Shutterstock
By
Lauren Evans
Published Jun 20, 2013
Modified Jun 20, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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.
Tagged
gin
juniper berries
Lauren Evans
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Sep 12, 2026
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
Food
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Can a congressional candidate's dumpling diplomacy win over Queens’ immigrant communities?
By
Caroline Shin
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .