Making your own gin

[Simpo Two]

I thought you'd enjoy this topic...

Gin is my favourite spirit but I don't drink vodka. I have a half-bottle of vodka going spare.

The theory is this. Vodka is basically just alcohol and water, whilst gin has juniper berries and other 'botanicals' in it. So the plan is to stick lots of botanical stuff into my bottle of vodka and make it into gin (not unlike making sloe gin or rumtopf)

So, what do I need apart from juniper berries? In fact I don't have a juniper but can probably lay my hands on some Leylandii berries. This is going to be interesting.

[Simpo Two]

Sooo, what do I need to put in my vodka to make it taste nice?

I read about orange and lemon zest somewhere, and coriander.

[Simpo Two]

Blimey, I want gin, not curry!

[Simpo Two]

Distilling alcohol, ie making spirit, is illegal - though I suppose you could declare it to HMRC and pay duty... however I already have a (legal) bottle of vodka and just want to flavour it.