Six things you may not know about gin

1. It is thought to have been invented in the Netherlands in the 13th century. It was originally called Genever and was prescribed to help alleviate kidney ailments, gout and gallstones.

2. It's been around in Britain since the 17th century.

3. In the 18th century, a love of cheap gin led to widespread drunkenness, so the Government introduced the Gin Law, which put huge taxes on the drink

4. It was a hit in the British colonies in the 19th century when people drank gin to mask the taste of the quinine they had to take to stop themselves contracting malaria

5. The current UK gin market is worth a staggering £1.9billion

6. The most unusual gin you can get in the UK? Try Anty Gin, infused with 62 ants per bottle, although you may need to take out a loan....it costs £210 a bottle!