# Gin and Tonic Nostalgia > How gin brands invent tradition to sell imperial nostalgia. - Title: Gin and Tonic Nostalgia · Foreign Policy | Shortify - Summary: How gin brands invent tradition to sell imperial nostalgia. Gin brands like Bombay Sapphire and Gordon's use historical myths to appeal to imperial… - Keywords: gin, tonic water, bombay sapphire, gordon's, imperial nostalgia, winston churchill, eric hobsbawm, invented traditions, british empire, quinnia, malaria, historical myths - Source: Foreign Policy — https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/10/16/gin-tonic-churchill-nostalgia-invented-tradition - Author: Nick Danforth - Read time: 1 min - Topics: gin, tonic water, bombay sapphire, gordon's, imperial nostalgia, winston churchill, eric hobsbawm, invented traditions, british empire, quinnia, malaria, historical myths ## Gin and Tonic Myth The drink myth claims British officers in India invented it to treat malaria with quinine. > Contrary to many accounts, there’s no evidence that the famous drink was actually invented by British officers in India to make their malaria medicine more palatable. ## Churchill Quote A popular quote attributed to Churchill about gin and tonic saving lives is likely a modern invention. > Similarly, there is no evidence that Winston Churchill ever actually said, “The gin and tonic has saved more Englishmen’s lives, and minds, than all the doctors in the Empire,” a quote that seems to have been invented online in the early 2010s. ## Gordon's Gin Gordon's gin, launched in 1769, was popular among British sailors and later became associated with the empire. > First launched by Scottish distiller Alexander Gordon in 1769, it’s the gin that the men building the British Empire were actually drinking. ## Bombay Sapphire Bombay Sapphire, created in 1986, uses imperial symbols to evoke British history and empire. > Bombay Sapphire was created in 1986 by the British beverage giant International Distillers & Vintners. ## Eric Hobsbawm Historian Eric Hobsbawm coined 'invented traditions' to explain how historical myths are recent creations. > British historian and co-author of The Invention of Tradition, Eric Hobsbawm in Jan. 1976. ## Invented Traditions Many traditions like the Scottish kilt and British Christmas broadcasts are recent inventions. > These include the Scottish kilt, invented by an English Quaker industrialist in the 18th century, and the British monarch’s annual Christmas broadcast, 'instituted in 1932 and immediately adopted as 'traditional.' ## Imperial Nostalgia Imperial nostalgia is a potent branding force for products that evoke historical empire. > Imperial nostalgia is a potent branding force, even when the brand in question postdates the empire itself. ## Gin Branding Gin brands use historical associations to create a sense of imperial legacy and nostalgia. > Gordon’s is generally considered a budget friendly gin, retailing for around $15 a bottle in the United States. Bombay Sapphire, in turn, is a mid-tier, or self-described premium, gin, a bit pricier at $25 or so. ## Historical Myths Historical myths are particularly important to right-wing nationalists who imagine their countries as more ancient and virtuous. > Historical myths are particularly important to right-wing nationalists, who consistently imagine their countries as more ancient and more virtuous than they really are. ## Gin Brands Gin brands like Plymouth and Old Raj use historical or faux historical elements to appeal to nostalgia. > Plymouth has been produced at the same distillery in Devon since 1793, and the current bottles have revived an old design featuring a picture of the Mayflower in full sail. ## Fever Tree Fever Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water uses historical malaria treatment to appeal to imperial nostalgia. > Since 2005, the makers of Fever Tree have embraced their product’s long-standing association with malaria treatment, and proudly announce where they source their quinine on every bottle. ## Gin and Tonic The drink's historical accuracy is a trade-off between myth and reality for consumers. > When discussing tradition, invented and otherwise, Hobsbawm observes that customary practices only become 'tradition' when the historical circumstances surrounding them change. ## Conclusion Gin brands use historical myths to sell imperial nostalgia, but historians argue these traditions are recent inventions. > Which brings us back to the question of why people mix myth and history in the first place. For some, myth is the intoxicating spirit that makes history worth drinking at all. ## Key takeaway Gin brands like Bombay Sapphire and Gordon's use historical myths to appeal to imperial nostalgia, but historians argue these traditions are recent inventions.