Gin had become its own thing by the time of the gin craze. The origins of the gin epidemic are varied but introduction from a foreign source is not one of them.

Gin had become its own thing by the time of the gin craze. The origins of the gin epidemic are varied but introduction from a foreign source is not one of them. In fact one of the major factors was Britain subsidizing the local gin industry and establishing protectionist laws that cut down trade for liquor from Continental Europe. 20 years of that plus the majority of Londoners losing their shirt in the South Seas panic was a recipe for disaster. It’s a fascinating case study with echoes to the current opioid crisis. For more information checkout, Gin: The Much Lamented Death of Madam Geneva. You could also make an argument for rum is native to Britain given it was likely in invented in Barbados, or another British sugar island as a direct result of colonization.