A classic summer refreshment, gin and tonic, may no longer taste the same — and climate change is to blame. According to a study from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, shifting weather conditions are impacting the key ingredient of gin: juniper. Increased rainfall is reducing the levels of aromatic compounds in the plant, leading to a duller, less distinct flavour.
This is part of a larger pattern: climate change is already transforming the taste and availability of several foods and drinks. Coffee is losing its acidity, chocolate is becoming harder to grow due to heat and disease, wines in France are changing in profile due to early grape harvesting, and hops vital to beer are suffering lower yields in Europe.
Though it might seem like a niche concern, experts argue that taste is deeply tied to culture, geography, and tradition — or what is known as terroir. Every flavour holds the memory of place and time, the result of long-term human-environment interaction. Losing these flavours is losing part of our history and identity.
So next time you sip your G&T, remember — climate change is not just altering our landscapes, but also our sensory experiences, one flavour at a time.
