I'd like to say that irked me too, but it would be a total lie. I would watch as much as I possibly could of that world being realised on screen like that; I would watch a documentary on the role of Shirrifs in the Shire, or an Archaeological dig at Fornost. I'm not proud of this though.
As for Gin and tonic (can't believe I'm talking about booze after Saturday), I have two theories about it, A- it's so refreshing, it can sober you up after drinking beers, and B- it's probably one of the more reliable and cost-effective drinks to drink at the airport and on a plane.