Whichever Great British event you will be celebrating this year you’ll want a patriotic drink in your hand: and what could be more British alongside your strawberries and cream than a drink made with the special Commemorative Edition Hayman’s 1850 Reserve Gin?
You see the Hayman family have good reason to be patriotic as they are the longest serving gin distilling family in England and have been proudly producing British gins since 1863 when Christopher Hayman’s great grandfather, James Burrough, purchased a gin rectifying company in London.
There are now five generations of expertise at Hayman Distillers and the family knowledge has been used to develop a range of specialist premium gins. The latest of which, Hayman’s 1850 Reserve Gin, is distilled to a recipe from the 1850s, made in small batches and cask rested for 3 to 4 weeks in the tradition of Victorian Gin Palace style gin.
“In the mid-1800s, drinking establishments known as Gin Palaces were commonplace on almost every street corner in London. The first was most likely that of Fearon’s, in Holborn Hill around 1830. During this era, Gin Palaces changed gin from a drink of the taverns to becoming part of a more refined social activity.” – James Hayman
The Hayman’s family have recreated this sophisticated gin style and are making it with the care and attention that comes through years of gin distilling wisdom.
Each bottle of Hayman’s 1850 Reserve Gin is distilled from a small batch of no more than 5000 to a specific Gin recipe with juniper and coriander being the key botanicals.
Before 1861 Gin was served from wooden barrels rather than individual bottles and Hayman’s 1850 Reserve Gin is rested in Scotch whisky barrels for 3 to 4 weeks to emulate this unique style.
Each bottle is then individually numbered alongside the batch no. The Commemorative Edition will bear the insignia above to mark this special Great British summer.
The Hayman’s 1850 Reserve gin has a mellow fresh savoury flavour with notes to the hints of spice and pepper from the Juniper and Coriander. It works elegantly in a gin and tonic or for the more spirited, a classic gin martini. See recipe below.
60ml Hayman’s 1850 Reserve Gin
20ml French Vermouth
Dash or Olive brine
Dash of Orange Bitters (Optional)
Shake with ice and strain into a pre-chilled Martini glass.
Garnish with an olive.
