Tasting Kitchen

FEATURE
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g & tea
Beefeater Gin Ambassador Tim Stones explains why gin should be everyone’s very British cup of tea.
“JAMES BOND NEVER DRANK Vodka martinis
– that was a concept invented by
Hollywood,” asserts Beefeater Gin Ambassador
Tim Stones. “If you read Ian Fleming’s
books, you will see that Bond drank Vespers:
two parts gin, one vodka and a little Kina
Lillet. Gin is the best spirit. James Bond,
most bartenders and I will agree on that.”
Stones believes gin can pair with just
about anything, that the number of complex
flavors in the spirit allow it to meld
with chocolate and cream to create a fancy
Gin Alexander, or to combine with bitter
herbal Campari in the grown-up flavors of
a classic Negroni. Beefeater London Dry
Gin has always been popular with bartenders
and drinkers. Since 2009, Beefeater 24,
a premium dry London gin with interesting
green tea and sencha tea notes, has been
winning new devotees, and accolades like a
gold medal at the 2010 San Francisco World
Spirits Competition.
“This was the brainchild of Beef eater’s
master distiller Desmond Payn e,” says
Stones. “He was inspired by trips he made
to Asia, where he often found the local tonic
water too sweet to mix with gin for a traditional
G and T. He started to use chilled
green tea as a mixer, which worked so beautifully
that he then decided to add tea as a
botanical in his new gin blend. Beefeater 24
has a higher alcohol content than many gins
because the delicate flavors of the tea need
more stability. The higher the alcohol content,
the brighter the botanicals can shine.”
“Tea has thousands of flavor compounds,”
says Stones. “Like gin, it works well with all
sorts of regular ingredients. Combining tea
and gin allows even more scope for mixing
drinks.” Stones doesn’t stop at using tea as
a mixer – he infuses gin with tea leaves,
and makes tea syrups which add beautiful
aromas to his cocktails.
The name Beefeater comes from the
nickname given to the English soldiers who
guard the Crown Jewels in the Tower of
London. Officially known as Yeomen Warders,
Beefeaters wear distinctive midnight
blue and bright red uniforms. In addition to
guarding the jewels and any prisoners who
may be in the Tower, they look after the
welfare of the black ravens that patrol the
grounds. Ravens have lived in the Tower for
centuries and it is believed that if they ever
leave, the British Monarchy and the tower
itself will crumble and fall. To avoid this
unfortunate outcome, one of the Beefeaters
trims the ravens’ wing feathers so they are
grounded within the Tower walls.
Beefeater 24 gin comes in an attractive
bottle which hints at this exceptional heritage.
The cap is striped to mimic the regular uniform
of the Beefeaters. A small raven is visible
through the gin on the back of the main label.
The red on the label represents the Black
Prince Ruby, the egg-sized gem mounted at
the front of the British Monarch’s crown.
“The Beefeaters have their own pub,”
says Stones. “It’s inside the Tower grounds
not too far from Traitor’s gate.” And what is
their favorite drink? “Beefeater gin and tonic
of course! They love it!”
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| TK | flavor dna