Drinks Enthusiast: A Mother's Day present of Hayman's British gin

PERFECT GIFT: Mother's Day present

By David Marsland, Drinks Enthusiast

MM columnist and Drinks Enthusiast, David Marsland, gives the perfect present for next Sunday's Mother's Day...

Mother's day is upon us, and if your mother is anything like mine, she loves her gin.

But do you ever think of purchasing her a bottle as a present? If you do, is it the usual ‘buy off the shelf’ gin, possibly delving into the delights of the sloe variety for something a bit different?

Well Hayman’s are on hand to liven up your Mother's Day presents with an offering of four miniatures that cover the majority of their British gin range. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a gift pack that includes London Dry, Sloe, Old Tom and 1820 Gin Liqueur.

But why should you deviate away from your past brands of choice? Well Hayman’s has a rather simple history, and can have its name etched amongst one of the worlds most well-know gin brands – Beefeater.

The original company of Hayman Distillers was founded in 1863 by a gentleman named James Burrough, the great Grandfather of the current Chairman, Christopher Hayman. It was James Burrough who created the world-renowned Beefeater Gin. They sold the Beefeater Brand to Whitbread in 1987, but retained the archive of recipes which were used as a spring board to create the new Hayman’s products and continue to distill and blend traditionally both gin and other white spirits.

So with a rather historical background, what do Hayman’s gin offer to their customers? Well below, I give to you some background information on each, as well as my tasting notes.

Hayman’s London Dry Gin – 40%

A combination of 10 botanicals, including angelica roots from France as well as liquorice, create Hayman’s London Dry Gin, with the traditional London Dry style being carefully balanced with juniper, coriander, orange and lemon peel. After 24 hours of being steeped, it is then distilled in a traditional pot still.

Fresh citrus lemon on the nose with a delicate mix of juniper flowing through. A clean flavour on the palate, with a slight tang on entry, however it smoothes itself out into a slight dryness.

Hayman’s Old Tom Gin – 40%

A botanically intensive gin that delivers a more rounded experience than other styles of gin, this was the ‘Gin of Choice’ back in the 19th Century, with its popularity stretching back to the 18th Century.

On the nose, a subtle lavender aroma mixes well with a sweetened fruity nose. A clean smell of ginger, juniper and coriander follow through onto the palate with orange joining the mix. Very drinkable with a slight dryness on the aftertaste.

Hayman’s 1820 Gin Liqueur – 40%

The worlds first gin liqueur distilled to a specific gin recipe in a traditional pot still and then blended into a liqueur.

A smooth, clean and refreshing citrus aroma on the nose with a small hint of herbal essence. The sweetness on the palate brings out flavours of orange.

Hayman’s Sloe Gin – 26%

A traditional English Liqueur made to a long-standing family recipe previously only available for private use. Wild English grown sloe berries are gently steeped for several months with Hayman’s Gin before being blended with natural sugar.

Very fresh and light on the nose with a good dose of sloe berry aroma. Rather light and refreshing on the palate with a bold beginning. Mellows out rather quickly, with cinnamon and citrus the noticeable flavours.

A fantastic range from England’s longest-serving gin distilling family with the Old Tom and London Dry being personal highlights.

With other varieties including Plymouth, Damson and Reserve available, there’s no shortage of ideas for future gifts. And with Hayman’s popping up in more and more bars and restaurants, you can’t escape the fact that their gin is not one to ignore. So embrace!

But before all that, what if your mother would like something to mix with her selection of Hayman’s gin? Well below, I give to you 4 simple recipes that can be created in any household -

Hayman’s Gin and Tonic

Glass -

Highball / Rocks

Ingredients -

50ml Hayman’s London Dry
Tonic Water
Slice of lime

Method -

Pour into a glass filled with ice and stir. Garnish with a slice of lime.

Tom Collins

Glass -

Highball

Ingredients -

50ml Hayman’s Old Tom Gin
25ml fresh lemon juice
Top with soda

Method -

Pour into a glass filled with ice and stir. Garnish with a wedge of lemon.

Hayman’s Sloe Royale

Glass -

Champagne Flute

Ingredients -

25ml Hayman’s Sloe Gin
75ml Champagne / Sparkling Wine

Method -

Pour Hayman’s Sloe Gin into a Champagne flute and top with chilled Champagne / Sparkling Wine. Garnish with summer berries.

Hayman’s 1820 & Pink Grapefruit

Glass -

Tumbler

Ingredients -

50ml Hayman’s 1820
Fresh pink grapefruit juice

Method -

Pour chilled Hayman’s 1820 and pink grapefruit juice over ice. Garnish with slices of cucumber, strawberry and mint.

You can purchase the Hayman’s Gin gift set exclusively at Harvey Nichols Wine Shops nationwide.

You can find an extensive range of tasting notes at the Drinks Enthusiast blog.

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