Gin for the Win

By Janice Tober

From the Queen Mary 2 to London’s best bars, one devotee of the spirit begins a quest to find Britain’s best gin cocktails

In 1839, Samuel Cunard originally launched the Cunard Line to carry mail to and from the UK and North America via Halifax. He would never have imagined that, 100 years later, his ships would be carrying some of the world’s most glamorous passengers, from celebrities to royalty, during the Golden Age of transatlantic crossings.

I was keen to experience some of that dazzle myself when I boarded the Queen Mary 2 in New York for the journey to Southampton. Then I planned to explore the place that made gin famous — London.

QM2 IN NEW YORK CITY

© CUNARD

I expected the QM2 to be quintessentially British and offer a proper afternoon tea, a full English breakfast and — most importantly for me — a happy hour that included plenty of gin and tonics. I had visions of imbibing these cocktails on the windswept deck, wrapped in a blanket on a wooden lounger while watching the ocean waves swell and sway as I sipped.

My heart leapt when I discovered Cunard not only has a fine selection of gin, but also its very own private line, 3 Queens Gin from Edinburgh-based Pickering’s Gin. (Coincidentally, it is owned by the great-nephew of a former Cunard captain.) Of the brand’s three gins, my favourite was the more intense Queen Elizabeth, made with botanicals from the Far East, including lotus root, star anise, Kaffir lime leaves and cardamom. It’s ideal for a full-flavoured G&T with a kick of spice.

ONE OF MANY G&TS FROM MR FOGG'S EXTENSIVE MENU

MR FOGG'S GIN PARLOUR

The Ginstitute, where gin aficionados learn about the history of gin in the UK, from London’s early gin craze to the beginnings of the gin palaces that evolved into the London pubs we know today.

And once you get your fill of history and the gin cocktails they serve during class, the fun really begins. With your newfound knowledge, you get to create your own bespoke bottle of gin to take home. Mixing ingredients amongst a group of likeminded individuals, I found the gin-soaked conversation particularly interesting, as we spoke earnestly about the salient features of each ingredient and the potential benefit of adding asparagus to a gin recipe (said to produce a nice mouth-feel).

Stoked with knowledge, it was time to take it on the town and discover a few London gin joints that serve a perfect G&T. Here’s where my gin passion took me:

THE GIN BAR AT THE ROSEWOOD LONDON

Get ready to settle in at the comfy, copper-topped bar in the Holborn Dining Room because this is where you’ll find more than 500 gins and over 30 tonics (London’s largest selection). If you tried a different gin-tonic combination every night, it would take over 41 years until you’d have to repeat one.

MR FOGG’S GIN PARLOUR

This is one of those places that looks like you might be stopping in for spot of tea, not a G&T. This Victoriana parlour serves up a wealth of rare and hard to find varieties — more than 200. Place yourself in the barkeep’s hands and they will select the best for you, while you soak up the atmosphere.

MR FOGG'S GIN PARLOUR

© MR FOGG'S GIN PARLOUR

MOTHER’S RUIN GIN PALACE

This small neighbourhood joint offers two house-made small-batch gins, brimming with botanicals and fruit. The award-winning Mother’s Ruin Old Tom Gin takes cocktails up a notch with a richer, sweeter profile than traditional London dry gins. The fruity Damson Gin is made from plums picked on the family orchard in Cumbria. If you’re lucky, the bar might even have a limited-edition gin or two on-site, like the rose geranium or fennel.

MOTHER'S RUIN GIN PALACE

© MOTHER'S RUIN GIN PALACE

THE BRIG AT MERCHANT HOUSE

Located near St. Paul’s Cathedral, The Brig is a private bar within a bar. Here you can sample one of more than 400 gins on hand in a wee bar that holds up to four people. The drinks menu is a takeaway treasure, focusing on the history and movement of spirits, and the navy-painted brick walls and drawings of ships brought me right back to where I started my gin journey — the QM2.