Vickers Gin

IN REGENCY-ERA LONDON, BROTHERS JOHN AND JOSEPH VICKERS CREATED A DRINK OF EXCEPTIONAL REFINEMENT AND PURITY.

LEFT: The Vickers Signature Serve: The Thyme Traveller.

RIGHT: A historic Vicker’s Gin advertisement. THEIR DISTILLERY, J & J VICKERS AND Co. was first registered in 1813, with both brothers becoming Master Distillers through time. By 1824 the brothers had set up the company J&J Vickers & Co. and operated from their distillery on the Thames River in Stoney Street, London.

Vickers was first exported from London to Australia in the early 1930’s, and by the early 1940’s it was made under license in Geelong, Victoria, always inspired by the original recipe. From that first day, generations have continued seeking out Vickers Gin for its sophisticated dimension in refreshment.

Vickers Gin continues to be produced in the traditional London Dry style and is made exclusively from agricultural grain, in this case high quality corn. The spirit and botanicals are distilled to 70 per cent ABV through a column still for over 14 hours with consistency and quality maintained under the watchful eye of Master Distiller Graham Buller to ensure quality and flavour in every batch.

Vickers Gin is made with a proprietary blend of botanicals, which create a subtle, crisp and elegant Gin. Using the classic juniper berry, which opens up a wonderful perfumed fragrance, other botanicals include angelica root for subtle earthy tones, bitter almonds for a silky, smooth palate, caraway oil adding texture, and coriander, providing light citrus notes and hints of gingery spice. The result is a subtle and elegant gin that is exceptionally refined; perfect for mixed drinks.

Along with a blend of botanicals, Vickers Gin is uniquely made with water that has been sourced from an underground aquifer that was formed in a glacial period more than 2.5 million years ago. This water is naturally filtered by underground limestone, which ensures a pure and clean base in Vickers Gin.

Australia embraced the Vickers Gin brand over 180 years ago and today it continues to prosper with consumers nationwide. With an increasing consumer thirst for premium Australian Gin, Vickers will turn its attention to developing premium, small batch offerings from their distillery in Riverland, South Australia. Master Distiller Graham Buller is excited to be working with the brand in 2016 on new and exciting concepts and flavour profiles using some of the native ingredients available from the region. The abundance of local botanicals, unique grains, fruits and other ingredients will provide Vickers with a unique offering in the premium Gin category while maintaining the quality of the Vickers brand.

Vickers signature serve ‘The Thyme Traveller Gin’ is a Gin and Tonic with a twist using premium mixers from Bickford & Sons. Inspired by the recipes used in the original Bickford’s factory in the late 1800’s, Bickford and Sons Tonic Water contains Natural Cinchona extract (Extracted from the Bark of the Cinchona Tree originally identified for its medicinal properties particularly in the treatment of malaria) and is exquisitely balanced to create a smooth, fresh flavour without the harsh bitterness of synthetic substitutes. With a fragrant, slightly floral aroma, our Tonic enhances the botanicals in Vickers Gin and with the inspired addition of black pepper and thyme creates a modern taste twist to an enduringly elegant classic.

THE THYME TRAVELLER GIN AND TONIC

Glass: Classic rocks glass

Ingredients: 30ml Vickers Gin Bickford and Sons Tonic Water

Garnish: Dehydrated lemon, a sprig of thyme and cracked black pepper. Drop in whole cracked peppercorns

Method: Pour Vickers Gin over cubed ice. Top off with Bickford and Sons Tonic Water and stir once. ❧

Gin & Tonics began in India

“The British combated the high rates of Malaria in India by adding high levels of quinine to a carbonated soft drink, otherwise known as Indian Tonic Water. The mixer grew in popularity as gin was added to soothe the bitter taste, and over the years the quinine level was reduced.”