Tanqueray

THE SEARCH FOR QUALITY AND ELEGANCE HAS INCREASED IN RECENT YEARS, WITH CONSUMERS SIMPLY LONGING FOR A TIPPLE THAT WILL ADD A LITTLE LUXURY TO THEIR LIVES. IT’S NO WONDER THEN THAT THE SEARCH FOR PREMIUM SPIRITS IS ON THE RISE, WITH TANQUERAY OFFERING GIN LOVERS EXACTLY WHAT THEY’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR… THAT IS INNOVATION, ELEGANCE AND REPUTATION ALL IN THE ONE RED-STAMPED BOTTLE.

ABOVE: Workers packing Tanqueray in boxes.

OPPOSITE: Bloomsbury Distillery 1899. OUR STORY BEGINS WITH CHARLES Tanqueray, the son of a clergyman who traded a church for a still. But this wasn’t just any old still, this was the very still that would set in motion the production of a superior gin. And this wasn’t just any man; this was Charles Tanqueray, a man whose name became synonymous with simple perfection, and over 180 years of people enjoying his gin is testament to that.

Charles experimented and obsessed for years in his quest to create the highest quality gin on the market and his effort certainly did not go to waste. In fact, the recipe for Tanqueray gin is so top secret that only a handful of people across the globe have been entrusted with it today, and they are notoriously sought-after party guests for that very reason.

Unfortunately, Charles passed away in 1865 and the booming business was handed over to his son, Charles Waugh Tanqueray. While Tanqueray was always viewed as a luxury brand, it became increasingly popular across the British Colonies and stocked in the best bars and grocers under Charles Jnr’s careful hand. One of the colonies that Tanqueray had a strong relationship with was the U.S. In fact, during the years of prohibition, Charles and his team found new ways to ship bottles of gin to the U.S, which involved floating cases to the islands off

the coast where they could be discreetly collected. If the gin was so good that people would go to those great lengths to drink it, it’s no surprise then that Tanqueray was enjoyed by some of history’s greats, including none other than Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack.

As a luxury spirit it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine, Tanqueray also had its fair share of tough times; but you know what they say, it’s the challenges in life that define us. Whilst the distillery remained in London for a long time, World War II saw it bombed and mostly destroyed, bar the oldest still. ‘Old Tom’ as it was known is still used today at Tanqueray’s new home in Cameron Bridge, Scotland.

So what makes a luxury gin so great? Well, Tanqueray’s natural purity comes from its signature blend of botanicals that are matured for 18 months. The perfectionists at the distillery will generally select 10 per cent of the botanicals supplied to ensure that only the finest quality gin is produced. It has been said that the Master Distiller would sooner reject an entire harvest than use botanicals that aren’t up to these exacting standards.

The signature red seal on the bottle is the official stamp of Tanqueray quality, while the crest on the bottle is steeped in history itself. The pineapple

is a representation of good hospitality and wealth (you can imagine obtaining a pineapple in the 1800s in London was rather a difficult and expensive endeavour) and the crossed axes are said to represent the family’s participation in the third crusade.

In the year 2000, the brand launched Tanqueray No.TEN as an evolution of the original spirit. It was an instant success being inducted into the San Francisco International Spirits Hall of Fame, making it the only white spirit to do so. Tanqueray No. TEN has also won ‘Best White Spirit’ 3 years in a row.

Tanqueray No. TEN takes its name from the distillery’s number 10 still, known as “Tiny Ten”. Dating back to the 1930s, this small pot was originally used as an experimental or trial-run still. Unlike its bigger brothers, Tiny Ten is heated by a steam jacket as opposed to steam coils. Tiny Ten is used for the first distillation, the second and final distillation takes place in the larger vintage Old Tom No. 4 still.

The production of Tanqueray No. TEN is one of love, labour and history. The botanicals used in every batch begin with a blend of juniper, angelica, coriander and liquorice, and whilst most gins use dried citrus peel in their recipes, Tanqueray No. TEN uses fresh citrus fruit, something that can be easily distinguished on the nose. These fresh citrus fruits are cut and placed into the leaf still with Florida oranges, Mexican limes and white grapefruit. In addition to this, chamomile flowers are added, which provide a distinct aroma to the equation.

What’s also special about Tanqueray No. TEN Gin is the list of drinks it can be used to create. Read on to discover the cocktail recipes that can easily be made at home. ❧

Tiny Ten Still.

Tasting notes

TANQUERAY LONDON DRY GIN

Apperance: Clear

Aroma: Aromatic, prominent juniper scent, with hints of citrus, herbs and liquorice

Flavour: A complex but well balanced taste with a smooth long finish TANQUERAY NO. TEN GIN

Apperance: Clear

Aroma: Grapefruit and camomile are evident on the nose but so are complex spice and juniper. These flavours continue through the long, almost creamy, sherbet finish

Flavour: The wonderfully rounded palate is incredibly smooth considering its heady alcoholic strength. Juniper is integrated with freshly squeezed lemon, orange and pink grapefruit juice while white pepper and coriander spice add depth. All these flavours continue through the long, almost creamy, sherbet finish

Signature serves

TANQUERAY & TONIC

Glass: Wine goblet

Ingredients: 30ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin Top with Tonic water

Garnish: Lime wedge

Method: Build 30ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin and tonic water over ice and stir. Garnish with a lime wedge TOM COLLINS

Glass: Tall glass

Ingredients: 30ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin 15ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml Simple syrup Top with Soda water

Garnish: Garnish with a maraschino cherry and orange slice

Method: Add Tanqueray London Dry Gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and ice to shaker. Shake well. Strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Top with soda water, stir well and garnish

TANQUERAY NO.TEN & TONIC

Glass: Highball

Ingredients: 30ml Tanqueray No.TEN Gin Top with Tonic water

Garnish: Grapefruit slice

Method: Build Tanqueray No.TEN gin, tonic water and ice in a highball glass. Stir and garnish TINY TEN

Glass: Martini glass

Ingredients: 50ml Tanqueray No.TEN Gin 15ml Sugar syrup Squeeze ¼ Fresh Grapefruit

Garnish: Grapefruit twist

Method: Squeeze ¼ pink grapefruit into a shaker and add Tanqueray No.TEN gin and 15ml sugar syrup. Shake hard and strain into a frozen martini cocktail glass and garnish FRENCH 75

Glass: Coupe glass

Ingredients: 30ml Tanqueray No.TEN Gin 15ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml Simple syrup Top with sparkling wine

Garnish: Lemon twish

Method: Shake Tanqueray No.TEN gin, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup with ice. Strain into a flute or coupe glass, top with sparkling wine and garnish