4 minute read
The King’s Ginger
- LONDON, ENGLAND / BERRY BROS. & RUDD -
A HIGH-STRENGTH GINGER LIQUEUR FIT FOR A KING IS BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE FROM A HISTORIC RECIPE
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BERRY BROS. & RUDD | Berry Bros. & Rudd was established in 1698 at No.3 St. James’s Street in London, just up the street from St. James’s Palace, where the future King Edward VII was born in 1841.
In 1760, Berry Bros. began supplying wine and spirits to the British Royal Family, and they continue to do so to this day.
KING EDWARD VII | In 1901, King Edward VII succeeded Queen Victoria as King of England and Emperor of India, though he had a reputation for being more a socialite than a statesman.
Prior to becoming King, Edward was a leader of London society and the fashionable elite, spending his time drinking, gambling, shooting, racing, sailing and eating. Although the Palace decided Edward needed a wife to settle down with, he enthusiastically pursued the life of a ‘bon vivant’, and continued to have many lady friends throughout his life.
These included Lady Randolph Churchill (mother of Winston Churchill), renowned actress and beauty Lillie Langtry, actress Sarah Bernhardt, and Alice Keppel-the great-grandmother of Camilla Parker-Bowles.
A LIQUEUR FIT FOR A KING | In 1900 Edward bought a Daimler car, and thus became the first member of the Royal family to own an automobile. In 1905, he purchased seven more Daimlers in a single year. The Royal Physician became concerned about the monarch’s health, exposed as he was
to the elements by his passion for riding these horseless carriages.
In 1903, Berry Bros. was granted a Royal Warrant and commissioned to formulate a liqueur which would warm and revivify His Majesty during his morning rides: The King’s Ginger was born.
In addition to serving as a tonic after a session of driving, The King’s Ginger also became a tradition at the King’s hunts. It is no coincidence, perhaps, that in the first season after the creation of the ginger liqueur, a record 1,300 partridge were shot in one day at Sandringham.
In 2009, more than a century later, Berry Bros. & Rudd resumed production of The King’s Ginger for a new generation to enjoy.
LEFT | A painting of King Edward VII. During his brief but impactful reign, the “Edwardian” period would become synonymous with high fashion, modernization, and the appreciation of the finer things in life.
THE KING’S GINGER LIQUEUR The King’s Ginger is a high-strength liqueur created from the careful maceration of ginger root and the judicious addition of citrus in the form of lemon oil. This rich golden liqueur has a pronounced spicy ginger emphasis and a delightfully crisp flavor, and has been appreciated by bon viveurs, sporting gentlemen and high-spirited ladies since its royal inception. The King’s Ginger was specifically formulated by Berry Bros. & Rudd in 1903 for King Edward VII. Rich and zesty, the liqueur was created by the royal physician to stimulate and revive the King when he was exposed to the elements in his new horseless carriage, the Daimler. 29.9% ABV GOLD MEDAL | Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America 2017 “In my opinion, the best ginger liqueur is the deliciously spicy and tingling King’s Ginger, which also has the rich back story of having been created by London’s Berry Bros. & Rudd in the early 20th century for King Edward VII. The King’s Ginger launched in the U.S. in 2012. What sets it apart is its higher proof (82), which brings bigger flavor to cocktails.” - Jason
Wilson, The Washington Post “The legendary British merchant [Berry Bros. & Rudd] was all over the place this year, bringing us this fantastic ginger liqueur made from Glenrothes single malt whisky, macerated ginger, lemon peel, and a bit of cane sugar. You can drink it alone, with ginger beer for an extra kick, or in numerous cocktails.” - David Driscoll, K&L Wine Merchants
- Jason Wilson, The Washington Post -
TOP | King Edward VII driving one of his prized “horseless carriages,” a hobby that would eventually inspire the creation of The King’s Ginger liqueur BOTTOM LEFT | A portrait of King Edward VII after a hunt, no doubt with a flask of The King’s Ginger nearby BOTTOM RIGHT | An early bottle of The King’s Ginger in the cellars at Berry Bros. & Rudd at No.3 St. James’s Street
