PRODUCT OF THE MONTH, GERMANY
Join the English Gin renaissance “You may think you already know English Gin but we urge you to look again. In an era where the majority of gins are produced using industrial processes unrecognisable to early distillers, we believe that the ‘True English Gin’ style is worth championing, preserving and protecting”, Christopher Hayman, fourth generation master distiller.
and less obvious than most other gins available today, it is a style as distinct from the current new wave of gins and mass produced brands, as a quality French Bordeaux is from new world reds.
TEXT: SIERRA MADRE I PHOTOS: HAYMAN’S
The family’s gins were widely used as the basis for both the original 19th century cocktail boom and the later prohibition-era cocktail boom in the 1920s and 1930s – with Hayman family English Gins being the foundation for many classic cocktails.
In a time where most gin producers have focused on what is new, the current Hayman family members remain steadfastly focused on championing the ‘True English Gin’ style developed by their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great grandparents. In 1863, James Hayman’s great-great grandfather launched his first London 18 | Issue 61 | April 2018
distillery. His ‘London Dry’ style became a runaway success, and a 150 year family passion for ‘True English Gin’ was born. ‘True English Gin’ is the archetypal style on which the original cocktail scene was first developed. At its best, the style is renowned for its uniquely balanced, nuanced character created through a long two-day distillation process. More subtle
Creating classical flavour Unlike many other ‘new wave’ gins, the ingredients list for Hayman’s ‘True English Gins’ is remarkably short: the whole