It's Gin Season!

Well, it's always gin season really but when the sun starts to shine, it makes it totally acceptable to drink gin from around 10am, late into the night. It's ok, it's very English you see and that makes it ok, so long as you are wearing a bowler hat.

I have been sent freebies (woop!) and thankfully, it's gin, otherwise my previous sentence and the title would be completely redundant...

I have been sent three little samples from Haymans, who are the oldest gin distilling family in England. Dating back to 1863 when Christopher Hayman’s Great Grandfather, James Burrough, purchased a gin rectifying company in London, which became known as Beefeater (yes, that Beefeater), the family became a successful distiller. in 1980, Beefeater was sold but they carried on making niche, premiums gin in their own name.

"SO! What on earth were these damn gins then Freddy?"
Well hang on Mum, I'll tell you.

First up was Hayman's Old Tom Gin, which they say is the "distinguished Gin of the Victorian era" - a classic style.
I must admit, I haven't drunk gin for a few months and it was as soon as i stuck my nose in the bottle of this that I realised I have been a fool. Immediately I was seriously craving a proper G&T. The smell sent me straight back to sitting outside on a hot summer afternoon with sunglasses on and a Gin and Tonic in hand.
Old Tom (the gin, not a tramp) has a fruit-driven nose. There is mouth watering citrus and also a hint of ginger. The botanicals are absolutely stunning here and it makes you wish you were in a fist-fight in a Victorian pub.

How you should drink it:
Gin Rickey

INGREDIENTS:

50ml Hayman’s Old Tom Gin

½ a fresh lime cut into segments

Top with Soda water.

ICE:  Cubed

GARNISH:  Lime Wedge

METHOD:  Squeeze the lime segments into the glass, add ice and build the rest of the ingredients into the glass and stir.

Next, was Hayman's London Dry Gin, the style that we all know and love
best. This is every bit as pleasing as the first one. The London Dry Gin is made up using 10 different botanicals and is jam-packed full of flavour. It isn't punchy or uncool though, this is still an amazingly refined gin and since trying it, it's certainly up there with my favourite London Dry Gins.

How you should drink it:
The Classic - Gin & Tonic

INGREDIENTS:

50ml Hayman’s London Dry Gin

Top up with tonic water

GLASS: Collins Glass

ICE: Cubed

GARNISH: Lime Wedge

METHOD: Build in the glass

Finally, when I thought things couldn't get any better, I came to the Sloe Gin. I bloody love Sloe Gin, although I would tend to drink it more in the winter than at this time of year.

The recipe for Hayman's Sloe Gin is apparently from a long standing family recipe, that was previously only available for private use... Sounds a bit suspect but it's really delicious, so we will let them off.

How you should drink it:
The Sloe Royale

INGREDIENTS:

25ml Hayman’s Sloe Gin

75ml Champagne (or Prosecco/English sparkling wine)

GLASS: Champagne flute

ICE: None

GARNISH: Summer Berries

METHOD: Pour 25ml of Hayman's Sloe gin into a chilled champagne flute and top up with fresh, chilled champagne.  Settle the sloe at the bottom of the champagne and garnish with summer berries.

All of these Hayman's gins are available online, from Master of Malt, ranging in price from £17.53 up to £20.19 - very reasonable prices especially for the quality. I urge you to give them a try and let us know what you think!