Gin Jaunt: A Tour of London’s Iconic Gin Cocktails
Creating a guide to drinking gin in London is like writing a list of coffee shops in San Francisco–you definitely don’t need it, but it’s fun to have. London’s history is steeped in gin, and London Dry is still being produced within city limits by several big name distilleries, including Beefeater, Sipsmith, and Thames Distillers, home of Fords Gin, among others. Grab a drinking bud and join in a historic tour of some of London’s top gin joints in the form of hotel bars and contemporary classics.
Table of Contents
History Highlights
Gin Craze
In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, London’s so-called “Gin Craze” was in full force. Until Parliament passed the Gin Act of 1751, a tough set of ordinances that introduced unprecedentedly harsh punishments for the illegal gin sales that were rampant at the time, the crime rate rose and poverty increased as gin, the cheaper alternative to beer, was consumed at a rapid clip.
Gin & Tonics
In the mid 1800’s, as the British Empire broadened its power to take over the governance of India, Brits in the tropical climes began to consume gin with tonic water, made from bitter cinchona bark, as a refreshing way to ward off digestive issues, if not malaria. That bitter quinine takes London dry gin to an even more delicious place and the drink quickly becomes a modern classic.
Bright Young People
The 1920’s were particularly roaring in London, as the bohemian aristocrats known as the Bright Young Things and American expats escaping prohibition partied into the night fueled by cocktails and harder stuff, with jazz as their soundtrack.
Gin Cocktail Guide
A Martini at Duke’s
Duke’s Bar in Mayfair offers a slightly stodgy yet singular experience in a plush setting tucked in the cobbled streets of St. James’s. Barman Allessandro Palazzi’s white coated team will roll out the trolley and present an exquisite, expensive, ice-cold martini customized to your preference, finished with a fragrant Amalfi Coast lemon twist. Says Simon Ford, bon vivant and founder of Fords Gin, “Drinking a martini is the sophisticated way to do five shots of gin in one go.” Savor one and move along.
A Martinez at The Connaught
At the Connaught, Agostino Perrone’s squad performs elegant cocktail acrobatics with high pours tableside, house “vermouth assemblages,” and a choice of bitters concocted from the likes of tonka beans, cardamom, or lavender. This art deco den would be the right spot to try a Martinez, the deep dark predecessor to the modern martini that was originally made with the whiskey-like Dutch Gin called genever. Perrone’s recipe adds a touch of balsamic vinegar which brings the gin’s juniper and other botanicals into focus.
A Corpse Reviver #2 at The American Bar at the Savoy
Since 1893, the bartenders at the American Bar have been creating and nailing the classics. The absinthe-spiked up drink known as Corpse Reviver #2 was invented at the Savoy, and entered the gin canon as recorded in the 1930 version of the Savoy Cocktail Book. Stay perched at the bar for another OG–gin lovers recommend sampling a fernet-spiked Hanky Panky or a frothy White Lady.
A Vesper at the Spy Bar at Raffles
This clandestine bar hides in the basement of the Raffles Hotel in the restored Old War Office, where Sir Winston Churchill worked and Sir Ian Fleming found inspiration for his James Bond series surrounded by spy-types like Mansfield Cummings, Chief of the Intelligence Service and the basis for his character “M.” The split base Vesper is a dangerously drinkable version of a martini made with gin, vodka, and Lillet instead of vermouth.
A London Calling at the NoMad
As classic cocktails go, the popular London Calling is just a baby, born at Soho’s now shuttered Milk and Honey in 2002. The NoMad’s soaring, vibrant atrium restaurant or their moodier Side Hustle bar would be quite the fun place to drink this tart, lemon juice and sherry spiked delight.
A Moonlit Gimlet at Lyaness
Moving from classic to contemporary, across the Thames to the South Bank, Lyaness presents fresh high concept drinks and friendly service off the lobby of the Sea Containers Hotel. By brightening the lime-y gin gimlet with the essence of fresh garden peas and a touch of elderflower, Ryan Chetiyawardana, aka Mr Lyan, has created a more savory take on the 1860’s scurvy cure that’s not to be missed. Your second drink could be the Fords Gin and potato based Diamante Swizzle, if you’re lucky.
A Sour Cherry Negroni at Hawksmoor Borough
Stroll down the river until you hit the Borough Market branch of Hawksmoor, a fine steak and seafood house with a fantastic cocktail menu. Though Count Camillo Negroni, who dosed his Americano with gin in 1919 in Florence, might balk at the extra ingredient, the preserved cherries from the British countryside add an incredible juicy flavor to the classic drink. Try their sour cherry americano for a lower ABV, gin-free experience.
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