Beefeater 24 London Dry Gin, 70 cl

Product Information

Sitting in my office at the Beefeater Distillery, I am watched over by the portrait of James Burrough, Beefeater’s founder. He is making sure that I don’t tamper with his recipe! What Burrough achieved was a gin that had balance and complexity. The overall gustatory sensation is medium complex, rather mellow and mild in character, whilst not overly intense or pungent whatsoever. Given that this is 45% alcohol by volume, the gin goes down smoothly creamy. DESMOND PAYNE: About as long as a piece of string. Beefeater 24 took me the best part of 18 months but I learned a lot during that process. First of all, you need to get inspiration from what can be done differently, especially in the use of new botanicals. DESMOND PAYNE: Well, there are always new concepts and ideas in my mind. I haven’t finished yet, that’s for sure!

Beefeater 24 gets its name from the twenty-four hour maceration time that its twelve botanicals undergo. While many of the botanicals are familiar to Beefeater drinkers, the two tea botanicals set it apart. What was a startling contemporary style gin upon its launch now comes across as rather traditional. But that’s no criticism of Beefeater 24. years, eight gins, one Lifetime Achievement Award from The Gin Guild, and now an MBE, Beefeater’s Master Distiller Desmond Payne still isn’t ready to put his feet up. We chat to ‘Mr Beefeater’ about spending five decades in the gindustry… DESMOND PAYNE: All gins are different in some respect or other. It all depends on what the recipe of botanicals is – that’s where the flavour comes from, and how the gin is produced – that’s where the character comes from.It’s no secret that Beefeater is London’s best gin. Beefeater’s name origin refers to the Yeomen of the Guard, bodyguards of the British monarchy. To craft its signature London dry gin, Beefeater uses its original recipe of nine botanicals: juniper, angelica root, angelica seeds, coriander seeds, licorice, almonds, orris root, Seville oranges, and lemon peel. Similar to the nose, the first sip feels smooth and oily on the tongue, with the same signature sweetness upfront. What becomes obvious though after just a few seconds, is that the evolution is primarily citrus-laden and fresh. The orange marmalade note, the liveliness, in combination with a newly emanating floral element, adds more crispiness and depth to the palate.

Recently, after 150 years, the famous distillery opened its doors to the public, inviting visitors to take a tour to learn about the history, distilling process, and take a glimpse at the original stills. By booking a tour online or using a London pass, tourists can indulge in an interactive experience at the distillery. The citrus is a bit more bright and at the fore. Seville Orange zest lends Beefeater 24 a note that reminds me of Chase’s Seville Orange Gin. DESMOND PAYNE: Many highlights, but mostly during my time at Beefeater. The development of Beefeater 24 is one of my proudest achievements, along with the various other gins I have introduced since. It is such a terrific time to be involved in gin production. There is a real excitement and buzz around the category.Once the original idea is set, then it is a question of looking at all the options of how to make it happen. I’m getting faster, but you can’t rush a good thing. I enjoyed a selection of Petit Fours, underlining the creaminess, sweetness, in particular, the white chocolate and marzipan note coming through. As a 19-year-old management trainee I was expected to spend some time in every department but it was the distillery that fascinated me. Seagers owned the Plymouth Gin distillery and that was my next step in training. Beefeater’s Burrough’s Reserve is a limited-edition, oak-rested gin that is distilled using James Burrough’s original copper “Still Number 12.” The most recent release is rested in red and white Bordeaux wine barrels. Beefeater’s premium offering is still an exceptionally well-made gin with wide appeal. Fans of Japanese gins looking for something a bit more widely available will find Beefeater 24 an apt substitute.

With distilleries now demonstrating a wide range of creative expressions of gin, bartenders are uber-excited about using this spirit in their drinks. So much so, that when we asked drinks professionals around the U.S. for their best recommendations for gins, Beefeater came up — a lot. Overall, bartenders and home mixologists will find Beefeater 24 a versatile mixer with a point of difference on the finish. Overall, Beefeater 24 DESMOND PAYNE: Eight gins in the past nine years – and none in the previous forty! That indicates the popularity of gin today. It’s hard to pinpoint which variety of tea is there, even though with time Earl Grey tea seems to stand out. Needless to say, the scent beautifully fits this gin’s London theme, transcending reminiscences of afternoon tea and British flair. Flavor: Beefeater 24 is quite pleasant with sweet citrus, including notes of lemon rind and sweet lime— that moves into a mid-palate with juniper. Though less juniper-forward, the juniper is still here and remains the gin’s centerpiece.Along with its fruit-flavored expressions that are likely destined for spritzes, additional bottlings include Beefeater 24, marketed as Beefeater’s superior dry gin. The 24 refers to the 24 hours of steeping the (12) botanicals, which include Chinese and Japanese teas. Sencha is the most popular type of tea in Japan, renowned for its vegetal and grassy flavor. Chinese green tea is sweeter and a bit brighter. DESMOND PAYNE: It depends on my mood. Gin and tonic is a marriage made in heaven, but I am fond of a well-made Beefeater martini, and I have been known to sip a Negroni or two. Earlier this year we celebrated the international finals of the Beefeater MIXLDN global bartender competition. In case you haven’t noticed, every Beefeater gin uses a select number of botanicals. The select London dry gin uses nine botanicals. Beefeater’s flavored gin, such as 24, uses 12 botanicals. Further, the blood orange and pink gin use 10 botanicals. But numbers aside, where this distillery’s love for flora is is its botanical room, where its ingredients are stored. I know, so obvious.

DESMOND PAYNE: “Well, it is a long time, that’s for sure, but I tend to live in the present and concentrate on the exciting things that are going on today. This is not to say that I do not have many fond memories of the past five decades. DESMOND PAYNE: I started in the wine trade, I first worked in the cellars at Harrods learning from the bottom up. I applied for a job with Seager, Evans & Co. who were wine shippers, but who also had a gin distillery at Deptford in South East London. A Beefeater is actually a Yeoman Warder of the Tower of London who have guarded the Tower for 500 years and Beefeater share more than just a name with the Guardsman, they share the bond to London past, present and future. THE GIN GUILD: Beefeater is such an iconic and recognised brand, what makes it different to all of the other gins on the market?

Beefeater 24’s Robe

Aroma: Strikingly similar to Beefeater Gin. Citrus, juniper and the slightest hint of licorice root beneath it. The sheer mixture of flavours and aromas from the botanicals captivated me. There seemed such a wider range than appeared in wine. Towards the finish, an ever so gentle floral touch creeps in. I’m reminded of violet, chamomile, as well as rose petals. All in all, it’s a mellow, sweet, and well-rounded sensation, maybe even too well-balanced for real gin geeks. The 24 is not overly complex, not overly intense, but encompassed in an all-around smooth and very creamy scenery.