James May is a man of many talents - TV Presenter, automotive obsessive, occasional flautist, Wiltshire Pub Landlord…. so of course it would make sense for him to next start a gin brand, as all good TV personalities do at some point in their careers.
But rather than just sticking his face on a bottle, it turned out that James was quite the dab hand at coming up with some uniquely different flavours and now this range of suitably savoury drinks - tested on the loyal locals at the pub he co-owns in Wiltshire - has won numerous awards, is available in 41 countries worldwide, constantly sells out whenever new flavours are released, and has even been deemed good enough to go in the fish batter at his pub.
What’s it all about?
James’ self-crafted gin range comprises three flavours: Asian Parsnip, American Mustard and London Drizzle, (designed to smell like fresh rain). The James Gin Mini Gift Set of all three flavours is £18.99, 70cl bottles are priced from £36.95 and if you want a gin that really packs a punch, try the Asian Parsnip Navy Strength (57% ABV) for £50.50.
About a 2 ½ hour drive out from London, the Royal Oak Swallowcliffe is a traditional country pub set in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside. It’s an absolute haven for decent beer, fine wines and just a touch more than banging food. The Roast Guinea Fowl, Chateaubriand of Wiltshire Beef are an absolute must. The next day after all of this indulgence, a ‘Bloody May’ is an essential, a cracking concoction of James American Mustard Gin and spices.
Book a table and room here: https://www.royaloakswallowcliffe.com/ ….they’ll even put a bottle of James Gin in your room for your arrival…
Best James May Cocktails:
These recipes have been created by James Maudsley, Head Mixologist, Operations Manager and all round good egg at The Royal Oak Swallowcliffe. With a touch of mad creative genius from our Distiller, Hugh Anderson, Founder of Downtown Distillery, the man responsible for turning James’s ideas into award-winning gin.
Asian Parsnip Sour
Asian Parsnip is an award-winning aromatic gin created using a unique blend of exotic Asian spices and British sweet parsnip, a humble vegetable valued by Romans and hated by schoolchildren.
- 50ml Asian Parsnip, 15ml fresh lime juice, 10ml yuzu juice, 25ml
sugar syrup, 1 egg white
- Shake all ingredients over ice and double strain into a chilled martini
glass. Garnish with a dash of angostura bitters
London Drizzle Beet
James wanted to make a gin that evoked ‘the smell of rain on a hot pavement in Regent’s Park.’ That distinctive scent that hangs in the air, just as those first drops of rain hit the ground on a summer day is called ‘petrichor’ - one of the key components of which is also present in beetroot.
- 50ml London Drizzle, 50ml Beetroot juice, 25ml Apple Juice, 25ml
Sugar Syrup.
- Shake all ingredients over ice and double strained into a chilled martini
glass.
The Bloody May
To reward his loyal American customers, James decided to create ‘The Spirit of America.’ American Mustard (or ‘Ramstud’ in America because the authorities were worried they’d put it on their burgers) is blended from fresh mustard seed and dill pickles as the perfect accompaniment to every traditional American fast food recipe.
- 35ml American Mustard Gin, 4 dashes of celery bitters, 4 dashes of Tabasco, 6 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce, 1 tablespoon of Brown Sauce, 150ml Tomato Juice.
- Add all ingredients to a tall glass, stir well, add ice and garnish with
a lemon wedge, celery, salt & pepper.
What’s your Flavour?
Asian Parsnip https://www.jamesgin.com/products/asian-parsnip
Sweet ● Parsnip ● Spicy ● 40% ABV ● from £36.96 for 70cl
“Asian Parsnip celebrates both my homeland and the pleasures I’ve enjoyed over many decades of international travel at other people’s expense. I came up with the idea of blending the flavour of parsnip - because it reminds me of England and its dampness - with Asian spices, because they add excitement. Parsnip, a humble vegetable valued by Romans and hated by schoolchildren - was used historically as a sweetener and has a uniquely nutty profile. Combined with spices of the Far East – ginger and green cardamom – Asian Parsnip is a warming gin with lingering light sweet notes.”
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Asian Parsnip: Navy Strength https://www.jamesgin.com/products/navy-strength-asian-parsnip
Sweet ● Spiced ● Intense ● 57% ABV ● from £50.50 for 70cl
“Every gin needs a good naval counterpart, and Asian parsnip is no exception. The flavour profile is the same as Asian Parsnip, just more intense. This has the same spiced & subtly sweet flavour as our award-winning Asian Parsnip gin but with an extra kick of 57% alcohol. An American customer asked when we were going to make a Navy Strength version of Asian Parsnip. We didn’t know what he meant, so we looked up the history of Navy Strength Gin. With no help at all from the Royal Navy, we created Asian Parsnip at 57% ABV.”
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American Mustard https://www.jamesgin.com/products/american-mustard
Savoury ● Mustard ● Warm ● 40% ● from £36.95 for 70cl
“Don’t be fooled by its name; this gin has won multiple awards for its warmth & savoury profile. We’ve combined mustard seeds & gherkins to create something really spectacular. American Mustard (or ‘Ramstud’ in America because the authorities were worried you’d put it on your burger) is blended from fresh mustard seed and dill pickles as the perfect accompaniment to every traditional American fast food recipe. The mustard is front and central and provides warmth while being light on the tongue. We paired it with gherkin to counterbalance the heat by giving a briny note to the finished product. As a result, it’s a savory style gin that is both light and warming, with tomato providing a smoothness to the profile.”
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London Drizzle https://www.jamesgin.com/products/london-drizzle
Umami ● Beetroot ● Majesty ● 40% ABV ● from £36.95 for 70cl
“With London Drizzle we wanted to re-create the sensation of petrichor - the smell of fresh rain. Research showed that others had tried - and failed dismally. Petrichor is created from chemicals in spores in soil - and these chemicals exist elsewhere - for example in mushrooms, carrots and beetroot. Mushroom has a very dominant flavour (we tried eight different types), carrot has no flavour profile that comes over the still and so beetroot became our best option. But then we have to select exactly what type of beetroot. Since most gins are designated ‘London Dry’ - and London generally isn’t, James came up with the idea of making one that evoked ‘the smell of rain on a hot pavement in Regent’s Park.’ That distinctive scent that hangs in the air, just as those first drops of rain hit the ground on a summer day, is called ‘petrichor’. One of the key components of petrichor is also present in beetroot - so we’ve combined a sweet variety of that with lovage, bay, orange, and ginger to create a gin designed to instantly invoke the majesty of our Sceptered Isle.”
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