Beefeater 24 London Dry Gin, 70 cl

Product Information

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. 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. As a contrast, certain cigars could be excellent accompaniments to this mellow gin. I went for an old-school Cuban smoke with a limited edition from Cohiba. In general, I would recommend something that adds a bit of spice, a layer of complexity in character and a touch of funkiness, to counter-balance the spirit.

I want the taste to come from juniper and other botanicals. For Beefeater we use grain spirit produced from wheat. 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. DESMOND PAYNE: Well, there are always new concepts and ideas in my mind. I haven’t finished yet, that’s for sure! 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. The first smell is surprisingly sweet, I have to confess. Despite being called a London dry, the mellowness and tranquility of the initial olfactory sensation is rather puzzling. However, it comes in a lovely orange marmalade envelope, accompanied by some fresh citrus peel and juice lemon filets. The grapefruit, one of the key botanicals for the 24, is very present as well.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. 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: 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. 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. 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 sheer mixture of flavours and aromas from the botanicals captivated me. There seemed such a wider range than appeared in wine. 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. Overall, bartenders and home mixologists will find Beefeater 24 a versatile mixer with a point of difference on the finish. Overall, Beefeater 24 Beefeater’s sustainable efforts saved 410 tons of plastic within the first months of release, a number equivalent to that of 17 million plastic water bottles.

THE GIN GUILD: Beefeater is such an iconic and recognised brand, what makes it different to all of the other gins on the market? Let’s talk alcohol: The gins produced by Beefeater vary in alcohol content. So much so that some consumers were disappointed in a recent decision to decrease the ABV. Beefeater used to bottle its gin at 94 proof in the U.S. Now, its bottled gin is sold at 88 proof.