So it’s National Cocktail Week and we bet your expertly stocked drinks cabinet for the discerning gent is well prepared for any cocktail eventuality. Of course there is always scope for a few select new additions. Led by our love of good cocktails, we thought this week would be apt for a spirit with infinite mixing potential – leading us to the versatile gin. But this isn’t any old gin – for your drinks cabinet this week we present Tanqueray No. Ten.

 

Gin is of course the botanicals-based spirit, essentially vodka until it’s infused with juniper and other spices and herbs. Subtlety lies in the flavouring – too much and it’s overpowering, too little and your left wanting.

 

No. Ten strikes the right balance. This gin is carefully handcrafted in very small batches in the No. Ten still (hence the name) using the purest neutral spirit distilled from Scottish wheat.

 

It is the only gin distilled using fresh citrus fruits and other fine botanicals such as camomile. Rather than use dried citrus peels, No. Ten bucks the trend and uses whole fresh fruit. White grapefruits, Florida oranges, and Mexican limes are hand cut and placed into the very small No. Ten still. Chamomile flowers from Germany are added to the still to provide a balancing smoothness and soft aroma to sit alongside the fruits and spices.

 

The result – a deliciously smooth gin highlighted by the fresh citrus flavours of grapefruit, orange and lime and mellowed by juniper and camomile. It’s a gin crafted for sophisticated cocktails, just the kind you’ll be shaking up this weekend. So gather some friends, invite them round and wow them with your mastery of balancing flavours and skills with a shaker, for a gin cocktail like the classic martini. Or simply straight up/on the rocks to enjoy the subtle flavouring.

 

Tanqueray No. Ten is bottled at 47.3% ABV and is available in a 70cl bottle from Waitrose, RRP £27.99.

 

For more information about Tanqueray No. Ten, or for more ideas about gin cocktails, visit www.tanqueray.com