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 The Black Friars Distillery in the historic
Barbican area of Plymouth was formerly a Dominican priory and dates
from 1431. In 1620 The Pilgrim Fathers, driven back to land by Atlantic
gales, stayed their last nights in the building before setting sail
on the Mayflower, the ship which forms the Plymouth Gin logo.
In 1793, the Coates family acquired the former Black Friars priory
in Plymouth . While London distillers were struggling to find sources
of clean water, in Plymouth , Coates & Co. had perfected their
dry gin using crystal clear Dartmoor water. One of only a handful
of gins from the 18th century, Plymouth Gin Distillery is the oldest
working gin distillery in England and is still the driest, most
delicately flavored and purest of all gins – the reason a clear
glass bottle is still used today.
For centuries the city of Plymouth has been home to The Royal Navy
and Plymouth Gin was adopted by Naval Officers early in the 19th
century as their favorite drink and taken to the four corners of
the globe. The Royal Navy used to mix Plymouth Gin with bitters;
the resulting Pink Gin – or “Pinkers” – was said to cure everything
from indigestion to depression. Another favorite was the Gimlet
lime cordial), also initially used for medicinal purposes, or so
it is said.
The head distiller rigorously distills the oil from some 130 samples
of juniper and a similar number of samples of coriander each year
so that Plymouth Gin can get exactly the botanicals needed. The
whole year’s production is therefore from single sources of juniper
and coriander; there is no blending the only gin with a geographic
registration, Plymouth Gin can only be made in Plymouth , England
. The distillery is cut deep into the cliff side by the harbor's
edge. The temperature and humidity hardly vary throughout the year
maintaining a perfect environment to store the precious botanicals.
Wwhether served over ice, in a long drink, or in the most
famous mixed drinks of all: a dry martini. Specified by name
in 27 cocktails in the 1930’s Savoy Cocktail Book, including the Charlie
Lindbergh, the Million Dollar Cocktail, the Gene Tunney and the
Prohibition Cocktail plus, of course, Pink Gin and the Gimlet.
Some of our favorite Plymouth Gin Recipes
Plymouth & Tonic
Pour
the Plymouth Gin over ice into a tall glass and top with tonic.
Garnish
with a lime or lemon wedge.
Country
breeze
- 50ml
Plymouth Gin
- 15ml
Crème de Cassis
- Apple
juice
Build
ingredients over ice into a tall glass, topping with the Apple juice.
Garnish
with an Apple slice and a blackberry.
Salty
Dog
- 50ml
Plymouth Gin
- 75ml
Grapefruit Juice
Build
ingredients over ice into a tall glass or shake with ice and strain
into a Martini glass.
Arizona
Cooler
- 50ml
Plymouth Gin
- Grapefruit
juice
- Cranberry
juice
Build
ingredients into a glass topping with equal measures of grapefruit & cranberry juices. Garnish with a wedge of lime.
Pilgrim
Breeze
- 50ml
Plymouth Gin
- Orange
juice
- Cranberry
juice.
Build
ingredients into a glass topping with equal measures of grapefruit & cranberry juices. Garnish with a wedge of lime.
For more on this timeless drink, go to: www.plymouthgin.com
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