The gin is finished with bergamot oil, giving a perfumed aroma of Earl Grey tea. Citrus qualities marry beautifully with the fresh and juicy flavors of Italian orange and lemon peel. London No. 1 is quadruple-distilled, resulting in a full-bodied, modern gin that has a nose with marked notes of balsamic herbs, spices, juniper and truffle. The great thing about gin is it can be stored for years without going off, but it’s recommended to drink it within two years of opening. Even if you tightly reseal it, it’ll likely lose taste and quality if you leave it any longer. What are the different types of gin? There is also a light astringency in the air above the glass stemming from the higher than normal alcohol content, and this sharpness combined with the intense floral characteristic of the gin seems to be serving as a warning that the Blue Gin just might be a little more intense and flavourful than I had expected… even for a 47 % abv. spirit! In the Mouth 50/60 Martin’s heritage in the tea and spice world meant he could transfer his deep understanding of blending herbs and spices into developing a much more complex premium gin than most on the market by using powerful flavours like Bergamot. In developing The London No 1 with Charles Maxwell (a 7th generation distiller), he used a unique blend of 12 botanicals. The world of gin is awash in numbers. There is Tanqueray No. Ten. Beefeater 24. Monkey 47. No. 3. No. 209. And London 40. Now the numismatics are coming full circle, with The London No. 1.

Since Gonzalez Byass launched London No. 1 in 2005, it has seen tremendous growth in the Spanish market, growing 253 percent between 2011 and 2013. According to Nielsen, London No. 1 has gained a total market share of more than 12 percent in the super-premium gin segment.

The London Nº1

This is one of our first of many projects towards expansion into the U.S. market,” says Jorge Grosse, González Byass CEO. “With the gin and tonic trend exploding in Spain, and the continued interest in super-premium spirits in the U.S., the timing couldn’t be more appropriate to bring London No. 1 to the U.S.” The blueness is a nod toward one of the more unique botanicals in the mix here, namely the iris flowers used here as an addition to the more standard juniper, coriander, angelica, lemon peel, orange peel, and both cassia and cinnamon. Also in the blend are liquorice, almond, savory, and bergamot. The product was first test marketed in Spain, and was then launched in limited quantities internationally in 2012. It is bottled at 47 % alcohol by volume ensuring a more concentrated flavour than more traditional spirits which are bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume. I original;ly reviewed this spirit in 2013 when it was first introduced in Canada. Recently I was given a new sample bottle and so I have decided to revisit London No. 1 Original Blue Gin to see if my original tasting notes still represented the spirit. In the Bottle 4.5/5 I like the new bottle and especially like the solid synthetic corked closure. I also like that the bottle is clear allowing you to see the pale turquoise blue colour of the gin. The gin enters the mouth with all the intensity that I was expecting, with strong floral flavours leading in front and a ginger-like spiciness which heat heats up the palate. Firm impressions of lavender and lilac seem to be omnipresent tainting the more familiar sensations of juniper and orange citrus with their presence. Lemongrass and balsam weave in and out, and I admit the London No. 1 Original Gin is just a little too full of perfume-like floral flavour and spice for me to sip comfortably.

This gin is produced in England but under the ownership of the Spanish comany Gonzalez Byass, best known for its winery (where it is the producer of Tio Pepe sherry). That’s curious enough on its own, but London No. 1’s blue color is also of particular note. This is not a blue-tinted bottle like Bombay Sapphire. This is blue gin (courtesy of some certified colors). The highest quality Suffolk and Norfolk grain is used in distillation and the small batch “pot still” method ensures a consistent quality. Finally, the inclusion of 12 carefully selected botanicals makes The London No. 1 a gin to be savoured.Inspired by the heritage of London Style gins that used to create a striking ‘blue haze’ in their distillation process, they set about creating a unique blue gin. Like many spirits, getting the exacting colour took time before settling on the captivating shade of pale blue created by a delicate alkaline colouring. The London No 1 gin er en af vores foretrukne gin, når det kommer til at lave en helt klassisk gin & tonic. Ginnens smagsnoter er mange, og inviterer ginnen til gin og tonics, der involverer urter og citrusfrugter. Man kan med fordel tilføje peber for at frembringe urtesmagen i sin gin og tonic.

At a generous 47% abv The London No. 1 is delicate and elegant on the nose with marked spicy and balsamic notes. It is soft, elegant and mellow in the mouth with a long refreshing finish – a sophisticated, well rounded gin that delivers in every area. Distributors González Byass is proud to announce the arrival of London No. 1 to the U.S. market this spring. The gold-medal winning London Dry style gin will launch initially in New York and Florida with additional markets to be added. That sounds like a lot, but London No. 1 is surprisingly well-constructed. On the nose you’ll find a solid juniper base, plus hints of caramel sauce, orange and even grapefruit notes. The licorice character is mild but distinct — while this ingredient is becoming commonplace in modern gins, this is one of the few products I can recall where I could actually taste the licorice element.Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal scale as follows: London No. 1 is distilled in London under the direction of Master Distiller Charles Maxwell and contains 12 key botanicals, including juniper, coriander, angelica root, lemon peel, licorice, cinnamon, almond, savory, iris root, orange peel, and bergamot. It is one of only a handful of gins actually distilled in London and uses the small batch pot still method to ensure consistent quality. In line with the classic gins of yesteryear, juniper, coriander and angelica feature in the recipe – the first two botanicals imparting fragrance and spiciness whilst angelica, together with orris root, give body and structure to the other botanicals. A zesty freshness comes from liquorice root. The London No. 1 is unique in that it also has a final fusion of bergamot oil in the mix – that instantly recognisable perfumed aroma in Earl Grey tea. Its citric qualities marry beautifully with the fellow fresh juicy flavours of orange and lemon peel, whilst the bergamot also reinforces the “holding” role of orris root. These are perfectly offset with the thyme-like aromatics of savory, whilst the sweet, spicy notes of cinnamon and cassia bark complete the recipe. Rested for three weeks after distillation, the result is a real modern classic. I’m not sold on the blue color, but the gin itself is versatile, well-made, and unique in its own way. The London No. 1 – one of a handful of gins actually distilled in London – was created to echo the complex and full bodied gins of yesteryear, albeit with a modern twist – a striking turquoise-blue colour derived from maceration with gardenia flowers.