Beefeater 24 Lands in Washington D.C.

Walking into the Gibson I wasn't the biggest gin fan, but Beefeater 24 won me over.  Beefeater 24, a new gin handcrafted with 12 botanicals, launched this week in Washington D.C.  Beefeater 24 takes its name from the unique 24-hour steeping process and London’s 24-hour stylish and sophisticated lifestyle.  In celebration of the arrival, the Gibson hosted a party.

24 Martini

I tried the 24 Martini.  The Lillet Blanc tastes like a very sweet wine and is meant to replace vermouth in a traditional martini.


5 Parts Beefeater 24^™
1 Part Lillet Blanc
2 Dashes of Regan’s Orange Bitters
Stirred and served up with a grapefruit twist.

Tomorrow Yesterday

I also enjoyed the Tomorrow Yesterday.
Signature Cocktail Created by Jonathan Harris of The Gibson, Washington, D.C.
2 Parts Beefeater 24^™
½ Part Tremontis Mirto Myrtleberry liqueur
½ Part Sirop de Citron Vervein (Lemon Verbena Syrup)
Housemade Bitters

Washington D.C. is the eighth market to carry Beefeater 24. Beefeater 24 launches in D.C. due to popular demand and the city’s thriving cocktail culture. Washington D.C. represents a new generation of gin connoisseurs and mixologists who have rediscovered the joys of super premium gin.

More info from Beefeater:
Beefeater 24 boasts a blend of natural botanicals sourced from around the world, including hand-prepared grapefruit, bitter almond, orris root and Seville orange peel. Accents of rare Japanese Sencha Tea and Chinese Green tea create a perfectly balanced, multi-layered gin.

Craftsmanship from the World’s Most Prestigious Gin Master Distiller 

Beefeater 24 is the inspired creation of Desmond Payne, the world’s most experienced Gin Master Distiller. Drawing on his 40 years of distilling expertise, Payne spent 18 months perfecting the Beefeater 24 recipe, a gin of unrivalled smoothness and complexity ideal for modern cocktail making.

Working from the original recipe developed in the 1860s by James Burrough, Payne discovered that his predecessor shared his passion for working with new flavors and fresh ingredients. Beefeater distillery records show, for example, that Burrough purchased exotic Seville oranges at the fruit market in London’s Covent Garden in the 1860s.

In the course of his research, Payne also discovered that Burrough’s father had been a tea merchant by Royal Appointment to Queen Victoria. This led Payne to experiment with various teas, which are themselves natural botanicals. After months of experimentation, he hit upon a perfect combination of Chinese Green and rare Japanese Sencha teas, which complements the Beefeater style perfectly, bringing a fresh aroma and incredible smoothness to the final product.

In addition to different botanicals, Beefeater 24 is “cut” earlier during distillation to retain its freshness and vitality. This means that only the heart of the distillation is used. The first and last elements of distillation – the heads and tails – are discarded. For Beefeater 24, the “cut” into the tail of the run is done much earlier than usual. This limits the quantity of gin produced in each run, but it allows Beefeater 24 to retain its unique and fresh notes of grapefruit and leaf teas.

Shifting Sands

Adapted from a recipe by Sasha Petraske of Milk & Honey, New York

1  ½ Parts Beefeater 24^™

1  ½ Parts fresh grapefruit juice

¼ Part fresh lemon juice

2 Bar Spoons of Maraschino Liqueur

Club soda

1 grapefruit wedge, as garnish

Triple Citrus 24

2 Parts Beefeater 24^™

1 Part Fever-Tree Tonic

A spin off on the classic gin and tonic with decorated with thin slices of Lemon, Lime and Orange.

Cupcakes with Edible Paper

PRICE

The suggested retail price for Beefeater 24 is $28.99 for a 750 ML and $32.99 for 1L.

ABOUT PERNOD RICARD

Pernod Ricard USA is the premium spirits and wine company in the U.S., and the largest subsidiary of Paris, France-based Pernod Ricard SA. In July, 2008, Pernod Ricard completed the acquisition of the iconic ABSOLUT® Vodka brand from the V&S Group, and Pernod Ricard USA is now the second-leading company in the U.S. by sales value. In addition to ABSOLUT®, Pernod Ricard USA’s leading brands include such prestigious spirits as The Glenlivet® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Chivas Regal® Scotch Whisky, Jameson® Irish Whiskey, Seagram’s Extra Dry Gin®, Beefeater® Gin, Plymouth™ Gin, Martell® Cognac, Malibu® flavored Rum, Kahlúa® Liqueur, Hiram Walker® Liqueurs, Pernod® and Ricard®; such superior wines as Jacob's Creek® and Brancott Estate®; and such exquisite champagnes and sparkling wines as Perrier Jouët® Champagne, G.H. Mumm™ Champagne and Mumm Napa® sparkling wines.

Photos by Emily Clack