Recently I dropped into Ella in the Lower East Side to meet the lovely Beefeater folks and enjoy some cocktails from their new spin on gin, Beefeater 24. Inspired by the tea ingredients in 24, they threw a Mad-Hatter Tea Party, but with lots of gin instead of tea (that makes it so much [...]

Recently I dropped into Ella in the Lower East Side to meet the lovely Beefeater folks and enjoy some cocktails from their new spin on gin, Beefeater 24. Inspired by the tea ingredients in 24, they threw a Mad-Hatter Tea Party, but with lots of gin instead of tea (that makes it so much more fun!) Master Distiller Desmond Payne was in the house to tell us all about the new gin, which has an emphasis on grapefruit, Chinese Green Tea and Japanese Sencha Tea. He discussed the process, including getting some so-so feedback from Gary Regan that sent him back to the drawing board and resulted in the addition of the sencha tea. Making a good gin ain’t easy folks! But the final result is really lovely, both in cocktails and straight. It hasn’t lost its Beefeater identity with the new additions, just tastes like a more modern version on the London Dry staple.

The Mad Hatters mixed up 3 signature cocktails for the evening. Check out the recipes:

 

Triple Citrus 24 & Tonic

1 Part Beefeater 24™
2 Parts Premium Tonic
Decorate with thin slices of Lemon, Lime and Orange

24 Martini

5 Parts Beefeater 24™
1 Part Lillet Blanc
2 Dashes of Regan’s Orange Bitters
Stir and serve up with a Grapefruit Twist

Shifting Sands

1 & ½ Parts Beefeater 24™
1 & ½ Parts Fresh Grapefruit Juice
¼ Part Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Bar Spoons of Maraschino Liqueur
Club Soda
Build ingredients into a high-ball filled with fresh ice. Top with Soda and garnish with a grapefruit twist.

 

While I tried them all, I really loved the Shifting Sands. I’m not usually a big maraschino fan but this cocktail wasn’t too heavy on it and the grapefruit complemented the grapefruit notes in the gin well. I heard great things about the product all night, so kudos to Beefeater! Here’s a little more info on 24 straight from them:
Beefeater 24™, a new gin handcrafted with 12 botanicals including a rare blend of teas, will debut in select American cities this Spring – bringing London’s unique gin heritage and modern cocktail culture to the States. Distilled in the heart of England’s capital, Beefeater 24 takes its name from the unique 24-hour steeping process and the city’s 24-hour stylish and sophisticated lifestyle. Created with today’s discerning spirits connoisseur in mind, Beefeater 24 is set to become a bartender darling, as it lends itself perfectly to cocktail innovation and experimentation.
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. A truly contemporary take on London gin, Beefeater 24 is a subtle, scented and sensuous spirit that plays beautifully on the palate.

 

Beefeater 24 is currently being launched in NYC and San Fran, so look out for a bottle near you soon!

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