By Rebecca Harris
Iconic London dry gin Beefeater has entered the super-premium market with the addition of Beefeater 24.
Taking its name from its 24-hour steeping process and the notion that London is a non-stop 24-hour city, the gin was launched in Australia following a 48-hour journey over three Australian cities and 24 leading bars.
Beefeater master gin distiller, Desmond Payne, spent two years perfecting the unique 12 botanical recipe, which includes Japanese sencha tea and Chinese green tea,
“The Chinese green tea has a fresh scented note, while the Japanese Sencha tea is a rare and fragrant variety at the very top of the market,” said Payne. “Because the leaves are steamed when harvested, they are not oxidised through drying. This gives clean ‘green’ notes which really lift the aroma of the gin.”
With 40 years’ experience as a distiller, Payne said that the addition of tea to the recipe pays homage to Beefeaters’ English heritage.
Beefeater 24 is currently available in selected quantities at around 24 bars across Australia, including the Gin Garden in Establishment bar, Sydney and 1806 bar in Melbourne.