haymans gin

Ginvent 2019 – Hayman’s Gently Rested

Posted on by jennyinbrighton

Note: This post contains affiliate links marked as [Ad], if you click on this and buy a bottle of gin then I will receive a small commission. 

Day 15

If you know me, you know that I am a big fan of Hayman’s gin. The people behind it are lovely, the gin is great, it has a real history and it is also incredibly affordable. If you’re interested you can read all my thoughts about their dry gin, their Old Tom gin, their sloe gin, and their navy strength Royal Dock gin. Today we are drinking their new addition to the family – the Gently Rested gin. Taking inspiration from the Gin Palaces of the 1800’s, when gin was sold from cask barrels rather than bottles, they rest this gin in old Scotch whisky barrels for three weeks. The barrel resting trend seems to be on the rise in the gin industry – and Hayman’s are clear to say that they aren’t ageing the gin, just letting it sit there and imbibe some of the flavours. The time in the cask allows the gin to take on a spiced note which complements the existing juniper and coriander. They suggest pairing it with cheese (urm, YES) and instead of tonic, using ginger ale to amp up the peppery notes. So, how does it taste?

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Ginvent 2018 – Hayman’s Royal Dock gin

Posted on by jennyinbrighton

Hayman’s make good gin. Blanket statement. I hope. I’ve tried their London Dry, Sloe and Old Tom gins, and today we try their Royal Dock. This is bottled at 57% ABV, traditional for Navy Strength gin and they still use the same recipe that was used in 1863 when they supplied the gin to the English Admiralty. The higher ABV allows the juniper to shine through, accompanied by notes of citrus, coriander and a hint of subtle spice.

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Hayman’s Sloe Gin

Posted on by jennyinbrighton

Note: I love the Hayman’s team and they kindly sent me some samples, but as always, I’ll let you know what I think.

You’ve hopefully already read my thoughts on the Hayman’s London Dry and Old Tom gins, and today we are trying their sloe gin. A lot of sloe gins can be too sickly sweet which I find a bit cloying, so it will be interesting to see how this fares. To make their gin they steep wild harvested sloe berries in their London Dry gin for three to four months using, as always, a traditional family recipe. Sloe gin is generally seen as a winter drink, but they suggest pairing it with some sparkling wine for a different take on a kir royale style cocktail.

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Hayman’s Old Tom gin

Posted on by jennyinbrighton

Note: I love the Hayman’s team. After visiting their distillery and trying all their gin, they kindly sent me some samples. 

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll have read my blog post about Hayman’s London Dry gin. Well, guess what? I have more gin! Today I am trying their Old Tom gin which, as a style, is one of my favourites. You may or may not know but a Tom Collins is one of my favourite drinks. The Hayman’s version of Old Tom gin is heavy on the citrus and juniper to create a rich mouthfeel, which then has an undercurrent of sweetness that lets you know you are drinking an Old Tom rather than London Dry.

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Hayman’s Gin

Posted on by jennyinbrighton

You can’t talk about English gins without mentioning Hayman’s Gin. The Hayman family have been involved in the gin industry since the original gin boom 150 years ago, opening doors in 1863. Since then, their range of ‘True English’ gins have been distilled and made just as they would have been back then. Running three stills at a time (Marjorie the grandmother of the current Hayman’s, Karin the mother and Miranda the current fifth generation distiller who FYI is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet) they blend ten botanicals including cinnamon, nutmeg and liquorice together to make their London Dry gin. But it doesn’t stop there – they also have an Old Tom gin, a sloe gin, a navy strength edition and a gently rested gin – not aged, just rested. They have recently moved to Balham to a BEAUTIFUL new distillery which is open for tours which I highly recommend as it is so lovely I want to move in – and not just because when I went they said the words “help yourself to whatever you want”. They also have branded lemon peel.

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Ginvent 2017 – Hayman’s London Dry Gin

Posted on by jennyinbrighton

Happy day 15 of Ginvent! Today we drink Hayman’s London Dry gin to celebrate it being Friday and the fact I survived my first week of my new job eek. Their award winning gin is made to a secret family recipe of 10 botanicals such as juniper, coriander, lemon and orange peel, cinnamon, nutmeg and liquorice. They also make an Old Tom gin, Sloe gin, Family Reserve and Royal Dock gin – along with some limited releases. Each bottle is hand made and hand bottled to ensure that each bottle is up to their standards. The Hayman’s have distilling in their blood; in 1863 James Burrough was a curious pharmacist who made gin as well as a number of medicinal ingredients which filtered through the family and became the producers of Beefeater gin. When the family business was sold, they set up Hayman’s gin to carry on the tradition.

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