Want to know more about Tanqueray gin?

Ever wanted to know more about gin?  Wondered about the history? Been curious about the perfect way to serve it?

Well the wonderful people at Diageo offered to share some top insights into Tanqueray gin and I jumped at the opportunity to find out more at an exclusive event hosted by Love Belfast at Safa Indian Restaurant in Belfast.

It has to be said, I am a massive fan of gin and have been delighted to see the recent introduction of a wide range of new and alternative craft gins which are popping up all over the place.   Having said that, the Tanqueray brand has always held a so special place in my heart (and taste buds) so I was keen to find out more.

On our arrival at Safa, we were introduced to Michelle Doogan from Diageo who proceeded to share her extensive knowledge about Tanqueray and the general history of gin! I was fascinated!

Did you know the following?

• In the 1700’s, gin was considered to be safer than water and cheaper than beer!
• In 1830, the first Tanqueray gin was produced in Bloomsbury with juniper, liquorice,coriander and angelica added
• It has since received the Royal stamp, proving that it is a favourite tipple of the Queen!
• Tanqueray 10 was created in 2000. It is distilled with whole fruits and is renowned as a martini gin
• After prohibition, the first recorded drink in the White House was Tanqueray gin

My opinion is that if it is good enough for the Queen and the US President then its certainly good enough for me!

Here are my top insights from Michelle:

• The iconic bottle looks familiar because it is shaped like a cocktail shaker
• The pineapple on the lid was originally a sign of wealth and hospitality
• Always smell the gin before tasting as there are 200 senses in the nose but only 5 in the palette
• Every gin suits a certain type of garnish

Michelle then showed us how to make a perfect serve Tanqueray and tonic.  The glass should be packed with ice to help prevent the ice from diluting the gin.  Add a wedge of pink grapefruit to the glass and add 30mls of gin and 200mls of tonic- delicious.

The second serve that she showed us was with red chilli and lime- yes really!  What an odd combination and yet it worked beautifully.  The chilli added a rich warmth and the lime cut through the heat- I loved it!

The third serve was a combination of orange and thyme.  Sounds a bit strange I know but it was genuinely lovely!

At this stage we were introduced to a range of herbs, spices and fruits and encouraged to get creative.  Where to start?  I created an amazing concoction of Tanqueray 10, tonic, raspberries, mint and lime.  This could well be the nicest beverage I have ever consumed.  It was totally delicious and will definitely be recreated (many times).

Once we had all had a go at creating our personalised perfect serve Tanqueray, we were treated to some delicious Indian snacks by Ali, who owns Safa restaurant and while we happily munched away, he briefed us on the forthcoming Irish Curry  Awards which should be an amazing event.  If you would like more information about the awards, click here