Tanqueray 10

With the onslaught of gin bars in Singapore and all around the world, there is no doubt that this is the era of contemporary gin. Following the footsteps of the classic London Dry Gin are modern gin styles capturing the flavour of every ingredient steeped in its base juniper: from fruit and citrus, to herb, spice, root, and other botanicals. It is no wonder then that gin is making a comeback in the 21st century — there’s something for everyone! 

When we talk about gin, or check out the offerings at a cocktail bar, we will be hard pressed to find a menu without Tanqueray; one of the world’s leading gin brands, with a history so illustrious it was said to have sparked the popularity of the London Dry Gin.

 

Tanqueray: Surviving the Times

In 1830, when the gin industry became a profitable one, Charles Tanqueray and his brother, Edward, decided to learn everything they could, and experimented widely. They were meticulous in logging information, and even tweaked the amount of juniper berries used depending on where they were grown, slowly compiling a recipe book of sorts.

The brothers’ scrupulousness in the pursuit of perfection and willingness to take risks would come to be at the heart of everything Tanqueray did, leading the brand to global success. 

 

Pioneering the London Dry

According to Diageo senior archivist Joanne McKerchar, 1832 saw the invention of continuous distillation, which allowed the creation of a very pure base spirit. Prior to this, ‘Old Tom’ style gins were heavily sugared to hide imperfections in the neutral grain spirit. 

Through the process of continuous distillation, as well as the use of four botanicals that without a doubt stood out from the experiments logged in his private recipe book — juniper, angelica root, liquorice and coriander seed, the same ones used to make Tanqueray gin to this day — Charles Tanqueray became one of the first to pioneer what would eventually come to be known as a London Dry Gin. 

 

Worldwide Appreciation For Tanqueray

In fact, Tanqueray London Dry Gin became so adored by the English and Americans alike that its demand soared during Prohibition in the United States. McKerchar bemuses that the alcohol ban was “one of the best things to ever happen” to the brand, claiming that the first drink enjoyed in the White House after the Prohibition was a Tanqueray G&T.

 

Start of A New Era

In the mid 20th century, drinking gin was no longer fashionable, and consumers moved on to other spirits, such as rum and vodka. But Tanqueray wasn’t going down without a fight. 

In 2000, Tanqueray launched a super-premium gin, Tanqueray No. 10 – the first ever gin to use fresh whole citrus fruit (as opposed to just dried citrus peels). As fruit was incredibly expensive in the 19th century, dried peels were used for most gins on the market. Few distillers would venture to use fresh fruit, and it wasn’t until the 20th century that people even considered using lemon and orange in drinks. 

Tanqueray No. 10 not only spearheaded the use of fresh fruits in gin, it proved that it could work. In fact, it was so successful that it is the only gin to get onto the San Francisco World Spirits Competition Hall of Fame, and has won more than 40 internationally recognised awards since its launch. Talk about high-achieving! 

 

Tanqueray No. 10: An Award-Winning, Ultra Premium London Dry

The success of Tanqueray No. 10 is no surprise – continuing the legacy of their founder and his penchant for experimentation, Tanqueray distillers experimented for years to create Tanqueray No. 10. Even today, every batch of Tanqueray 10 is hand batched by Master Distiller Terry Fraser. 

Tanqueray 10 features all four base botanicals from the original Tanqueray London Dry: juniper, coriander, angelica, and licorice. (It’s simply not Tanqueray without them!) Though that’s not all. It adds an additional four ingredients to the mix. That is, fresh white grapefruit, fresh lime, fresh orange, and chamomile flowers.

On the nose, fresh citrus coalesce with juniper, while coriander, black pepper and angelica root take a backseat. Similarly, the brightness of fresh lime steals the spotlight on the tongue, followed by fresh grapefruit and juniper. With the natural sweetness of the grain spirit, angelica root creates a warm, herby, spicy quality, while chamomile flowers provide a hint of bitterness and floral perfume. The finish is long and spicy with the enduring presence of juniper, black pepper, and lime, making for a classic Tanqueray with personality. 

 

Take Away Some Tanqueray

Enjoy this iconic, premium tipple with ice, tonic water, and a wedge of juicy pink grapefruit in the comfort of your own home with our free alcohol delivery services (for all orders $99 and above). Choose us as your preferred liquor delivery service today!