The Original Gin Cocktail Competition Final 2024
In July 2024, the final of Hayman’s The Original Gin Cocktail Competition, in partnership with Difford’s Guide, took place at the Distillery in London. Judged by
Month: June 2022
Hayman’s Win at Family Business Awards 2022
We have won the 2022 Food & Drink Award at the Family Business of the Year Awards. The panel of judges highlighted Hayman’s Gin for ‘contribution made to the spirits industry as a whole’ – mentioning our sense of purpose and clearly defined values.
A big thank you to our team, we couldn’t have done it without you.
We’ll drink to that; a round of G&Ts tonight!
Hayman’s Gin in Conversation with Soto Gardens
A fresh garnish is that all important finishing touch to any cocktail. Here at our London Distillery, we plant and cultivate a few of our favourite herbs in our urban garden. But when the founders of Soto Gardens (local gin drinkers often seen in our shop!) got in touch with the generous gift of their Gin Herb Garden, we jumped at the chance to also learn more about growing garnishes and other herbs.
Here is our interview with Jamie Felstead – founder of Soto Gardens:
How do you like to garnish your Hayman’s & Tonic?
We’re big fans of Rosemary when making our favourite Hayman’s London Dry and tonic. It brings a beautiful savoury note to the drink and its strong flavour really compliments the juniper, reminding us of wonderful holidays in Spain.
How important is your garnish when enjoying gin?
It’s actually really important and can seriously elevate the drink. With every gin having its own flavour profile, the garnish can enhance or complement the flavours. We love experimenting with herbs, fruits, and spices to see which combinations we prefer.
What do we need to know about growing herbs?
The most important thing about growing any plant is to consider the amount of light it gets. Most herbs thrive in sunny spots, so we recommend placing your herb garden in the place where there is the most sun.
Also do be aware that herbs planted in containers and pots dry out much quicker than plants in the ground, so you will need to water them a little more frequently during the hotter months.
What do most people do wrong (when growing herbs)?
Your herbs need constant trimming to help them keep their shape and to encourages new growth. That’s mostly where people go wrong – not using them enough!
When should you prune?
Prune herbs as and when they need it. If the herb gets too big, it can become leggy and lose flavour.
Are they easy to over-water?
Herbs such as rosemary and lemon thyme are used to warmer climates so try not to overwater, we suggest only watering when the soil is dry to the touch and – at this point – water the soil until it’s drenched.
Q&A with World Gin Day’s Emma Stokes
With World Gin Day on the horizon, there’s no better excuse to celebrate (globally) all things GIN. And at Hayman’s, there’s nothing we enjoy more than gathering gin lovers far and wide (from our exclusive experiences at our London Distillery to connecting via #WorldGinDay on Instagram) and toasting the industry as a whole with cocktails in hand.
So while counting down to the big day, we caught up with Emma Stokes (aka @ginmonkey), the global coordinator behind World Gin Day:
What makes a great World Gin Day?
For me, seeing people from all over the world celebrating and enjoying a gin or two – it’s so great to see via Twitter streams and Instagram as they fill up with brilliant posts.
Which is the perfect location for a G&T?
Well, there’s a reason #WorldGinDay is in June…summertime is just the best time to enjoy a G&T in the sunshine! That being said, it is now a truly global day so you can discover gin cocktails from all seasons as you tune in…
How important is your garnish?
Aesthetically I’d say VERY, it creates the anticipation of what you’re about to drink. It has a role to play aromatically as you bring the drink up to have a sip too, from bright lemon and lime citrus to herbal rosemary or thyme. However, the garnish really isn’t the be all and end all, in fact, I increasingly drink my G&T’s ‘naked’ with no garnish at home, to enjoy the gin in its unadulterated form (except for the bubbly tonic!).
What’s your go-to serve right now?
As Summer approaches I love the often-forgotten classic – the Floradora. It’s that perfect combination of easy to make and completely delicious – with the added advantage of being a great choice for those who don’t like the bitterness of tonic water.
Favourite ways to enjoy Hayman’s Gin?
Well, it depends on which Hayman’s Gin I’m drinking as you have a brilliant and wide range of options available…but some of my favourites are:
London Dry Gin: G&T or Martini (lemon twist)
Exotic Citrus Gin: Citrus classics like a White Lady or a London Calling
Old Tom Gin: The classic Tom Collins in the summer and a Martinez in the winter
Rare Cut Gin: Martinis all the way!
Small Gin: (amazing innovation by the way) used in place of any gin in all long cocktails such as a G&T, Tom Collins or the Floradora mentioned above.
Where to next for WGD?
World Gin Day is already the biggest and ginniest day in the calendar, but I’ve no doubt it could be even bigger and better. My aim is to take a little more time to step back and think about the possibilities and direction that World Gin Day could take.
2022 has also been a bit of a difficult year personally with family issues which has been challenging but, as always, there will lots and lots of excellent events taking place all over the world as community really drives the success of this special day.
Most importantly, it is a day for everyone to celebrate gin. Cheers everyone – here’s to World Gin Day 2022!
World Gin Day is on Saturday 11th June.
