Booth's Gin is a once well-known and widely consumed make of London dry gin, recently reintroduced after years of being unavailable. It was founded by a Lincolnshire branch of the ancient Booth family in about 1740.[1]

Booth's Gin was most famously sold in distinctive hexagonal glass bottles. Its paper labelling alluded to the Red Lion distillery in Clerkenwell where the drink was originally produced,[2] and to the heraldic crest of the Booth family.

Known as the "gentleman's gin", reputedly it was a favourite of both Queen Elizabeth II, and the Queen Mother.[3] English novelist and critic Sir Kingsley Amis (1922–1995) favoured Booth's as a mixer for pink gin.[4]

The brand, owned by Diageo Spirits, was by the 21st century only produced in the United States and ceased production in 2017.[5] In November 2018, the brand was sold to the Sazerac Company.[6]

Sazerac recommenced production of Booth's Finest Old Dry Gin in the United Kingdom in 2022.[7]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Review of Booth's Finest Dry Gin by the GIN is IN". theginisin.com. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  2. ^ British History Online [1]: 'Clerkenwell Road', in Survey of London: Volume 46, South and East Clerkenwell, ed. Philip Temple (London, 2008), pp. 385-406.
  3. ^ "Gin and Tonic". The Greasy Spoon | Food & Culture.
  4. ^ "Ode to the Gin and Tonic". 22 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Review: Booth's Recipe No. 1 Finest Dry Gin Cask Mellowed". 3 April 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  6. ^ "Diageo sells portfolio of brands to Sazerac". 12 November 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Booth's Finest Old Dry Gin - Returns!!!". summerfruitcup.wordpress.com. 15 July 2022. Archived from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

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