Juniper Club, Graphic Bar, Soho

Nothing happens on Monday evenings, like, EVER. The only thing a Monday night is fit for is a double bill of Corrie. Right? Not so. Update your calendar because Graphic Bar on Golden Square hosts Juniper Club every second Monday at 7pm. Each free, (that’s right, FREE) session acts as a showcase for gin producers of all sizes to promote their particular brand of mother’s ruin.

Although all gatherings vary, to this point all have included a brief talk about the origin, an insight into the botanicals used to make the magic happen and various samples have been handed out to eager guinea pigs.

This week, it was the turn of No.3 London Dry Gin to be in the spotlight. The name refers to the address on Saint James’s Street, London, which has been its home since 1698. It’s rather fitting then that it’s just around the corner from our gin-swigging monarch in St James’s Palace.

The hype for the green bottled magic was presented by Amanda, so into her gin it’s difficult to imagine any trivia would stump her. Via her samples, stories and iPad pics the group learned the following interesting snippets.

• No.3 isn’t actually made and bottled at that address. The powers that be consider it to be too dangerous to distil the product so close to HRH Lizzie there so they do the business in Holland instead.
• A product can be slapped with the ‘London Dry Gin’ label whether it was created in The Smoke or not. The definition of London Dry is that nothing other than water, sugar/alcohol has been added to it.
• A couple of months ago, gin-sters got the cold sweats when it was reported that a disease was tearing through British juniper berries. Do not despair! Most gin producers don’t opt for the comparatively flavourless UK berries anyway.
• Most gins have between eight and 12 botanicals in them. No.3 however, only has six (juniper, grapefruit and orange, angelica, coriander and cardamom).
• Switch things up with your tonic. If you’re a Schweppes only kinda gal, try a supermarket brand, if you’re used to fewer calories, experiment with the full fat. Tonic can really alter you gin journey. Mix it up.

After Amanda sent cheeky squirt samples of each botanical around the group, she played the wow card and let us taste them all together, in the proportions they were intended, in the No.3’s ‘perfect serve’. Each session includes a glass of whichever gin is being showcased, in whatever way the makers think gets the optimum oomph factor. For example, the most complimentary tonic and the most fitting wedge of citrus/stick of herb. Due to the botanical in already in there, Graphic were under orders to serve No.3 with a good healthy wedge of pink grapefruit. Delicious it was too.

The next Juniper Club is 30 September and will showcase Gin Mare. You’ll need to book your place so visit the website below. Yes, it’s on a Monday but let’s start the week as one means to go on?

Graphic
4 Golden Square
Soho
W1F 9HT

Tel: 0207 287 9241