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With #WorldGinDay taking place on June 10th, I’ve been taking a look at what new gin options are around, especially RTDs, Ready To Drink products, as I’ve always been sceptical of them. So when I spoke to Fentimans Tonic about their latest innovation, I had to try it for myself.
Why? Well with summer supposedly here, or on the horizon, or maybe it has passed, thoughts always turn to:
- Picnics
- Horse racing
- Time with friends
- Time on trains
And normally I just take a bottle of gin or something bubbly, and a load of tonic, and see lots of people drinking Gordon’s & Tonic on the train, something I have tried before and really did not enjoy, so when a new version of the same concept was an option, it was a no-brainer.
I have to say, that I was still sceptical as my previous Gin & Tonic RTD experience was pretty woeful, but this really worked, and not just because Fentimans sent me the samples to review, but because the products integrated the gin really well, tasted like something I would have bought in a bar or poured myself, although may have wanted a slightly strong influence of the gin, but that’s a personal taste thing.
Really crisp, refreshing, enjoyable and dangerously easy to drink… so, blanket grabbed, picnic basket packed, strawberries bought and packed, umbrella obviously packed, game on.
Fentimans Tonic and Bloom Gin RTDs can be bought here.
In case you’re not aware, here’s some background on Fentimans Tonic from their brand story:
The Fentimans story started over one hundred years ago when Thomas Fentiman, an iron puddler from West Yorkshire made a loan to a fellow tradesman and received a recipe for botanically brewed ginger beer as security. The loan was never re-paid and Thomas began using the recipe and producing botanically brewed ginger beer which he delivered door-to-door using a horse and cart for transport. In fact, you could say he invented the premium soft drink way back in 1905.
His ginger beer was stored in handmade stone jars affectionately known as ‘grey hens’ which were stamped with an image of his pet dog Fearless. Fearless was a Crufts winner in the obedience class in 1933 and 1934 and his image remains on Fentimans’ bottles to this day.
Fentimans botanically brewed ginger beer quickly became very popular and was followed by other beverages including Dandelion & Burdock. The family business grew, with several brewing and production facilities in the North of England. The 1970s brought a brief hiatus until the business was taken over by Thomas’ great grandson, Eldon Robson, who resurrected his ancestors time honoured process of botanical brewing to bring the unique Fentimans flavour to a whole new generation.
The world has changed a lot over 100 years since Thomas Fentiman founded the business and Fentimans has had to adapt to meet the demands of the modern world. Changes in the way people shop mean we don’t deliver door-to-door and instead Fentimans b
everages are sold in shops, bars and restaurants. And deliveries are by motorised transport not handcart.
But the Fentimans commitment to quality, natural ingredients and innovation remains as strong as ever. Today, Fentimans Botanically B
rewed Beverages is the ONLY botanical brewer in the UK and continues to produce Ginger Beer using the same time-honoured processes as Thomas, but thanks to continued innovation the range now boasts a diverse selection of imaginative and full flavoured soft drinks, premium mixers, pre-mixed alcoholic drinks and craft beers.
To find out more about Fentimans, visit www.fentimans.com, like Fentimans Ltd on Facebook, follow @FentimansLtd on Twitter or find @fentimansltd on Instagram.