Hayman’s are a brand with a long history and a lot of connection within the gin world.
They were founded by Christopher Hayman, who, alongside his children James and Miranda, set about reviving the company his great-grandfather started in 1863.
That was when pharmacist James Burrough decided to invest in a Gin rectifier in London, and began producing some pretty impressive London Dry Gin.
He was a great success, and with the help of his two sons, the brand became international, selling in the USA and Canada in the early 1900s.
The company went from strength to strength and became one of the biggest Gin producers in the UK, even producing such names as the well-known Beefeater Gin.
The first Hayman joined the business in 1951, when Neville Hayman came on board to help the brand through the hard times after the Second World War.
Neville was married to Marjorie, who was James Burrough’s granddaughter.
He worked hard to keep the brand thriving, and then in 1987, the company was sold to the brewers Whitbread.
Seemingly, this was the end of the Hayman’s connection to the brand, but decades later, Christopher Hayman decided it was time to buy back James Burrough Fine Alcohols Division Limited.
He went on to change the name to Hayman, and opened their first distillery in 2013, in Witham, East Anglia.
Today they continue to thrive and make some incredible Gin.
A prime example of their expertise is their Old Tom style. This is a revival of a Victorian Gin style that was popular for drinking neat and tended to be sweeter than other Gins.
The Hayman’s pay homage to this with a brilliant crafted tipple that is ideal both neat and in cocktails.
Hayman’s Old Tom is made from a range of botanicals and has wonderfully sweet nutty aromas.
The nose is soft and easy going, with almond and juniper berries coming out. These work well together and are perfectly complementary.
The palate brings in more citrus notes, with lemon and lime especially coming out. These are intense but sweet, with a slightly candied quality to them.
The juniper brings in more wooded tones here, with a slightly pine quality to them.
The finish is drying and gentle, with more sweetness and a lovely refreshing citrus flavour to end on.
This is the perfect Gin for a G&T are a long day.