The Process
Beefeater is one of the few global gin producers whose Master Distiller is still actively involved in the selection of its botanicals. Each year Desmond Payne, the world’s most experienced gin Master Distiller, personally tests over 200 juniper samples – to ensure Beefeater’s bold flavour and character remains present. Their botanicals are still hand weighed by our small but passionate team of three stillmen, then added to the still – this is the level of care needed for a real London Dry Gin.
The bold taste of Beefeater is enhanced by the 24 hour steeping process. This process helps to extract the maximum amount of flavour from the botanicals into neutral grain alcohol before distillation.
After steeping for 24 hours, the stills are turned on and the contents heated, turning the liquid to vapour. This vapour carries through the essential oils from the botanicals and is then condensed back to liquid form. The flavour of each botanical comes through at different times during the distillation.
As the liquid passes through their Spirit Safe, Beefeater determines which parts of the run will be used to make Beefeater gin. The early parts (the head) and the end (the tail) are discarded. Only the flavours from ‘the middle cut’ will become Beefeater gin. Their stillmen make a perfectly timed decision using nothing but their expertly trained noses. This is the ‘perfect cut’ and every drop of Beefeater is treated to this attention to detail.
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