Can you get more British than a good gin and tonic? Popular in medieval times, and supposedly the liquor behind the saying ‘Dutch courage’, this drink was produced in vast quantities after the government deregulated production in the first half of the 18th century. This so-called Mother’s Ruin was a popular drink amongst the poor, working classes, but its reputation improved somewhat when it was added to tonic water and served in the British colonies. This was to mask the bitter taste of quinine, an anti-malarial compound – and quinine is still used as a flavouring in tonic today.

If you have a similar enthusiasm for historical methods of preventing malaria, you’ll be thrilled to know you can now join a club for like-minded individuals. The Craft Gin Club is a subscription service (costing £40), delivering new and exciting small batch liquors monthly. You can subscribe for deliveries monthly, bimonthly, or quartley – each delivery costs £40, but if you use the code GINPALS10 and then mention my blog, you can get £10 off!

As well as a bottle of gin from some of the finest independent distillers around, you also get a copy of Ginned magazine, and some amazing free gifts. This month it ws a bottle of Cornish Orchards’ Elderflower presse, Buttermilk fudge and Cornish seasalt along with a bottle of Southwestern Distillery’s Tarquin’s Rosemary and Thyme gin.

Opening the Craft Gin Club delivery is an exciting prospect – not the least because Ginned! is a fascinating read, full of new gin cocktail recipes, interviews, and info about the producers of this month’s goodies. There are even savoury recipes, like this month’s roast leg of lamb flatbreads, as well as reviews of gin joints and a crossword! There’s a whole lot packed into a 24 page magazine, and I take my hat off to the club for such an interesting publication!

One of the recipes I tried was the lethal Death in the Afternoon, which mixed 50ml of Tarquin’s Rosemary and Thyme gin with 10ml Elderflower presse and 5ml lemon juice, served with strawberries and topped up with Prosecco. A heady mixture – make sure your afternoon schedule is clear before imbibing!

I also tried this gin simply with some ice and tonic – it’s a deliciously savoury gin thanks to the notes of rosemary and thyme, but there’s also a fantastically bright citrus edge and some florals lurking in there too. This bottle went down an absolute treat, and the Craft Gin Club is some serious value for money thanks to the extra goodies you get! (Even more so if you use that GINPALS10 code!) I can’t wait to see what’s coming next month!

Head on over to www.craftginclub.co.uk to find out more, and to sign up for the club! Monthly deliveries of artisan, small batch gins? Yes, please!

The Craft Gin Club offered me this box for review. All opinions are my own!

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