Quoth the Raven , Nevermore – Beefeater Crown Jewel Gin Discontinued

Put this in any liquid thing you will
    And drink it off, and if you had the strength
    Of twenty men, it would dispatch you straight.

ACT V. Scene I. Romeo & Juliet

Some love affairs are doomed right from the start. I feel like I’ve found rock genius just before she dies of an overdose.

Beefeater came to market with Crown Jewel back in 1993 when premium hadn’t been eclipsed by super and uber as the top rungs of the spirit ladder.

In an epic purple bottle with the legend of the Tower ravens ion the reverse. The legend states that the ravens must be found at the Tower, else the Tower and the Monarchy shall fall. The Ravens have all been killed at least once, during the Blitz when Germany bombed London. They were repopulated, and continue to be, hanging out next to the Bloody Tower in the care of a Beefeater with the fantastic title, the Raven Master.

I digress however, the Gin itself is an epic flavour hit. Full of Juniper and none of the softness that seems to be in favour with 24 and Oxley with their grapefruity tastes. bottled at 50%ABV it makes a great and quite lethal martini.

The Gin has recently been discontinued, but can be found at the astonishingly cheap price of $34 for a liter at the Wellington Airport in New Zealand, almost worth risking death in landing there.

Lost and Long Forgotten

A while ago, I wrote about a favourite cocktail of mine, the Aviation. I mentioned that the addition of Violet liqueur renders the drink a little floral and sweet for me.

A small amount of reading of the writings of the wizard Wondrich led me to discover that the original Aviation was not actually made with Creme de Violette, it was made with a defunct substance by the name of Creme Yvette. It is said to contain vanilla and other extracts in addition to the violet petals.

Now, at least in some part due to the research and efforts of David Wondrich, the makers of St. Germain liqueur that some of you may have tried have decided to revive this once lost member of the alcoholic menagerie and bring it back to market. I must say, I can’t wait to try it.

The Original Aviation. 

45mls Gin (Beefeater works nicely), 10 mls lemon juice, 5mls maraschino liqueur, 5 mls Creme Yvette. stirred over ice and strained into a martini glass.