Never Never Fancy Fruit Cup is from South Australia, made in a collaboration between Never Never Distilling Co. and Marionette Liqueurs. It uses gin as a base, to which is added Marionette’s aged orange Curacao; Earl Grey tea completes the recipe. Stone’s Summer Cup was launched in 2006 by the makers of Stone’s Ginger Wine based on a traditional recipe with a ginger note. Some say the pilgrim fathers spent their last night in England there in 1620, before setting sail on the Mayflower on their epic voyage to start a new life in America where they founded a new Plymouth. This is why the Mayflower ship forms Plymouth Gin’s trademark label today. Today, there is a wide range of products beyond Pimm’s on the market, many of which are coming from the newer, smaller distilleries. They include those based in the UK, Ireland, USA, and Australia; here, we take a closer look at some choice examples.

Plymouth Gin Distillery Plymouth Gin Distillery

This product is a mixture of spirits and vermouth, with the addition of botanical distillates of strawberry, cucumber, orange, and mint. This status was awarded after a London distiller began producing a bottling it called ‘Plymouth’ gin. A legal judgement followed in the 1880's which sided with Plymouth-based distilleries who sought to protect the name. However, this protective status will lapse and is not set to be renewed.This cup starts out as a botanical distillate of Taylor’s of Harrogate’s Yorkshire Gold Tea, which is then blended with freshly-brewed Yorkshire Gold Tea and sugar. With the lowest ABV (alcohol by volume, or alcoholic strength) of the fruit cups tried here, this is a first-rate choice for afternoon tea, perhaps served alongside finger sandwiches and a slice of Battenburg. The Plymouth Gin Garden at The Wigmore will also be hosting Botanical Lab masterclasses throughout the summer. Taking place on the first Wednesdayof each month, the classes will take guests on an interactive journey where they will learn about the history and botanicals of Plymouth Gin and be able to blend their very own gin using the seven botanicals that Plymouth Gin has been known for since 1793 –

Plymouth Fruit Cup — Spirits — The Three Drinkers Plymouth Fruit Cup — Spirits — The Three Drinkers

Fill a tall glass with ice, pour in a measure of Plymouth Navy gin and top with Aromatic Tonic, give a gentle stir and garnish with a slice of lemon or orange (or both). The Langham’s bars and restaurants include the award-winning Palm Court, Artesian Bar, Landau restaurant and The Wigmore, all overseen by culinary icons Michel Roux Jr. Chuan Spa Body + Soul provides a pampering haven and is London’s first luxury hotel spa to incorporate the ancient principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine into its signature treatments and ambience. Pimm's No. 1 is a gin-based drink invented by James Pimm, at 25% ABV. Pimm's numbers 2–6 were based on Scotch whisky, brandy, rum, rye whiskey, and vodka, respectively. As of 2012, only Pimm's No. 1, Pimm's Winter Cup (a variant of No. 3), and Pimm's No. 6 (renamed simply Pimm's 'Vodka Cup') still survive. [1] Plymouth fruit cup [ edit ] Whilst originally launched in 2011 as a “summer cup,” the current version from Sipsmith uses their London Dry Gin as a base that is blended with Earl Grey tea, lemon verbena, and borage. The cup has a fragrant elegance to it and the inclusion of the tea neatly balances out its sweetness. It makes an excellent choice for the traditional fruit cup serve with sparkling lemonade. Plymouth Fruit Cup & Ginger Ale is a quintessentially summery drink. (Image: Plymouth Gin Distillery)The most common variety of fruit cup is Pimm’s No.1, which has been instrumental in popularising the drink. It was originally described as “The Original Gin Sling”, although the word “gin” no longer appears on the current Pimm’s label. Early bottles of Pimm’s called for a garnish of lemon and borage leaves or cucumber. Borage is an annual herb that is also known as the starflower due to its distinctive purple, star-shaped flowers. The leaves have a succulent flavour similar to cucumber and the flowers make a delightfully decorative garnish. Nowadays, it is common to see a whole host of fruits included in a jug or glass of fruit cup, including: orange, lime, mint, grapefruit, and even strawberries, but there is something to be said for the simplicity of the original garnish and it’s just as tasty. Plymouth Gin Distillery is best known for producing Plymouth gin - not just a singular bottling, but an actual style of gin. It was the only gin in the UK to have a Protected Geographical Indication within the European Union as, by law, it can only be produced in the town of Plymouth. Other popular fruit cups include the Plymouth Fruit Cup, the Stone’s Summer Cup, Ableforth’s Summer Fruit Cup, Players, Jeeves from Lidl, Austin’s from Aldi, Pitchers, Chase, Heston from Waitrose, Fortnum & Mason’s Summer Cup (made by The London Distillery Company), Sipsmith and Tappers’ Hydropathic Pudding. There are lots to choose from!

fruit cups - Gin Magazine Summer fruit cups - Gin Magazine

Originally released over a decade ago, for a long time this much sought-after fruit cup was only available at the Plymouth Gin Distillery. Made with a mix of spirits, vermouth and liqueurs, the result is an intense and complex fruit cup that is full of rich fruity notes, dry herbaceousness, and a gentle hint of sweet spice. Deliciously moreish, it has the sheer power of flavour required to make it perfect for producing pitchers of fruit cup and lemonade or ginger ale; a convenient, but flavourful serve on warm, sunny evenings with friends. A quintessentially summery drink which brings together the rich fruit flavours of Plymouth Fruit Cup with the spicy elements of ginger and is topped off perfectly with refreshing notes of citrus, cucumber and mint as well as the sweeter notes of the summer fruits.

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No one can quite trace how it came to New Orleans and Napoleon House but it has been so popular there that they’ve claimed the drink as their own! New Orleans, surprisingly, has claimed another famous tradition: Mardis Gras. That tradition originated in 1711 in Mobile, Alabama, an even older city three hours east of N’awlins (as the locals call it) and they didn’t have their first parade until fifteen years later! The Pimm’s fruit cup, known as Pimm’s No. 1, is a gin-based drink invented by James Pimm. Even though the recipe is top secret, the drink is typically a concoction of mint, chipped fruit, lemonade, and Pimm’s, which is a gin-based liqueur. The colour is deep red and just sings summer! It’s flavoured with unspecified botanicals, spices, and caramelised oranges (yum!). It is a flavoursome fruit cup with a great combination of succulent fruitiness and earthy, herbal bitterness. The sweetness is balanced and the flavour profile is probably the closest to the fruit cups of old. For me, it’s a top choice for a Fruit Cup Royale – that is, a drink consisting of fruit cup added to a champagne flute and topped up with sparkling wine. A twist of orange peel really sets the drink off. Fruit cups are most popular in the UK, followed by Australia and New Zealand, although it’s worth noting that the drink also has an unexpected foothold in the city of New Orleans, where it has been a signature drink at the Napoleon House since the 1940s.