It’s because drinking habits and fashions have changed and, especially in the US which has the biggest thirst for UK gin, people are demanding premium high-end products that are tasty and have an air of exclusivity.
Hence the boom in the number of gin distillers in the UK, with more than 100 starting up in the last two years.
One of the newcomers to the industry is Tiger Gin, the brainchild of JJ Lawrence. Founded in 2016, the goal of Tiger Gin is simple, to bring you the highest quality, best tasting gin, through the use of fine ingredients and master distilling expertise. And it looks like this goal has been achieved as the Tiger Premium Gin No 1 is a real blockbuster.
Made up of a fairly traditional set of ingredients (juniper berries, citrus peels, liquorice roots, coriander seeds etc etc), Tiger Gin has a remarkably silky smooth taste. It has an earthy, stony scent but the flavours are different, floral and sweet. Obviously, the juniper shines through, alongside a strong lime element. There’s none of that nonsensical burn that you get with mass produced mega brands, there’s no challenge to finish, it’s just pleasure from start to end.
Importantly, it’s key to remember that this is only the first offering from JJ Lawrence and so we can expect the Tiger Brand to get stronger, with new ideas and new flavours bolstering the strong reputation that Tiger already holds.
On founding the business, JJ Lawrence found himself quickly embroiled in a legal battle with Heineken over the Tiger name which they claimed was too similar to their Tiger Beer brand but perseverance prevailed and Tiger Gin won the fight. The next step for this exciting and beautifully crafted gin is surely to differentiate itself in the market from the hundreds of boutique gin producers who are vying for growing but limited market shares.
If you’re into gin, if you like a London-style, if you prefer clean and crisp to dry and metallic, and if you prefer to know that your gin has been handcrafted by a master using the finest ingredients available, then Tiger Gin is an obvious choice.