As we celebrate London Cocktail Week from today until Sunday in Seven Dials and host a private Gin Evening in our Monmouth Street branch on Thursday, we thought it only essential to provide you with some insight into our spirit providers, Langley's.
First and foremost, Langley's No.8 is a unique gin, made with a secret blend of eight botanicals. Hand crafted and distilled, the gin is blended using only 100% English Grain Spirit, delivering a smooth and rounded finish as a result. Quintessentially English, Langley's No. 8 provides an elegantly well-rounded taste.
We spoke to Langley's founder Mark to understand more about the history behind the brand's making and what makes their gin such an appealing and stylish spirit to drink...
Could you tell us a bit about the brand’s history and legacy?
Langley's No.8 was 18 months in development. The balance of botanicals, choosing the right grain spirit and getting the strength right were the main stages of getting our recipe perfected. Langley's Distillery was the natural choice for us to partner to develop our unique recipe; they are the oldest independent/family owned gin distillery outside of London, they still only use traditional, small batch, hand-crafted methods and they were as passionate as us at working to perfect our recipe with us. We launched our brand 6 months ago when we bottled our first batch. The name of our brand comes from the distillery, of course and, the No.8 part comes from the batch number we signed off. We tasted 12 final strengths/versions of our gin and the 8th one of the 12 was the one signed off.
What do you think is influencing modern gentleman to drink more gin?
Gentlemen have been drinking gin since it was originally founded. In previous researches, every gentleman on our panel was a gin drinker and they are a huge part of UK gin consumption. The increased awareness & interest in gin in recent years, driven by more artisan brands coming onto the market, has driven this consumption further.
How have images and the portrayal of gin changed through time and how have Langley's been a part of this?
The recent gin renaissance has been largely down to the more boutique, artisan and micro-distillery gins coming onto the market, made with more passion, care and enthusiasm. That said, however, I think most gin brand owners would have to agree that the catalyst for all of it starting some years ago was largely down to Hendricks.
What makes Langley’s No 8 gin unique?
Every gin is unique and it is easy to get different flavour profiles because one can use unique and different balances of botanicals to get different flavour profiles. Ours is a unique recipe in terms of the balance of botanicals, the English grain spirit we use and the strength (ABV %). In terms of our positioning and strategy; we are the first gin to specifically target the discerning gentleman.
Could you tell us about the atmosphere of the distillery? Is it a place that oozes a sense of history and authenticity?
It is like going back in time about 100 years. Copper and original oak dominate the distillery where it all happens, it is in the heart of the industrial origins of The Black Country. The botanicals are stored in hessian sacks with the botanical names stamped on them which again gives it a feel of times past. Our recipe is stored in a very old safe which you can see on arrival.
What are the unique values of gin that alternative spirit options lack?
Gin is perceived as quintessentially English and there is a huge amount of history given that London gin houses have been around for more than 300 years. It is a spirit deemed for the more affluent, traditional consumer in the same way as Malt Whisky and Cognac. When you compare it to other white spirits, it appeals to a broader age range and a more affluent consumer. It is easier to drink and more accessible for the younger consumer than whisky and cognac too.
Do you think that the grand establishment of Gin & Tonic overshadows the broader range of possibilities with gin? Is this predominately an English concern?
G&T is actually a global thing. 99.9% of gin is probably drunk in this format but, in more upmarket establishments, The Martini has a disproportionate share of voice. Langley's No.8 is also excellent when consumed neat or over ice, as a digestif. This isn’t something I see catching on, but it is a great way to get the full-flavour profile of any gin and, with ours, it particularly shows off the smoothness and length, something which a lot of gins do not deliver.
Are there any unusual or perhaps unexpected gin combinations that you would recommend people give a try?
I was at a function the other night and someone was drinking it with Ginger Ale (not my personal recommendation!) Cocktails continue to evolve and basil is becoming very popular amongst bartenders. We have created a cocktail using fresh whole basil leaves and this, along with Elderflower, fresh lemon juice and fresh apple juice, delivers a fabulous cocktail. You will be able to see this recipe on our website soon.
Similarly to the Murdock ethos, you ensure that Langley’s gin is ‘as quintessentially English as possible’. How much of a distinct value do you think this description puts upon your product?
A lot. We use only English Grain Spirit to distil our botanicals and we still use a copper pot that was made in England in 1960 (a lot are made overseas and imported these days). Gin, both here and in export markets, is deemed as being English as Whisky is Scottish so it is important, in our opinion, to stick to these traditions to give the brand longevity and a classic, timeless feel.
This Thursday our Monmouth Street branch will open until 9pm serving up Langley's gin cocktails to private guests. For more information, please see our event post.