ANY story that begins with the line - “one night in a small bar in the middle of Tokyo” is destined to be good, and the story of Jensen’s Gin with its cinematic opening of a stranger, a bar in a foreign city and a bottle of gin is no exception.
To elaborate. It’s the millennium and Jensen’s Gin founder, Christian Jensen finds himself in a bar, lamenting the loss of old-style gin - the stuff of cocktail legend. Much to his surprise, the bartender agrees, before placing on the bar in front of him a bottle of Gordon’s Gin. For gin-lover Jensen, what followed was a revelation. “He pulled out a bottle from the 1960s, and he let me try this next to a bottle from 2000. It was clearly a different type of gin - a different product,” he recalls. So profound was the experience that Jensen became a regular, sampling the vintage gins collected by Oda-San on his frequent trips to mountain villages across Japan and what he brought at auction. “He not only had Gordon’s but all types of old gin. He was a real connoisseur, a top-end bartender, and very well respected.” Such was Jensen’s appreciation that when he left Tokyo, Oda-San gifted him a bottle, saying in jest, "take this to London and make some nice gin. I can't find it anymore.”
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NOT one for promotions nor sponsored posts, this site has always been ad-neutral. However, we were so taken with this promotion by Thames & Hudson that we couldn't help ourselves. So we are promoting it off our own back as we are a big fan of Jensen's Gin and we think partnership such as these support local businesses and that's a good thing. Anyway, this is their description of the book:
"Here's all about the book which just sounds extraordinary:Award-winning designer Caz Hildebrand’s Herbarium is a 21st-century reboot of the traditional herbal compendium. The visual genius behind the international bestseller The Geometry of Pasta, she has created abstract forms and vibrant colours to illustrate 100 essential herbs and to reveal their hidden properties. From bergamot, comfrey and dill to sassafras, vervain and wasabi, all types of herbs are covered; each is explained through the fascinating history of their uses and symbolism. There are tips on how to use them as seasonings and how to create healing potions, as well as advice on when and how to grow them." Anyway, to celebrate the launch of Herbarium, Thames & Hudson has teamed up with Farmdrop to offer this compendium, a bottle of Jensen's Old Tom gin (that is gloriously awash with botanicals) and a poster celebrated the book. To enter, simply email [email protected] with 'Farmdrop' in the subject heading, and tell them your favourite herb. (Conditions are: Competition closes on 5th September, and Entrants must be UK residents and 18 or older. ) |
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February 2017
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