HIGH SPIRITS

Food scientists have long known that altitude compromises our taste buds, especially in a passenger jet where the combination of engine hum, low air pressure, and low humidity impairs the salty and sweet receptors on our tongues. All of which might explain why airline chefs will up the salt and sugar levels in the cabin food, but not why it’s taken so long for anyone to turn their attention to the alcoholic beverages. Raise a toast then to British Airways, which has teamed up with Edinburgh-based Pickering’s Gin to celebrate the carrier’s 100th anniversary with the creation of Centenary Gin, a fullflavored spirit that tastes as good 11,000 meters in the air as it does at sea level. The Centenary’s secret ingredient is lemon myrtle, its softly sweet citrus note balancing the other botanicals of juniper, heather, rose petals, cinnamon, and cardamom. Served with a Schweppes 1783 and slice of lemon over ice, it’s available individually on all British Airways short-haul flights and as part of a triple-pack of Pickering’s gin on longer journeys ( britishairways.com).