Fancy a snifter of Queen Mum’s gin?
Tipple is launched at Royal’s former castle home
SHE enjoyed a daily tipple before lunch of gin mixed with Dubonnet and a slice of lemon – with the pips carefully removed.
Now the Queen Mother’s lifelong affection for the popular drink has prompted her old Scottish home in Caithness to join the gin renaissance currently sweeping the UK – by launching its own brand.
The Castle of Mey has teamed up with mainland Britain’s most northerly gin distillery, just a few miles away from the former Royal residence, with the new spirit due to go into production later this year.
The award-winning makers of Rock Rose have been experimenting with exotic shrubs from the castle’s own gardens to flavour the juniper-based drink.
Ashe Windham, who served as the Queen Mother’s equerry at the castle and is the chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust, said: ‘We are about to launch a Castle of Mey gin using botanicals from the garden through Rock Rose, a hugely successful craft distillery overlooking Dunnet Bay only a few miles west of Mey. ‘Rock Rose have already achieved national recognition as a premium gin brand in only their second full year of operation.’ A source added: ‘It is a very exciting project and is at the sampling stage but not yet ready to go into production until later this year. They have been using plants grown at the castle – it will be a real quality drink and the one most associated with the Queen Mother.’
The gardens were a particular pleasure of the Queen Mother’s, and are much admired by green-fingered TV presenter Alan Titchmarsh, who advises as a patron of the castle’s trust.
Prince Charles visited Rock Rose nearly two years ago and was very impressed. It is understood the gin project, revealed in the castle friends’ annual report, has his full blessing.
His grandmother’s love of a good beverage was well known and she enjoyed a cocktail of one part gin, two parts Dubonnet, topped off with a slice of lemon or orange.
At one of her official visits, the Queen Mother, who died in 2002 aged 101, was surprised by her cheeky host, who instead of offering her tea as usual, commented: ‘I hear you like gin.’
HRH replied immediately: ‘I hadn’t realised I enjoyed that reputation. But as I do, perhaps you could make it a large one.’
The Castle of Mey was the only home the Queen Mother owned.
She first saw what was then Barrogill Castle in 1952, while mourning the death of her husband, and fell for its ruined, isolated charm. On hearing it was to be abandoned, she declared: ‘Never! It’s part of Scotland’s heritage. I’ll save it.’
It was painstakingly renovated and restored, and the Queen Mother also had beautiful walled gardens created.