Subscribe also Check out our forum and the new Review Browser.

Liquor Review: Beefeater

Published on January 19th, 2008 in Gin by Hunter

Beefeater Gin was created in the early 1860’s by James Burrough, and the recipie remains nearly unchanged since. It is made from nine hand-picked natural botanicals that are added to the pure grain spirit. Juniper, angelica root and seeds, coriander seeds, liquorice, almonds, orris root, seville oranges, and lemon peel are all steeped for 24 hours prior to the eight-hour distillation. Today, Beefeater Gin is produced in Kennington, London, England.

In case you can’t tell they are proud by the label, the James Burrough Company boasts that they are the only premium London dry gin that is still made in London. In the United Kingdom, the Beefeaters are known as the ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London and also the safeguarders of the British crown jewels. Perhaps the “Beefeater” figure on the bottle symbolizes the company’s desire to embrace their gin-producing heritage, but what the hell do I know? I’m no English major. I just want to embrace liquor.

Beefeater Gin smells very much like traditional gin. The insides of the bottle smell like a fresh pine forest in the winter time. Sipping it on the rocks tastes like consuming a pine forest that has been set aflame. It’s a mild burn, and the juniper flavor is almost so overpowering as to cover it or at least diminish it a bit. It’s not a disgusting taste by any means, but I wouldn’t really go for this stuff on the rocks unless I had to choose between that or sobriety. When combined with tonic water, some of the subtleties of the gin become more apparent. The juniper is still the most overpowering of the botanicals, especially up front, but the citrus botanicals really spring out during the finish. This finish is a very dry one that doesn’t linger too long. If you were to look up gin in a dictionary, Beefeater should be pictured. It’s taste is what I would call textbook gin. It’s focused and good for what it is, but at the same time, nothing special has been added to make me crave it.

Maybe the Beefeater on the front of the bottle isn’t an homage to the English heritage at all, the Beefeater could actually be guarding the dark secret within the bottle. What could this dark secret be? Well, Beefeater simply did not get me drunk. I was shocked! This gin is 94-proof in the United States (80-proof everywhere else), but it didn’t give me anything more than a buzz. I had a total of maybe seven drinks but still felt as though I had only consumed a couple ounces. The buzz itself was light and nice, but I really wanted a drunk that night. Don’t turn to this stuff if you are looking to get hammered. Oddly enough, the next morning, I still had a noticeable headache and a little grogginess. That’s two thumbs down in my book.

A bright spot for this gin is the price. You can get a 750ml bottle for around $17. That makes it a real candidate for a permanent place on the shelf in your home bar. If it did more to produce drunken bliss, I think it would be a good liquor to stock for someone who really enjoys the taste of traditional dry gin. Perhaps I was drinking this stuff on an “off” night. Perhaps this stuff will give you an awesome buzz. Perhaps the Beefeater is guarding a sober little secret. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps you should give it a try and let us know what you think.

Sipability – 6.0

Mixability – 6.5

Drunkability – 4.0

Hangover-ability – 7.5

Bang for the Buck – 9.0

Overall - 6.0