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The result is clean and elegant, tactile and seductive. Its translucent golden bottle recalls honey or nectar, suggesting richness, vitality and purity.
Right: a Lincolnshire porter bottle from a merchant in Boston. We found several porter bottles in the ditch. Porter as a drink was going out of fashion by the 1880s. See the post on a porter bottle. Generally ginger beer bottles were returnable, unless the manufacturer had died or adopted a new design. They also had value where they were short in supply. Rural households, for example, often kept a number of ginger beer bottles for use in the pantry. In Kings Lynn, however, there was evidently no shortage, and with a large number of public houses as well as multiple manufacturers the bottles had little re-sale value. This is demonstrated by the large number that were dumped. Though some were clearly old when they were thrown away, most were overlooked or ignored by the scavengers who nevertheless did a good job of emptying the dust-heaps of wine bottles, jam jars and other re-salable vessels. We’re delighted that the latest iteration of The King’s Ginger was awarded a gold medal by the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2021. On the outside, the recyclable bottle’s shape is inspired by the saddle flask as a nod to Edward’s love of the outdoors, and the Daimler wheel motif on the stopper links to him being the first royal to own a motorcar. Today, 10% of profits goes to The Prince’s Countryside Fund, established by his great-great grandson Prince Charles in 2010 to empower family farms and rural communities to survive and thrive, creating a sustainable future for the countryside and our whole nation. The King’s Ginger – our favourite ginger and lemon liqueur – is steeped in 117 years of history, since its inception in 1903. The story behind it is just as colourful as the king it was named for. I speak to Ronnie Cox, our Brands Heritage Director, to uncover the details of its rich heritage. The King and his neighbourhood
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There is no time like Christmas for sharing a dram with family and friends, and while whisky may be peerless in the world of alcohol, it can be rewarding to veer off the well-trodden path on occasion. After falling in love with Fraiser of Scotland’s strawberry liqueur this time last year, I decided that my festive cabinet would not be complete this time around until an alternative was acquired. As ever, I turned to my local specialists at the Good Spirits Co. who recommended, amongst many others, The King’s Ginger, from London wine and spirits merchant, Berry Bros. & Rudd. The King's Ginger was created in 1903 when King Edward VII's doctor commissioned Berry Bros. & Rudd to create a "fortifying beverage" to be served in King Edward's flask. [1] King Edward's doctor was concerned about the King's constitution: the King was obese, suffered from various ailments, elderly and tended to travel the countryside in his convertible and go hunting regardless of the weather conditions. [1] [2] The doctor hoped this beverage would help "stimulate and revivify His Majesty during morning rides." [1]
TheKing and his hedonistic environs co-existed in perfect symbiosis.In stark contrast to his famously austere motherQueen Victoria, Edward VII’swell-documented interest inmotorcarsandlife’s indulgencesled to an image of acharming“bon viveur”which has endured to this day.Long before they were widely available to the general public, theKing was the proud owner of eight Daimlers, which he called “horseless carriages”.The speed limitin the vicinity of St James’sat the time was20 miles per hour(the speed ofa trotting horse)but theKing was known for his passion for speed– an unexpected factor that would nudge him towards Henry Berry’s ginger cordials. The birth of The King’s Ginger But, even as it fell out of use amongst the general public, the saddle flask continues to be used in the context of country sports. Originally formulated by Berry Bros. & Rudd for King Edward VII, The King’s Ginger is a beautifully warming, revivifying elixir with a spicy-yet-honeyed flavour, perfect for the wintery outdoors.
The King and his neighbourhood
Henry Berry was leading up the companyat the time. He would have introducedthe physicianto various sorts of cordials, as they were called in those days,one of which would have been thebrandy and ginger cordial.” Founded in 1698, Berry Bros. & Rudd have been the official wine supplier to the Royal Family since the time of George III and count Lord Byron and William Pitt the Younger amongst their former customers. They were responsible for the launch, in 1923, of the Cutty Sark blend and continue to bottle some of the finest examples of single cask whiskyaround today. It remains popular even today when people go out hunting – an activity which takes place in winter, when it’s very cold,” says Ronnie, “It was typical to have a ‘stirrup cup’ before going out on a hunt, a tot of something to calm you down before getting on a horse, and it was just as typical to carry a flask throughout the day.” Itremainspopular even todaywhen peoplegoout hunting – an activity which takes place in winter, when it’s very cold. It was typical to have a‘stirrup cup’before going out on a hunt,a tot of something to calm you down before getting on a horse,and it was just as typical to carry a flask throughout the day.”
From shooting, the liqueur’s popularity promptly extended to fishing and hunting parties. The latest iteration ofThe King’s Ginger bottle designreferences these roots,evoking Edward VII’s original saddle flask, also known as a hunting flask. The new bottle allows the liquid to be the hero; it takes the design from staid tradition to a more refreshing, convivial experience,” says Guy. “During the re-design, we knew we needed to shed new light and energy on a brand which had been around for a long time and give it appeal to a new audience.” While our latest iteration of The King’s Ginger remains true to this history, that doesn’t mean it won’t evolve. The latest recipe brings out more of its spicy, gingery warmth, which proved popular with the judging panel of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, who awarded The King’s Ginger a gold medal in 2021. Everything about this revitalising spirit tells a story, one that began in 1903 when the royal physician commissioned The King’s Ginger for King Edward VII.
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King Edward enjoyed the beverage and drank it regularly, sharing it with his friends, particularly during hunting trips. It also became popular with the royal family, and when King Edward died in 1910 the family continued to commission hundreds of cases annually. [1] Another fancy way of cheating at mulled wine. This is a delicious sweet liqueur made with citrus fruits and ginger. Add a little of King’s Ginger with some citrus fruit and sugar to hot wine, or even better, cider, for a delicious warming drink. As I sit typing this I think the outcome will be that I have lost my favourite spirit of all time but that a close second has emerged.
Today's distributed, 82 proof, King's Ginger comprises a neutral based grain spirit, ginger, lemon oil, Glenrothes single malt scotch, and sugar. [1] In 1903, St James’s Street was thethrivingepicentre of London’s clubland; a districtassociated withthe leisurely pursuits of high society, from gunsmiths and hunting shops to hatters and cigarstores – and, of course, wine merchants. We collaborated with design agency Stranger & Stranger to revitalise The King’s Ginger for a new age. The new bottle comes in the shape of a saddle flask, the sort that Edward VII would certainly have carried, in recognition of its heritage.Originally made by Berry Bros & Rudd for King Edward VII, this has become a bit of a Christmas classic, its pure gingery spiciness working very well in solo-digestif style or as the partner, with a good Scotch blended whisky, in lieu of ginger wine in a souped-up whisky mac. St James’s today is a time capsule of the 1900s, and possibly earlier.It was part of the early establishmentandit would all have been very familiar totheKing, who was living in Pall Mall,” says Ronnie Cox, our Brands Heritage Director. The vision for The King’s Ginger is one of relevance to the modern audience – while at the same time, staying true to its roots. It draws out its origin story as a revitalising restorative: a spirit presented in a tall, lean bottle, perfectly suited to high-energy kingly pursuits such as horse-riding, hunting and fishing.” The bottle has been opened, I poured a good measure into a glass, took a small sip and it is a very different drink. Very nice but very different.
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