Back in 2006, we were able to book a tour of Buckingham Palace. The Queen was out of town, staying in Scotland, and the palace rooms were open for viewing. It was quite a treat since tours of the palace aren’t usually open to the public. At the end of the tour, we were dropped off at the gardens where we were welcome to stay as long as we wanted. One of the things we were surprised to see was an ice cream stand.
This stand didn’t just serve any ice cream, this was ice cream approved by the Queen. I can’t be sure, but I remember the packaging saying the milk for the ice cream was from royal cows, and every container had the royal crest.
How else could this ice cream stand be in the gardens of Buckingham Palace unless Her Royal Majesty approved of its presence? To be honest, the ice cream was delicious even if it was packaged like the mini Häagen-Dazs you could get at any neighborhood Boots.
Apparently in 2020, selling ice cream in the gardens isn’t generating enough revenue for the royal coffers, so Queen Elizabeth II has started to market her own gin.
Sales of the gin will benefit the Royal Collection Trust, a charity entrusted with the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.
What makes this gin different?
The spirit has a unique royal origin, with many of its citrus and herbal notes sourced from botanicals gathered in the Buckingham Palace Gardens.
Lemon, verbena, hawthorn berries and mulberry leaves are among the 12 botanicals hand-picked for the gin in the Gardens at Buckingham Palace, which span 16 hectares and provide a habitat for 30 species of bird and over 250 species of wild flower.
For the perfect summer thirst-quencher, the recommended serving method is to pour a measure of the gin into an ice-filled short tumbler before topping up with tonic and garnishing with a slice of lemon.
The cost is £40.00 for a 70cl bottle (that’s 700ml for us Americans, just a little short of a fifth). 🙂
Unfortunately, shipping is only available to addresses in the UK. So if you live there, or know someone who does, you could get to drink a G&T made from botanicals from the Royal Gardens.
It’s the perfect coronavirus quarantine beverage!
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
