Pretty In Pink – Gin To Make You Sparkle
Gin is a wonderful drink. Arguably the most versatile (and delicious, let’s not forget delicious) spirit available to us. It’s a fantastic beverage to sip on at any time, and any social occasion. Gin is almost perfect in fact, so how it could possibly be improved upon?
Why, by making it pink of course.
That’s right, today (August 3rd) is officially Pink Gin Day. Hurrah! The day was preempted with a celebration last week at an exclusive London hotel, and it proved to be a memorable occasion. Belle About Town was lucky enough to be invited to attend and had the pleasure of meeting Martin Edgerton Gill – a genuine character, great British eccentric and the mastermind behind Pink Gin through his eponymous company, Edgerton Gin – who hosted the event.
Clad in a bejeweled long black coat and wearing a string of black beads round his neck, Martin explained the heartwarming origins behind his idea for Pink Gin whilst regaling us – his four daughters and three granddaughters, all of whom share an all-consuming love of the colour pink. No stranger to creating bespoke shades of this spirit, having first created London No.1 Blue Gin some years ago through The London Gin Company. The brand has since been sold to Spanish manufacturers Gonzalez Byass and gone on to become the bestselling Gin in boutique hotels across the Iberian nation. Martin used the proceeds of this sale to launch Edgerton Gin, and by extension, the delights of Pink Gin.
At the plush St James ‘Sofitel, Martin explained to us that, “in view of the prevailing gloom, this drink celebrates the most cheerful Gin” – before adding, with an unmistakable twinkle in his sparkling eyes, that Pink Gin is the only such drink that acts as an aphrodisiac thanks to thirteen different botanicals. Martin targets a female audience with Pink Gin, and any time spent in his company makes it clear that he knows how to charm us – he still gets along famously with his two ex-wives, and has previously declared that he if were a drink it would be Pink Gin (naturally), as, “it passes the lips of beautiful ladies”. Martin practices what he preaches too; he will rarely not be seen sipping on a glass of his famous invention.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that Martin is just a local trader that has struck gold, however; his charisma is matched by his business sense. A former pioneer of herbal teas, the previous owner of the London Gin Company has enjoyed a great deal of commercial success and continues to break down barriers and take great strides with Edgerton Gin. Back in 2016, Martin completely flew in the face of convention by naming 22-year-old Gruffald Salter as the Managing Director of his company, based on stellar performance. Bravo, Martin – if only more companies were prepared to give young blood an opportunity to prove themselves
If you are yet to sample the delights of Pink Gin, we envy you – we wish that we could taste this wonderful spirit for the first time all over again. Taking its colour from pomegranate that is added after the distillation, the drink has a fruity scent, and a strong, sour taste sensation thanks to the presence of juniper berries, coriander and liquorice. Perfect for sipping neat or with tonic, Pink Gin Day is also the perfect opportunity to clad yourself in your finest pink dress and invite your friends over for a cocktail party; the possibilities are endless with this magnificent spirit acting as a base ingredient. Celebrate the day in whatever way you feel is best, but just be sure to mark the occasion – Martin will be tickled pink that you did.
