Introducing Beefeater 24™

Rare Japanese Sencha Tea, Chinese Green Tea and Spanish Grapefruit Peel Yield a Hand-Crafted Spirit of Extraordinary Sophistication and Flavor

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Beefeater 24^™, a new gin handcrafted with 12 botanicals including a rare blend of teas, will debut in select American cities this Spring – bringing London’s unique gin heritage and modern cocktail culture to the States. Distilled in the heart of England’s capital, Beefeater 24 takes its name from the unique 24-hour steeping process and the city’s 24-hour stylish and sophisticated lifestyle. Created with today’s discerning spirits connoisseur in mind, Beefeater 24 is set to become a bartender darling, as it lends itself perfectly to cocktail innovation and experimentation.

“During the entire 18-month process, I felt that James Burrough, creator of the original Beefeater London Dry Gin, was watching over my shoulder. And I would like to think that Mr. Burrough would approve of Beefeater 24.”

Beefeater 24 boasts a blend of natural botanicals sourced from around the world, including hand-prepared grapefruit, bitter almond, orris root and Seville orange peel. Accents of rare Japanese Sencha Tea and Chinese Green tea create a perfectly balanced, multi-layered gin. A truly contemporary take on London gin, Beefeater 24 is a subtle, scented and sensuous spirit that plays beautifully on the palate.

“The gin category continues to show strong momentum and offers excellent future growth opportunities, making this an ideal time for us to launch this super-premium expression,” said Tim Murphy, Vice President of Beefeater. “Some of the best and brightest within the bartender community have contributed their mixology expertise to craft exceptional Beefeater 24 drinks that continue to elevate the spirits industry in new and interesting ways.”

Craftsmanship from the World’s Most Prestigious Gin Master Distiller

Beefeater 24 is the inspired creation of Desmond Payne, the world’s most experienced Gin Master Distiller. Drawing on his 40 years of distilling expertise, Payne spent 18 months perfecting the Beefeater 24 recipe, a gin of unrivalled smoothness and complexity ideal for modern cocktail making.

Working from the original recipe developed in the 1860s by James Burrough, Payne discovered that his predecessor shared his passion for working with new flavors and fresh ingredients. Beefeater distillery records show, for example, that Burrough purchased exotic Seville oranges at the fruit market in London’s Covent Garden in the 1860s.

In the course of his research, Payne also discovered that Burrough’s father had been a tea merchant by Royal Appointment to Queen Victoria. This led Payne to experiment with various teas, which are themselves natural botanicals. After months of experimentation, he hit upon a perfect combination of Chinese Green and rare Japanese Sencha teas, which complements the Beefeater style perfectly, bringing a fresh aroma and incredible smoothness to the final product.

In addition to different botanicals, Beefeater 24 is “cut” earlier during distillation to retain its freshness and vitality. This means that only the heart of the distillation is used. The first and last elements of distillation – the heads and tails – are discarded. For Beefeater 24, the “cut” into the tail of the run is done much earlier than usual. This limits the quantity of gin produced in each run, but it allows Beefeater 24 to retain its unique and fresh notes of grapefruit and leaf teas.

“Creating Beefeater 24, a spirit with complex yet harmonious flavors and an incomparable smoothness, is the culmination of a dream for me,” said Payne. “During the entire 18-month process, I felt that James Burrough, creator of the original Beefeater London Dry Gin, was watching over my shoulder. And I would like to think that Mr. Burrough would approve of Beefeater 24.”

Coming Soon to America

Beefeater 24 will make its North American debut in New York and San Francisco this spring. Both markets represent a new generation of gin connoisseurs and mixologists who have rediscovered the joys of super premium gin, making them ideal U.S. cities for the launch of Beefeater 24. Additional markets will be added in the coming months.

Prior to launching Beefeater 24, Payne and Beefeater worked with mixologists, such as Gary Regan, Sasha Petraske and Nick Strangeway, to develop cocktail recipes to enhance the spirit’s botanicals. Beefeater 24 lends itself beautifully to martinis and popular gin cocktails, while also adding dimension as a base in innovative cocktails.

Triple Citrus 24 & Tonic
1 Part Beefeater 24™
2 Parts Premium Tonic

Decorate with thin slices of Lemon, Lime and Orange

24 Martini
5 Parts Beefeater 24™
1 Part Lillet Blanc
2 Dashes of Regan’s Orange Bitters

Stir and serve up with a Grapefruit Twist

Shifting Sands
1 & ½ Parts Beefeater 24™
1 & ½ Parts Fresh Grapefruit Juice
¼ Part Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Bar Spoons of Maraschino Liqueur
Club Soda

Build ingredients into a high-ball filled with fresh ice. Top with Soda and garnish with a grapefruit twist.

Additional cocktail recipes and images available upon request.

PRICE

The suggested retail price for Beefeater 24 is $28.99/750 milliliter bottle, and $32.99/one liter bottle.

ABOUT PERNOD RICARD

Pernod Ricard USA is the premium spirits and wine company in the U.S., and the largest subsidiary of Paris, France-based Pernod Ricard SA. In July, 2008, Pernod Ricard completed the acquisition of the iconic ABSOLUT® Vodka brand from the V&S Group, and Pernod Ricard USA is now the second-leading company in the U.S. by sales value. In addition to ABSOLUT®, Pernod Ricard USA’s leading brands include such prestigious spirits as The Glenlivet® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Chivas Regal® Scotch Whisky, Jameson® Irish Whiskey, Wild Turkey® Bourbon, Seagram’s Extra Dry Gin®, Beefeater® Gin, Plymouth™ Gin, Martell® Cognac, Malibu® flavored Rum, Kahlúa® Liqueur, Hiram Walker® Liqueurs, Pernod® and Ricard®; such superior wines as Jacob's Creek® and Brancott Estate®; and such exquisite champagnes and sparkling wines as Perrier Jouët® Champagne, G.H. Mumm™ Champagne and Mumm Napa® sparkling wines.

The company is based in Purchase, New York, and has roughly 1,000 employees across the country. Pernod Ricard USA urges all adults to consume its products responsibly and has an active campaign to promote responsible drinking. For more information on this, please visit: www.acceptresponsibility.org.

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