Old Tom gin

Common card · No. 431125

Old Tom gin (or Tom gin or Old Tom) is a gin recipe popular in 18th-century England. In modern times, it became rare but has experienced a resurgence in the craft cocktail movement. It is slightly sweeter than London dry gin, but slightly drier than the Dutch Jenever; it is thus sometimes called "the missing link". The name Old Tom gin purportedly came from wooden plaques shaped like a black cat (an "Old Tom") mounted on the outside wall of some pubs above a public walkway in 18th-century England. Owing to the Gin Craze, the British government tried to stem the flow of gin with prohibitive taxes and licensing, which drove the scene underground. Under the cat's paw sign was a slot to put money into and a lead tube. From the tube would come a shot of gin, poured by the bartender inside the pub. Old Tom gin was formerly made under licence by a variety of distillers around the world; however, one was recently relaunched by Hayman's Distillery based on an original recipe. Since then a number...

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