Oliver Twist Gin

Forget Vodka Jelly shots … Try Oliver Twist Gin and Tonic Jelly shots instead

keiran — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:59:23 +0000

Try this this classy equivalent to the regular Vodka Jelly Shot. This refreshing alternative can be served as either a pudding to round off the perfect dinner party or as a fantastic tipple to get any gathering in full swing. Either way we think that you will love this alternative way of having a Gin and Tonic.

You will need:

• A number of shot glasses or martini glasses depending on whether you are serving shots or pudding.

• One packet of Hartleys Lime Jelly

• 300ml of Schweppes Tonic Water

• 200 ml Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin

Heat 100ml of Tonic Water and the Jelly in either the Microwave or a sauce pan until the Jelly has dissolved. Add the Gin and remainder of the chilled Tonic Water and stir to ensure the Gin mixes with the Jelly/Tonic mixture.

Divide the liquid into shot glasses or martini glasses and chill until set.

Enjoy …

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Sir Noel Pierce Coward A Man Who Loved His Gin Martini

keiran — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 10:32:26 +0000

SIR NOEL PIERCE COWARD

16th December 1899 – 26th March 1973

Once suggested that a perfect martini should be made by “filling a glass with Gin then waving it in the general direction of Italy,” implying that the less vermouth added to the Gin, the better the drink.
Noel Pierce Coward was born in the London suburb of Teddington into what he was later to describe as “genteel poverty”. He was the second son of a piano-tuner and a doting but dominant mother.
Making his stage debut at the age of eleven, he went on to write more than 50 plays including, Hay Fever, Private Lives, Design for Living and Blithe Spirit.
Coward was also a prolific songwriter, musical theater writer, poet, short story writer and novelist.
His stage and film acting career spanned 6 decades during which he starred in many of his own works.
The outbreak of WWII saw Coward volunteer for war work and serve in Paris running the British propaganda office. He was also involved in the Secret Service, trying to persuade the USA to help Britain. During this time, he was the subject of a lot of media criticism about his foreign travel, but was unable to respond as he was acting for the Secret Service.
His 1943 film drama, “In Which We Serve”, won him an Academy Honorary Award .
He achieved further success in the 1950’s in cabaret with such songs as, “Mad Dogs and Englishmen”, “London Pride”, and, “I Went to a Marvellous Party” at the Café de Paris in London and other venues in Las Vegas.
The theatre critic, Kenneth Tynan wrote;
“To see him whole, in public and private personalities conjoined, you must see him in cabaret….he padded down the celebrated stairs….halted before the microphone on black-suede-clad feet, and, upraising both hands in a gesture of benediction, set about demonstrating how these things should be done. Baring his teeth as if unveiling some grotesque monument and cooing like a baritone dove, he gave us “I’llI See You Again” and the other bat’s-wing melodies of his youth. Nothing he does on these occasions sounds strained or arid, his tanned, leathery face is still an enthusiast’s….If it is possible to romp fastidiously, that is what Coward does. He owes little to earlier wits, such as Wilde or Labouchere. Their best things need to be delivered slowly, even lazily. Coward’s emerge with the staccato, blind impulsiveness of a machine gun.
Later in his career, Coward appeared in several films such as, “Around The World In Eighty Days”[‘56], “Our Man In Havana”[59], “Bunny Lake is Missing” [‘65], and “The Italian Job”[‘69].
By the late 1960’s, he was afflicted with arteriosclerosis and he struggled with repeated bouts of memory loss which affected his work, most noticeably when filming “The Italian Job”.
He passed away at his home in Jamaica on 26th March 1973 from heart failure.
The New Theatre which opened in 1903 in St. Martin’s Lane in London, was, after extensive refurbishment, re-named The Noel Coward Theatre in his honour when it re-opened in 2006.
We can only wonder what wondrous lyrics or prose he would have written about Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin had he still been with us to sample it and point it in the general direction of Italy.
For Gin and Country – Sir Noel we salute you.

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PART TWO OF LOOK TO THE STARS WITH OLIVER TWIST GIN

keiran — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:37:24 +0000

“We what?” Oliver Twistdrinker croaked, “Don’t you realise this is planet Nodrink? We won’t get off the Bugg.”
“Got any better ideas?” Hans Freifonin asked raising an eyebrow.
“Once we land and are taken to the dark lord, Parr Tee Pupa, we take him hostage and demand the release of Princess Toni Cawater and Sal Isa Lime.”
“Don’t be daft Twistdrinker,” scoffed Freifonin, “He will be surrounded by his Doommonger Guards, we’ll never get at him.”
“Then we will have to sneak in and try to find Princess Toni Cawater and Sal Isa Lime ourselves.”
Sucksherbert uttered a long string of grunts and squeaks.
“He says that when we smuggled a consignment of contraband Keiranovian Burble Fruit to some planet I can’t pronounce, he managed to purloin a cloaking device that he fitted to the Bugg and somehow forgot to tell me.”
“Brilliant! Let’s use it and land unseen.” Oliver Twistdrinker’s eyes were as bright as a bottle of Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin which his family had developed centuries before and after which he was named.
“Baa Mayd,” Hans Freifonin barked, “prepare to cloak.”
“Gotcha,” answered the computer.
“Cloak.” Said Freifonon with steely determination.
A bottle of dark liquid emerged from a slot in the control panel.
“No! No! No! Cloak…Cloak!”
“Sorry, I thought you said….”
“Never mind, just get on with it before those guys in that oversized beer can start taking pot-shots at us.”
“No need to be rude.”
“Will you get on with it?”
“Initiating cloaking….. Sir”
“Sucksherbert, land us somewhere near the Doommongers fortress, they are bound to be holding Princess Toni Cawater and Sal Isa Lime there.”
Sucksherbert answered with a low rumble and guided the now invisible Millennium Bugg toward Nodrink.
“What we need to do when we get there,” mused Hans Freifonin,” is get to the control centre, O T T 2 will be able to access main computer and tell us where they are holding them.”
“Won’t that be dangerous?” Anne Droidanset asked tremulously.
“Nah!” said Twistdrinker,”We just overpower a couple of guards on the outside, steal their weapons and shoot our way in.”
“We will need a diversion,” Hans Freifonin suggested.
“That’s where Anne Droidanset comes in,” Said Oliver Twistdrinker knowingly.
“Me?” Anne Droidanset’s rather metallic voice had raised an octave or two.
“You,” countered Hans Freifonin.
Sucksherbert nodded as sagely as was possible for a scaly lizard-like giant with no neck.

{ To be continued…….}

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Sloe ‘Oliver Twist’ Gin

keiran — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:15:36 +0000

Last night I went to visit a friend and I was telling her about my Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin experiences.

She then opened her cupboard and pulled out a big, traditional looking preserve jar with a red liquid in it. She said, ‘You have to try this. I have done it myself a couple of months ago’.

It was a jar of home-made Sloe Gin liqueur which was very uplifting and warming; the perfect remedy for these cold winter nights.

However, I believe that a Sloe Gin made with our favourite Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin would certainly be a delight.

It is a pity that I have to wait until next autumn to collect the sloes to do my own home-made Sloe Oliver Twist Gin, but I will make sure I am ready for when the time comes…

The shopping list is very simple:

* Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin

* Caster Sugar

That’s it!

Then when autumn comes you have to collect the sloes berries; you will need about half a kilo. Make sure the berries are ripe.

Prick the sloe berries with a clean needle and put them in a large sterilised wide-necked jar. Pour in about 230g of caster sugar, which is needed so the sloe juices are extracted from the fruit. Fill up the jar with Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin and seal tightly; turn the jar several times.

Store it in a cool, dark cupboard for a couple of months while the gin is infused with the sloe berries. Make sure you shake it every other day for the first week and then once a week.

When the winter comes the ‘Sloe Oliver Twist Gin’ will be ready for you! A comforting deep ruby red remedy that will drown all your sorrows…

I can’t wait…!

Delivered to you by “Are Gin Tina”

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Gin: What if Churchill was Prime Minister Today?

keiran — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:26:11 +0000

At times of economic turmoil we always hear our elders say “it wouldn’t have happened in our time”. This got me thinking. What if science had advanced a little quicker and we had moved beyond cloning Dolly the Sheep?

Imagine the possibilities. When the last election was stalling and the nation was dismayed at the thought of a coalition government The Cobra Task Force could have nipped down to the bunker under Downing Street, pressed “thaw” on the cryogenic freezer and brought back our greatest ever leader, Winston Churchill.

A quick debrief of our failing society and Europe’s economic free falling debt crisis, one fresh Cuban cigar and an Oliver Twist Gin and Tonic later its off to meet the press. Stand aside Mr Cameron, Churchill is back and moral boosting speeches are his game.

Stood on the steps of Number 10 gazing out into the waiting press our hero delivers his greatest speech since D-Day.

“Dear Nation of Britain, I have myself, full confidence, that we shall prove ourselves able to deliver our tiny island from the tyranny of Brussels.

Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of Debt, once again our people are being asked to prop up the economy of Europe. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do.

We all know duty must be paid on spirits, we all know that all manner of tax must be paid. Let us pay it on a traditional English product. One that we all enjoy, one that we can all share with our friends and fellow Britons throughout the Empire, one that declares our love for our great nation. We shall drink Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin with growing confidence and growing strength in the air; we shall rescue our Island, whatever the cost may be.

The leaders of France and Germany will once again be in awe of our Bulldog spirit that will help lead England, Scotland and Wales out of the financial doldrums whilst bringing a smile to our dear nations face.

Join with me and raise a toast, for we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, we can stand proud that we all stood together; For Gin and Country!”

The camera flashes erupt amongst a rapturous applause, Union Jack flags can be seen waiving furiously amongst the cheering crowd as Winston Churchill our dear great leader once again stands on the steps of Number 10 Downing Street, two fingers raised in a victory salute as he sips on an O.T.T.

The Gin Maestro.

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Born in South America “Are Gin Tina” tells of the day she discovered Oliver Twist Gin

keiran — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:36:25 +0000

I was born in South America where gin is not that popular, so when I came to Great Britain I wasn’t that much interested in gin, that is until a friend introduced me to Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin, and I am now a converted!

What better place than England to make acquaintances with this lovely drink, and what better than the fully flavoured dry gin Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin to christen my taste buds?

My first try was OTT (Oliver Twist and Tonic), which must be the most refreshing drink ever! Then I had a Dry Martini (made with Oliver Twist of course) and it blew my head off… this drink IS heaven. Make sure you get a good barman to do it for you or even better learn to do it yourself and you could have one at home every day when you return from work!

Being a woman and a bit health conscious (or trying at least…) I am always looking into the health benefits of almost everything, so as the Oliver Twist craze started to creep on me, I decided to do some research on this drink; the results were very encouraging indeed!

I discovered that gin is actually one of the healthiest alcoholic drinks around and distilled spirits like gin don’t contain carbohydrates, fats or cholesterol, which is all great news. It seems that the OTT o’clock is actually quite good for you!

Another great advantage of drinking gin is that no one would know that you are actually drinking it, or how many units you are going for… just ask the barman to serve your Oliver Twist and Tonic in a normal glass with a slice of lemon, which looks just like a glass of soda water with a slice of lemon! And you won’t get a foul breath either J

I think my Valentine’s Day present is sorted… a great looking bottle of Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin, presented with a red ribbon around its neck… I can just picture it… Dry Martinis all night! I am sure my husband will be very happy indeed…

Ramblings brought to you by “Are Gin Tina”

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LOOK TO THE STARS WITH OLIVER TWIST GIN DRINKER

keiran — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:07:19 +0000

Stretched out on my sofa, glass of OTT in hand, watching my favourite science programme on TV got me to wondering, “What if Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin went intergalactic?”
Just imagine, Oliver Twistdrinker has just discovered that Princess Toni Cawater and her faithful companion Sal Isa Lime have been kidnapped by the dark lord, Parr Tee Pupa and are imprisoned on planet Nodrink in the Dri Quarter of the Soff Derrinks Galaxy.
What can he do? Turning to his trusty robots, O T T 2 and Anne Droidanset, he commands them to make contact with Hans Freifonin who is aboard the Millennium Bugg, a super-fast curiously beetle shaped craft with rather fetching number 51’s emblazoned on its flanks.
Realising the serious of the matter, Hans Freifonin heads immediately for Oliver Twistdrinker’s planet bringing his co-pilot Sucksherbert with him.
Within hours, Oliver Twistdrinker, Hans Freifonin, Sucksherbert, O T T 2 and Anne Droidset are on board the Millennium Bugg.
“Set a course for planet Nodrink in the Dri Quarter of the Soff Derriinks Galaxy “, says Hans to Baa Mayd, the ships computer.
“ Hang on a minute,” it answers back, “We’ve been at it all day and are ready to call time on today’s adventures.”
“Baa Mayd, this is the final command of your shift”, Hans retorts.
“Be there in ten minutes, Boss.”
“Funny how quick things happen when it’s last orders”, mutters Hans as the Millenium Bugg leaps forward into hyperspace.
Five minutes and several light-years later, the Bugg slows down to a sedate several thousand kilometres per hour, “Holy cocktail shakers!” exclaims Oliver Twistdrinker,”Look at the size of that!”
Looming in the distance, but growing bigger with every passing second was a gigantic space station shaped a bit like drinks can, but ablaze with lights and bristling with laser cannons pointing in all directions.
“I don’t think they want to let us get to planet Nodrink”, remarked Hans Freifonin.
“We have to think of something”, said Oliver Twistdrinker through gritted teeth.
Sucksherbert made a low grumbling sound followed by a surprisingly high squeak for such a large being.
“I totally agree with you Sucksherbert”, said Hans Freifonin.
“What did he say?” asked Oliver
Hans Freifonin made the same noise.
“I meant translate!” said Oliver Twistdrinker in exasperation.
“Oh! He suggested that we tell them that we are carrying important documentation for the dark lord Parr Tee Pupa that will enable him to put a dampener on all social gatherings, parties and celebration throughout the known universe. This should get us a free passage to planet Nodrink.”
“What then?” asked Oliver Twistdrinker.
We take a case of your family’s London Distilled Gin with us and…………………………….
[To be continued]

Brought to you by Shaun Griffin Wyatt-Nicolle Intergalactic Gin Quaffer

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Ernest Miller Hemingway a man who loved a good Gin

keiran — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:17:48 +0000

The American author and journalist Ernest Miller Hemingway the great lover of Gin was born on 21^st July 1899 and was raised in Illinois.

Many of his publications are considered classics of the American Literature. The majority of his work was produced between the mid-1920s and the mid-1950s and in 1954 he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Some of his work was published after his death. But in life history tells us that Ernest loved a good Gin.

He reported for ‘The Kansas City Star’ after finishing high school; however this was for a few months only as he left for the Italian Front and enlisted with the ambulance drivers of World War I. He returned home in 1918 after being seriously wounded. His novel ‘A farewell to arms’ was based on his wartime experiences.

Hemingway had four wives. His first wife was Hadley Richardson whom he married in 1922. They lived in Paris where he became a foreign correspondent and was clearly influenced by the Lost Generation of 1920, the expatriate community of modernist writers and artist. In 1926 Hemingway’s first novel ‘The Sun Also Rises’ was published. The couple divorced in 1927. Pauline Pfeiffer became Hemingway’s second wife that same year. They divorced in 1940 upon Hemingway’s return from the Spanish Civil War, where he acted as a journalist and after which he wrote ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’. On this same year Hemingway married his third wife Martha Gellhorn. Their marriage lasted five years, and in 1946 Hemingway married his fourth wife Mary Welsh, who he met in London during World War II.

One of his best works, ‘The Old Man and the Sea’, was published in 1952. Shortly after the publication Hemingway travelled to Africa on safari where a plane crash almost killed him. He was left in pain for most of the rest of his life and committed suicide in Idaho on July 2^nd, 1961.

The fiction of the 20^th-Century has been strongly influenced by Hemingway’s economical and understated style, while later generations have been influenced by his life of adventure and public image.

Hemingway travelled much of his life and was a resident in Havana, Key West, Paris and Idaho. He always enjoyed a good drink and was proud of his drinking capacity. One of his quotes says: “A man does not exist until he is drunk.”

As a good drink’s connoisseur, Hemingway would have very much enjoyed our Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin. Since we are very lucky to be able to enjoy this exquisite drink today, I suggest we raise a glass (or two) on Hemingway’s memory and celebrate his great legacy to us.

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A GIN REVELAVELATION ON A COLD DAY

keiran — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:10:38 +0000

Having completed another frenetic morning in the office, I ventured out into the courtyard of Oliver Twist Towers and was struck numb by the sudden plummeting temperatures as the arms of the Siberian winds extended their frigid embrace towards us. Hurriedly, I made my way up the winding stairs of my private tower [not ivory I may add] and, gazing down onto the hunched shouldered, scarf wrapped and heavily over coated pedestrians scurrying up and down the picturesque High Street , my mind drifted back to various extracts from the writings of the great Charles Dickens, where he mentioned that on days of similar inclemency, a gin and hot water was offered as a welcome respite to the chill.
Now, as you all know, I am considered, not only by all my colleagues at Oliver Twist Towers, but the gin drinking community in general as a bit of an authority on the Noble Spirit, but I must admit that a Hot Oliver Twist had never crossed my mind, but resolved myself to try one for the sake of the frozen nation, so, placing the kettle on the range, I poured myself a sensible measure of our beloved Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin, added a slice of lime so that I may obtain the benefits of vitamin C to ward off the symptoms of colds, influenza and other melodious infections, and waited for the kettle to boil.
The whistle blew as the steam erupted through the spout cap announcing that the time for the great experiment was nigh. Gently I poured the bubbling water over my Oliver, inhaled the vapours and immediately felt the warmed botanicals fill my senses with the warmth of a Mediterranean summer, the Oliver Twist swallows were once again gracing our skies, our fair English maidens were again dressed in bright summer frocks, everyone was smiling and carefree, O.T.T. was the order of the day and everything in the world was good.
If only everything in life was so simple! A beautifully crafted Gin transformed into a wonderful winter warmer by just the addition of hot water! A master stroke! A Victorian wonder! Another British marvel!
I raised my glass to my lips, gazed down fondly on my fellow Londoners going about their chilled business, thought of the great Charles Dickens and had a revelation as the mellow and warming glow spread through my extremities, “This is not a Hot Toddy. This, promise of summers to come, is a thoroughly…. Warm Dickie!”
FOR GIN AND COUNTRY!

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“Happy Birthday Mr. Dickens, For Gin and Country”

keiran — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:50:24 +0000

Birthdays, it’s always the same. My birthday falls on the 29^th December but the rest of my family or at least a big chunk of them all fall around the same time in February, just when my bank balance has recovered from Christmas! There’s mother & farther, little brother and my wife and I’m about to become and uncle again and yes you’ve guessed it, we are expecting another February baby!

So what’s all this got to do with Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin? Well my wife happens to share her birthday, the 7^th February with someone rather famous. Mr. Charles Dickens would have been 200 this year and it was Charles Dickens who wrote, amongst his many other great literary achievements, “Oliver Twist”.

The Team at Oliver Twist are delighted to announce that we have been asked to partake in the world wide bicentenary celebrations of Charles Dickens organised by the British Council.

In conjunction with the BBC, Film London, the British Film Institute and Fentimans Tonic, Oliver Twist London Distilled Gin will be sponsoring the bar at the BFI Southbank Blue Room on the evening of 7^th February 2012, which will host the UK’s contribution to an international “read-a-thon” organised by the British Council, which will be performed live on stage.

After the “read-a-thon” we will be treated to the world premiers of three short films produced by Film London and the new feature-length collaboration between Film London and BBC Radio Drama called “Dickens in London”.

Now all I have to do is break the news to my wife that I have cancelled the table at her favourite Italian restaurant and booked us some tickets to London to soiree with Britain’s top luvvies.

So what ever you are doing on the 7^th February raise a glass and toast our Victorian Literary Master.

“Happy Birthday Mr. Dickens, To Gin and Country”

The Gin Maestro.

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