Jensen’s Old Tom

Jensen’s is made in the suburb of Bermondsey in London – a place which is infamously described as “successfully growing up there is not getting shot” – at least in the nineties. Today, it’s gentrifying and is becoming a relatively trendy place in London.

The Old Tom style of gin was actually the first style of gin made in London and it got it’s name after the puritans of the day went on a PR campaign against gin to have it banned. After being successful having it banned, the popularity of gin in London boomed with underground bars popping up all over the place. In order to maintain the anonymity of the person buying the gin and the person selling the gin, it would often be served through holes in the stone walls and in order to find one of these holes in the wall, cats faces were painted on the holes and the holes became known as “Tom Cats” – it became common vernacular to say “I’m going down to old tom, would you like some”. The name rubbed off and the sweeter style of gin became known as Old Tom style.

This gin is made probably not far from where the first Old Tom style of gin was made and is an excellent example of the style. Although, it’s made with much more pure water today is unlikely to kill you like its 450 year old namesake!