Our new-look No.3 Gin

Author:

Richard Gillam, No.3 Gin Brand Ambassador, makes a martini with the new No.3 Gin

As Brand Ambassador Richard Gillam walks into the room, you can instantly tell where his heart lies. Adorned with the iconic No.3 key as a lapel pin, alongside custom-made shoes that bear artwork from the new design, this is a man that lives and breathes No.3 London Dry Gin. We sat down with him to discuss the history of No.3 and the new bottle design

As a Brand Ambassador for No.3 London Dry Gin, it sounds like you’ve got most people’s idea of a dream job – but what is it exactly you do?

A large part of my role is bringing No.3 to the masses, showcasing what we think is the best gin in the world. Over the past few weeks I’ve been travelling pretty much everywhere you can think of to show off the new bottle design. And it’s only just starting really. In the next few weeks I’m heading off on a roadshow across the UK.

What was the idea behind No.3 Gin?

Back in 2008, we set out to create the world’s best gin. We worked with Dr David Clutton – the only person in the world that has a PhD in gin – on No.3 and the finished recipe tells of this scientific approach. Each botanical used has been carefully selected and weighed to the last milligram to make a spirit with the perfect balance of juniper, citrus and spice.

Where is No.3 made?

The distiller we chose to work with is in Holland, and bears a lot of similarities to Berry Bros. & Rudd: it’s a family-owned firm which has been operating for 300 years. It also just so happens that Holland is the birthplace of gin, with one of the oldest recorded recipes for the spirit. The liquid is distilled in a 100-year-old brick-encased copper pot still, a unique set-up which we’re very proud of.

Why the new design, and why now?

With the ever-growing love for the gin category, it’s important to stay fresh. Having just won Best Gin in the World for a record-breaking fourth time, as well as Supreme Champion Spirit at the 2019 International Spirits Challenge, we felt there would never be a better time to make people look again at our gin. It’s a fantastic send-off for the old design and a great way to usher in this new age for No.3.

What makes No.3 so special?

We do gin well. What I mean by that is that we keep it very simple: well-distilled and carefully sourced botanicals form the basis of No.3. While there are many new trends in gin – such as the growing selection of flavours – we have opted to stay true to what makes gin so popular, the juniper at its heart. It’s clearly a winning recipe, given how well-received No.3 continues to be to this day.

Our new-look No.3 Gin is now available on bbr.com.