Trevethan’s Christmas gin and a Port Eliot chauffeur’s 1929 recipe

Almost a century ago, a chauffeur on a Cornish country estate started making his own gin. This Christmas, that recipe has been dressed up for the party season.

Trevethan Distillery has launched Christmas Reserve Gin, a festive release that looks back to the glamour of the late 1920s. Think jazz, Art Deco design, elegant bars and a flourishing cocktail culture. It is the latest Cornish gin to come out of a story that began in 1929.

A recipe from the Port Eliot Estate

Norman Trevethan was working as a chauffeur for the historic Port Eliot Estate in Cornwall when he created his own homemade gin. His recipe stayed part of the family story for decades before it became the inspiration for the gin that carries his name today.

When Master Distiller John Hall set out to revive it, the aim was to refine it rather than simply recreate it. John has a background in chemical engineering and approached Norman’s recipe the way an engineer would: understand it, question it, test it, refine it.

It took 18 months and 31 iterations. The result was Trevethan Original 1929 London Dry Gin, which the distillery describes as a contemporary expression of a historic recipe.

“Never settled. Always refined,” is how Trevethan puts it.

What goes into Christmas Reserve

Christmas Reserve starts from the foundations of Trevethan’s award-winning London Dry Gin and adds a festive set of botanicals.

Locally grown Norwegian spruce builds on the piney character of juniper, bringing the smell of evergreen and Christmas trees. Orange, cinnamon and vanilla add layers of citrus and winter spice. Cranberries, raspberries and lime are there to brighten things up and balance the richer flavours.

The distillery says nothing is in there for decoration, and every botanical has a purpose. It describes the finished gin as aromatic, warming and festive, with evergreen and juniper, orange peel and winter spice, and bright berry notes.

It has been made with Christmas cocktail parties in mind. Cocktails before dinner, champagne and canapés, black tie parties and long lunches that drift into evening drinks.

Award-winning distilling

Trevethan Gin received an IWSC Gold Medal in 2021, and the distillery was named IWSC National Gin Producer of the Year 2021. A year later, Trevethan Gin received an IWSC Gold Outstanding Medal with a score of 98 points.

Ice, tonic, then the gin

Trevethan also has a view on the humble G&T. Its serve flips the usual order, with ice and tonic going in first and the gin added last. The distillery says the change is designed to give a more refined expression of flavour.

Five ways to serve it

Trevethan has shared five festive serves for Christmas Reserve.

The Christmas 75

Shake Trevethan Christmas Reserve Gin with fresh lemon juice and a touch of sugar. Strain into a chilled glass, top with English sparkling wine and finish with a long lemon twist.

The 1929 Spritz

First make a spiced cranberry syrup by heating equal parts cranberry sauce and water with cinnamon, nutmeg and star anise, then leave it to cool. Pour 35ml Christmas Reserve, 20ml spiced cranberry syrup, 75ml blood orange soda and 50ml prosecco over ice in a wine glass. Finish with fresh orange and cinnamon.

Midnight Negroni

Combine equal parts Christmas Reserve, sweet vermouth and Campari. Stir over ice and finish with a generous twist of orange peel. Trevethan says the classic format brings out the gin’s orange, spice and berry character for a richer end-of-evening drink.

The Trevethan Christmas G&T

Fill a glass with ice and add premium tonic. Then add Christmas Reserve last, and finish with a twist of fresh orange peel.

Christmas Reserve and ginger

Pour Christmas Reserve over ice with ginger ale, then add fresh orange peel and a cinnamon stick. The ginger picks up on the cinnamon and vanilla in the gin.

Where to get it

Trevethan Christmas Reserve Gin is made in Cornwall. It comes in a 70cl bottle at 40% ABV, with an RRP of £39, and is available from the Trevethan Distillery online shop.

Or, as the distillery signs off, raise a glass to Christmas, and to 1929.