by Sean Brison |
Last Updated: June 11, 2022 Gin is known for its juniper-heavy, botanical-infused bouquets that have become its signature. But it has variations; London Dry; Dutch Genever, and more. In this post, we’ll answer the question, “What is Old Tom gin?” along with how it got its name, the difference between Old Tom and London Dry, popular brands, and more.
Let’s go.
What Is Old Tom Gin?
Old Tom gin is a style of gin popularized in England during the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s known for having a sweeter side and is referred to as the “missing link” bridging the gap between London Dries and malty Genevers.
It’s a sweeter, less botanical version of most gins found on the market.
Today, it comes in all manner of flavor nuances and varies in color between clear and a light whiskey brown. What you should know is that there are no rules when it comes to distilling Old Tom.
Other than it must include juniper berries.
Unlike bourbon and tequila, the neutral base spirit, aging process, and sugar content will vary, depending on which master distiller you talk to.
Why Is Gin Called Old Tom?
The name Old Tom waffles between several theories. One says Old Tom gin supposedly came from the black cat-shaped wooden plaques mounted on the outside walls of pubs. Another says a black cat fell into a gin vat and left an odd taste.
There’s the one involving Captain Dudley Bradstreet, who in an effort to avoid the heavy taxation British Parliament established on gin in the Gin Act of 1736 and meant to curb its consumption that found a legal loophole that dodged the tax when he hung a sign in the window of a building displaying an old tomcat.
Beneath the cat’s paw, you’d drop a coin, and Bradstreet upon getting paid distributed a shot of gin through a lead pipe into the recipient’s cup or mouth.
Joseph Boord of Boord’s of London was a well-known brand at the time and used a cat and barrel trademark for his gins.
A Tale of Two Toms
This last one comes from a tale of two Toms at Hodge’s Distillery, Thomas Norris, an apprentice to Thomas Chamberlain.
When Norris left his apprenticeship under Chamberlain to sell his own gin and used the moniker “Old Tom” as a way to compliment his former boss.
History
Distilling techniques weren’t as evolved as they are today which made gin unpalatable most times. Old Tom gin was made with substantial impurities and to mask them, the gin was sweetened with aniseed, licorice, lemon peel, and sugar.
As distilling techniques improved, there was less of a need to sweeten gin and it evolved into the London Dry style popularized by the likes of Bombay, Tanqueray, and Beefeater.
Old Tom disappeared for some time from around 1970 until the early 2000s with the craft cocktail revival.
Classic cocktails were once again fashionable and books like Jerry Thomas’ Guide to Mixing Drinks returned in popularity.
Jerry Thomas called for Old Tom gin in many recipes including the classic Martinez cocktail.
As Difford’s Guide explained, “what we now call Old Tom, referred to a wide range of pre-London Dry gins.”
What Does Old Tom Gin Taste Like?
Old Tom gin uses a blend of botanicals relying less on juniper while adding a touch more sugar making it a mellower, sweeter-tasting gin.
Its color varies. Some are clear while others resemble whiskey.
What Is The Difference Between Old Tom Gin and London Dry Gin?
London Dry came along when distillation methods improved resulting in a superior quality gin that was more palatable, less toxic, and with little need to cut it with sweeteners.
The introduction of stills improved the quality of the gin swilling making it cleaner and drier.
Old Tom gin is sweeter than its London Dry counterpart and called for in many classic cocktail recipes like the above-mentioned Martinez and Tom Collins. It’s less reliant on juniper berries, though still noticeable.
Many find Old Tom more accessible who don’t prefer the juniper bite of London Dries.
The Old Tom Gin Revival
Old Tom gins are back in style with a vengeance, mostly due to the craft cocktail renaissance (lucky for us).
However, it’s still the wild west of gin-producing as there are no rules to how it’s made. Hayman’s is an old family recipe and firmly believes you shouldn’t age gin in barrels.
Popular Old Tom Gin Brands
The below represent a few of the more well-known brands but is by no means exhaustive. There are plenty of Old Tom styles to choose from today.
The classic Old Tom Gin from Hayman Distillers was the first to revive the popular, sweeter-style gin from an 18th-century family recipe. More widespread due to the craft cocktail revival, it makes an excellent base spirit for The Martinez and Tom Collins cocktails.
Hayman’s old tom gin is the family name who had been distilling it over 150 years ago in England. When Old Tom fell out of favor, through the better half of the 20th century, Hayman’s was one of the first to start producing it again in the mid-2000s. Hayman’s “resurrected” the Old Tom-style from a popular English 18th-century. recipe.
Ransom Master Distiller, Tad Seestedt, felt like he was ransoming his financial future when embarking on this business venture - hence the name. Marvelous, complex flavor profiles, behaves like a whiskey and excellent in a Tom Collins.
Ransom Old Tom Gin was the by-product of a collaboration with its founder and master distiller Tad Seestedt, and mixologist and author, David Wondrich.
Unlike its clear-colored counterpart, Hayman’s, Ransom resembles the color of whiskey, yet still blends nuanced juniper berries, coriander, lemon and orange peel, cardamom, and angelica root bouquet.
Ransom gets the whiskey-like color from the French oak barrel aging with its gin. And doesn’t add sugar.
Christian Jensen partnered with master distiller Charles Maxwell to produce a gin emulating the 19th-century style. Jensen is made to an 1840s recipe and sources Italian juniper berries with coriander, orris root, angelica, and licorice.
Old Tom Gin Cocktails
Try replacing your London Dry with Old Tom gin next time you’re making a cocktail and see if you notice a difference. It was the popular gin style of the 18th and 19th centuries.
A few recipes to start:
- Martinez
- Tom collins
- The Casino
- The Princeton
- Negroni
For the above-mentioned recipes, read our list of 105 Classic Cocktails.
The Last Word
Whether you want an alternative to the juniper-heavy London dries or are a Jerry Thomas purist and must use Old Tom in your next Martinez, this style has made a comeback.
If you’re still asking yourself, “What is Old Tom gin?,” remember, it’s the missing link between London Dry and the maltier Dutch Genever. A mellower, sweeter spirit to enjoy.
Still gin-curious? Read this.