Hayman’s of London Old Tom Gin
Hayman's of London Old Tom Gin is the original London gin style, revived from an 1860s family recipe — 41.4% ABV (82.8 proof), 750mL, distilled from ten botanicals with juniper and two cinnamons to the fore, and lightly sweetened in the Old Tom manner. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 41.4% (82.8 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Old Tom gin — richer and lightly sweetened vs. London Dry
- Botanicals: The "Hayman 10" — juniper, coriander seed, lemon peel, orange peel, angelica root, orris root, cassia cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon, nutmeg, licorice root
- Production: Two-day process; 24-hour botanical steep; three copper pot stills
- Origin: London, United Kingdom (Hayman family, distilling since 1863)
The Gin the Cocktail Books Were Written For
Old Tom was the gin of 18th- and 19th-century England — the sweeter, rounder style the Martinez, the Tom Collins and the Ramos Gin Fizz were all built on — before London Dry pushed it off the shelf. Hayman's, distilling in London since 1863 under founder James Burrough's descendants, brought it back from the family's own 1860s recipe when bartenders started asking for the gin their classic recipes actually meant. The make is deliberately old-fashioned: ten botanicals steeped for 24 hours, then distilled over two days in small copper pot stills named for family members. Find it on our gin shelf, or browse the family range on the Hayman's of London vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Bold juniper and citrus (brand character). Palate: Rich and rounded — juniper-pine with cinnamon warmth and a delicate underlying sweetness. Finish: Delicate, with the sweetness fading into spice.
How to Enjoy
Start where history starts: a Martinez (Old Tom, sweet vermouth, maraschino, bitters) or a Tom Collins, where the light sweetness does the work sugar syrup usually does. It also makes a rounder, softer Gin and Tonic than a London Dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Old Tom gin? The gin style that predates London Dry: botanically intense like a dry gin but lightly sweetened and rounder, which is why the classic cocktail books specify it by name.
How is it different from London Dry gin? Sweetness and weight — Old Tom carries a delicate sweetness and a fuller body, with cinnamon and licorice among its botanicals, where a London Dry is austere and bone-dry.
Why does the proof matter for cocktails? At 41.4% the botanicals hold their place against vermouth, citrus and sugar in stirred and built classics instead of washing out — the reason bartenders asked Hayman's to revive the style.
The 1860s, back in the bottle — buy Hayman's Old Tom Gin online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.