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The royal family clearly knows a thing or two about summer sipping
Our collection of royally approved alcoholic drinks is rapidly growing thanks to the Queen adding yet another gin to her range, which is hardly surprising considering the fact it's known to be her tipple of choice.
In 2020 alone, Her Majesty launched two new gins, the first of which was a Buckingham Palace botanical blend that proved an instant hit with royal fans, selling out in just eight hours.
Owing to its success, it was followed by one made from the flowers from the garden at her Hillsborough Castle estate in Northern Ireland.
And now the palace has launched another must-have summer spirit, Buckingham Palace’s sloe gin, which is available to buy now via the Royal Collection shop for just £30 a bottle.
Made with hand-picked sloe berries that have been steeped in the classic Buckingham Palace gin, it's said to have an intense fruity flavour that’s perfect for summertime.
Profits from each purchase go towards the Royal Collection Trust, a charity that looks after the royal family’s art collections and oversees public openings of the Queen’s official residences.
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Following the huge success of Buckingham Palace’s debut gin, you’ll want to act fast to avoid disappointment. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest launch, as well as the other botanical blends Queenie has released.
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The Queen clearly knows a thing or two about summer sipping, launching this new sloe gin in time for barbecue season. Made from sloe berries steeped in the Buckingham Palace gin (£40, Royalcollectionshop.co.uk), it has a deep ruby colour with a medium sweet flavour.
The palace recommends mixing it to create a sloe royale cocktail – simply pour 25ml into a champagne flute (£25, Marksandspencer.com) and top with sparkling wine (£19, Tesco.com) and garnish with fresh berries. If it’s good enough for Her Majesty, it’s good enough for us.
The royal family’s first foray into gin production, this bottle sold out in just eight hours when it first launched last year. Made from a botanical blend of ingredients sourced from the gardens at Buckingham Palace including lemon, verbena, hawthorn berries and mulberry leaves, it’s said to be the perfect refreshing drink. The palace suggests serving with tonic and a slice of lemon, but Queenie is partial to a gin and Dubonnet – a sweet, wine-based aperitif – so why not give that a whirl for a truly royal-approved tipple.
This limited-edition gin is the brainchild of Hillsborough Castle, Her Majesty’s official residence in Northern Ireland, and the Rademon Estate distillery. It’s made from rose petals handpicked from the Queen’s rose garden and blended with apples and pears from the walled garden. The spirit is said to have a long, sweet citrus taste and smooth, oily finish.
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If this doesn’t satiate your need for a summer tipple, read our guide to the best pink gins