Silverback Old Tom Gin
If you’re familiar with Old Tom Gins then you’ll know how delightful they are.
The style was commonplace in 18th Century England when distillation techniques were crude and harsh spirits were the norm. To make the gin more palatable they were flavoured quite richly and sweetened, though not as sweet as Genever, generally regarded as the forerunner to gin, which came across from Holland in the 16th Century.
The name Old Tom Gin purportedly came from wooden plaques shaped like a black cat (an “Old Tom”) mounted on the outside wall of some pubs above a public walkway. Beneath the sign would be a slot and a tube whereupon a penny placed in the slot would lead to a shot of gin being dispensed.
Old Tom gins gave way to London Dry’s in around 1830 when the Coffey Still was invented. This revolutionised spirits production and brought with it much purer and cleaner liquids which the gin makers embraced.
We are among a small group of distillers who have embraced the Old Tom style to produce a Gin of outstanding character and smoothness. It’s the perfect gin for some classic cocktails such as a Tom Collins and it makes a deliciously different G&T too.
As with all our award-winning spirits, £1 from the sale of every bottle of Silverback Old Tom Gin is donated to The Gorilla Organization to support gorilla conservation.
``A slightly sweeter, heritage gin style... great character``
Silverback Old Tom Gin
If you’re familiar with Old Tom Gins then you’ll know how delightful they are.
The style was commonplace in 18th Century England when distillation techniques were crude and harsh spirits were the norm. To make the gin more palatable they were flavoured quite richly and sweetened, though not as sweet as Genever, generally regarded as the forerunner to gin, which came across from Holland in the 16th Century.
The name Old Tom Gin purportedly came from wooden plaques shaped like a black cat (an “Old Tom”) mounted on the outside wall of some pubs above a public walkway. Beneath the sign would be a slot and a tube whereupon a penny placed in the slot would lead to a shot of gin being dispensed.
Old Tom gins gave way to London Dry’s in around 1830 when the Coffey Still was invented. This revolutionised spirits production and brought with it much purer and cleaner liquids which the gin makers embraced.
We are among a small group of distillers who have embraced the Old Tom style to produce a Gin of outstanding character and smoothness. It’s the perfect gin for some classic cocktails such as a Tom Collins and it makes a deliciously different G&T too.
As with all our award-winning spirits, £1 from the sale of every bottle of Silverback Old Tom Gin is donated to The Gorilla Organization to support gorilla conservation.
``A slightly sweeter, heritage gin style... great character``
A historic bridge
Old Tom Gins are generally regarded as a being a bridge between Genever brought over from Holland in the 16th Century and London Dry Gin which made it’s debut in the 19th Century
Interested in gin history?
If you read about the history of gin you get some great insights into social history too. Take a look at this article from Vinepair
An enhaced formulation
Distilled using the same seven botanicals used in Silverback Mountain Strength Gin, but we use a lot more of them. It is then delicately sweetened with a touch of sugar.
A historic bridge
Old Tom Gins are generally regarded as a being a bridge between Genever brought over from Holland in the 16th Century and London Dry Gin which made its debut in the 19th Century
Interested in Gin History?
If you read about the history of gin you get some great insights into social history too. Take a look at this article from Vinepair
An enhaced formulation
Distilled using the same seven carefully selected botanicals as our Silverback Mountain Strength Gin, but 50% more. Old Tom is then delicately sweetened with touch of sugar.
A truly indulgent gin experience
If you’re a neat gin lover then this is the one for you! Drink on the rocks with a twist of lemon zest or get the app to find the recipe for one of our distillery favourites – the Silverback Martinez.
