If Gin is Your Thing..Head to The Four Thieves

So, this Gin Craze. It’s certainly not showing any sign of dying down, that’s for sure. Once maligned as Mother’s Ruin and derided for being cheaper than water, it is now having its hay-day as the spirit that everyone wants a part of. Not only are artisan and boutique offerings appearing every week, but new gin parlours and drinking dens are popping up all over.

Well, not only is there soon to be another variety of the juniper spirit available, but it comes hand in hand with a fabulous new place to drink.

The Four Thieves Gin will be distilled in the pub that bears its name, in Lavender Gardens, Battersea. Once a music hall and comedy club, this is now a class A establishment to indulge in a tipple. Not only will they be creating their own super spirit, but they’re dedicated to gin generally. With 45 of the world’s best gins available and loads of tonics, then it will allow for around 260 G&T options. Wow.

We visit on a Thursday lunchtime, and get a chance to chat to Dan Luker, manager of The Four Thieves. He has recently become an aficionado of the stuff and speaks to us with all the passion and zeal of a new convert. Not that we need converting – we’re more than happy to be his ginny-pigs. We try Bloomsbury 45 served with orange for that extra lip-smack of citrus, and have Gin Mare from Barcelona. This is served with rosemary and has hints of basil and other Mediterranean flavours – the result is complex and herbaceous and very nice indeed. After this we move on to G’vine, a french gin that is made with grapes and served with elderflower and apple (tres refreshing), and our favourite, the american Few barrel-aged gin which is as tasty as a bourbon and would make an excellent Old Fashioned (something Dan has already picked up on for future cocktail twists).

“With so many different gin and tonic combinations we will be able to create a flavour experience tailored to the individual customers taste.” Dan tells us. “Whether you like a big zesty citrus bitter drink, or a soft, savoury and fragrant one, we’ll have something for you.”

Sounds great – and we’re looking forward to trying to house gin too. Rumour has it there will be influences of lavender, since the area has the plant at its heart. The name of the pub refers to four medieval grave robbers who were spared the gallows by the King if they told him the secret of how they escaped the Black Death. It turns out their secret was lavender – rubbing it on themselves helped repel the fleas that carried the plague at the time. And lavender has always been used in a variety of herbal remedies and medicines.

Well, if it’s medicinal… there’s no need to tell us twice. Better make it a couple of doubles for our health.

Rebecca Milford