The King's Ginger

How times change... believe it or not, The King's Ginger was created for King Edward VII (at the request of his personal physician) as a way to stay alert at the wheel of his horseless carriage. Which happened to be a rather spiffy Daimler. And indeed, just a few nips of this fiery liqueur will leave anyone feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Today of course common sense (and the British legal system) has put an end to that sort of ballyhoo. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy this delightfully warming tipple over dinner, in cocktails, or even in a hip flask – it was said that His Majesty was quite partial to The King's Ginger while out on his famous shooting parties.

Well, if it’s good enough for the King it’s good enough for us. And thanks to Berry Brothers, the recipe for their right royal pick-me-up remains pretty much unchanged. Made with macerated ginger root, this high-strength liqueur has an instantly warming flavour with hints of zesty lemon, sherbet and golden syrup.

It’s a great way to warm your cockles on a winter’s evening and has even been know to give mulled wine a zesty wallop. But like any modern royal, it’s able to move with the times. Mix it into all sorts of cocktails for a festive flourish or spicy surprise in summer. We’ve included a few ideas below – we think Bertie would approve.