James May of Top Gear and The Grand Tour fame has launched his Asian Parsnip gin in Waitrose (RRP £36 – 70cl).
The 40% ABV gin was developed after James met the ‘Willy Wonka of gin making’, Master Distiller Hugh Anderson, near the pub that the TV star co-owns, the Royal Oak Swallowcliffe in Wiltshire. They decided to take James’ idea of a gin distilled from the humble parsnip and turn it into reality.
What started out as a bit of fun, an initial run of 1,420 bottles sold out instantly, and James Gin is now available in over 40 countries worldwide. The James Gin YouTube channel Planet Gin also has over 500k followers.
Commenting after the listing in Waitrose, James said: “Any reasonably conceited TV presenter or Hollywood actor will eventually have a go at making a gin. It’s easier than whisky and more interesting than vodka, which is tasteless and therefore pointless. I was conceited enough to try it. But, in my defence, my gin really is mine, not a cynical branding exercise.
“I came up with the idea of blending the flavour of parsnip (because it reminds me of England and its dampness) with Asian spices (because they add excitement). And so we created the unimaginatively named Asian Parsnip – celebrating both the homely flavour of that most English of root vegetables and the gastric stimulus of spices from India. It may sound weird at first, but then they said that about the internal combustion engine. And if you don’t believe me, Waitrose like it enough to sell it – and they don’t sell any old rubbish. Not at their prices, anyway.”
John Vine, Spirits Buyer at Waitrose, added: “James Gin isn’t your typical celebrity brand. James has been deeply involved in both the development and marketing from day one – these are flavours crafted with obsessive care and real expertise. The team has built a huge following around James and his ‘Planet Gin’ universe, and we’re thrilled to collaborate in making world-class gin more accessible to a new generation of drinkers.”
