Tanqueray
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tanqueray is a brand of British gin which is marketed worldwide. The brand is currently owned by beverage giant Diageo Plc.
Tanqueray Gin was initially distilled in 1830, by Charles Tanqueray who was descended from three generations of clergy from the village of Tingreth in Bedfordshire. At 20 he chose not to follow the family calling and established a distillery in the Bloomsbury district of London instead. When Charles died, in 1868, the company passed into the hands of his heir, Charles Waugh Tanqueray. During World War II the distillery was almost completely destroyed. After the great air raid of 1941 only one of the stills, known as "Old Tom," survived and it is still in use today at the distillery in Cameronbridge, Scotland. The gin is primarily produced in Scotland and exported to its major market, the US. It is a London Dry Gin, so called because of the distillation process, not the origin of the product.
[edit] Products
Tanqueray London Dry Gin. The original variant, launched in 1830; the key botanicals are juniper, coriander and angelica root. It is produced at 94.6 proof (47.3% alcohol). The top markets for sales are US, Canada, Spain, Duty Free and Japan.
Tanqueray No. Ten, an ultra-premium gin, was introduced in 2000 and targeted at the martini market. It is produced in small batches, to retain character, goes through a quadruple-distillation and is the only gin that is produced from fresh whole-fruit (including grapefruits, lemons and limes). No. Ten is produced at 94.6 proof (47.3% alcohol). The top markets are the US, Canada, Duty Free and Japan.
Tanqueray Sterling Vodka was introduced in 1989 and is available in both neutral and citrus flavors. Its main market is the US.
Tanqueray Rangpur Gin was introduced in select Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. locations in the summer of 2006. It has a strong lime flavor, the result of rangpur limes, ginger, and bay leaves being added during the final distillation process. It is produced at 82.6 proof (41.3% alcohol) and is now available nationwide in the United States.
[edit] Trivia
- Tony Sinclair is Tanqueray's current fictional spokesman in the US, played by Philadelphia-based actor/dancer Rodney Mason. [1]
- Mr. Jenkins was the company's fictional spokesman in its 1990s print advertisements. Mr. Jenkins's face was that of retired executive Ridgely Harrison, Jr. [2]
- The late Johnnie Johnson (known best as Chuck Berry's piano player) wrote a song named Tanqueray. It appears on the album Blue Hand Johnnie which was released in 1991.
- The Tanqueray recipe has been carefully guarded over time. Currently there are only four people in the world who can produce Tanqueray. [3]
- The Ramones reference Tanqueray in their song "Somebody Put Something in My Drink" on the Animal Boy album; "Tanqueray & tonic's my favourite drink, I don't like anything colored pink,..".
- Amy Winehouse references Tanqueray in her song "You Know I'm No Good" on the Back to Black album.
- Snoop Doggy Dogg also references Tanqueray in his song with Dr. Dre, "Gin & Juice".
- Tanqueray was the name of a minor character in Beavis and Butt-Head.
