Plymouth Gin

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Plymouth Gin is a style of gin that by law can only be produced in Plymouth, England, it being a Protected Geographical Indication within the European Union. The Plymouth Gin Distillery (the Black Friars Distillery) is the only gin distillery located in Plymouth in what was once a Dominican Order monastery built in 1431 and opens on to what is now Southside Street. It has been in operation since 1793.

Plymouth Original Dry Gin is 41.2% alcohol by volume. It has a distinctively different and sweeter flavour from the much more commonly available London Dry Gin. There is also a 'navy strength' variety available which is 57% alcohol by volume (100° English proof), being the traditional strength demanded by the British Royal Navy as this was the proof that would not prevent gunpowder from igniting, should it be compromised by spilled spirit.

The company also produces Plymouth sloe gin, but has now discontinued its Fruit Cup and damson liqueur. Since 2005 the brand has been owned by the Swedish company V&S Group, who also make Absolut Vodka. Plymouth Gin is distributed in the UK by Maxxium UK Ltd.

If one looks through the previous bottle of the standard strength variety one can see a depiction of one of the monastery's friars on the inside of the back label. It was said that "when the monks feet got dry it was time for a new bottle". Since mid 2006 the bottle has been changed to an Art deco style. On the front of the bottle is the ship, the Mayflower, based on the fact that when the Pilgrim Fathers set out for their journey to the new world, bad sea conditions and damage forced them to put into Plymouth harbour for shelter and essential repairs. Local tradition has it that some of them stayed in the monastery which later became the distillery.

Plymouth Gin was favoured by such notable individuals as Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ian Fleming, and Alfred Hitchcock. The fictional character Travis McGee commonly drank Plymouth.

The company has produced a large range of promotional items including Dartmouth Potteries Gurgle Jugs, miniatures, glasses, ashtrays, match strikers, the list goes on. Many of these have become very collectable.