Hayman’s unveils ‘groundbreaking’ gin for 5ml G&Ts

London distillery Hayman’s is tapping into the low-alcohol trend with the launch of Small Gin, an expression said to be “so rich in botanical character” only 5ml is needed to create a gin and tonic.

Small Gin has been created to “meet the needs of health-conscious consumers”

The 5ml serving – said to produce the same botanical flavour as a 25ml measure of London Dry – reduces the alcohol content in a standard G&T by 80%.

Bottled at 43% abv, the expression is described as a “first for the gin category” and the spirits sector as a whole. It has been made using a “traditional approach and natural botanicals”.

“In today’s 21st-century gin boom the situation has reversed,” said Miranda Hayman, who was behind the product. “Many consumers are actively looking to reduce their alcohol consumption but are keen to continue enjoying that classic gin flavour they have grown to love. Small Gin is the perfect solution – a real gin that allows you to mix a true G&T with just a fraction of the alcohol.”

Miranda Hayman says the new offering is the “biggest innovation we’ve seen since the creation of London Dry over 100 years ago”.

She continued: “To have a real gin that offers up all that wonderful gin character, that maintains the ritual of mixing a classic gin and tonic but that also supports those looking to reduce their alcohol consumption is incredibly exciting.

“In the same way that London Dry was a product for its time, we see Small Gin as the right thing at the right time to meet the needs of modern, health-conscious consumers.”

In addition, Hayman’s is selling its Small Gin in a 200ml gift carton with a 5ml measuring thimble to help consumers “become accustomed” to the tiny serve.

Hayman’s says a 200ml bottle of Small Gin contains enough gin to produce 40 gin and tonics – 12 more than a standard 700ml bottle of London Dry poured in 25ml measures.

Small Gin is available to pre-order online from Hayman’s for £26 (US$32.86) per 200ml bottle. It will be delivered to consumers in August.

Distiller Sam Pembridge added: “We based the flavour profile for Small Gin on our classic London Dry and getting all that wonderful botanical character into such a small serving size was an incredible challenge.

“We are working at the outer limits of what can be achieved but the flavour profile is spot on. In blind-tastings completed at our distillery, even the most experienced of gin drinkers were unable to tell the difference between a Small Gin and tonic and a London Dry and tonic.”

In August last year, Hayman’s launched a campaign to combat ‘fake gin’, which urged tighter regulations across the gin category.

In 2017, the gin producer relocated its distilling operations from Witham, Essex, back to London, where the family-run brand began production more than 150 years ago.