London: Private Gin History Tour with Tastings

Discover the history of gin on a private tour in London’s West End. Sample 4 unique gins in 4 classic locations and learn about the origins of this iconic British drink.

Kick off your private London gin tasting experience in the West End of London at Seven Dials. Follow your guide through the beating heart of 18th-century bohemian London, a hive of tiny alleyways and grand shopping streets. Start at a local pub, following in the footsteps of regulars from the past, from bare-knuckle boxers to Oscar Wilde. Get to know your local expert over a drink as they introduce the fascinating and hedonistic story of gin. From its origins as a Dutch medicine to the world-loved spirit we enjoy today, the story of gin mirrors the life politics of the city’s history. As you sample this refreshing and botanical beverage, hear stories of the beloved spirit that gained the unfortunate name “Mother’s Ruin.” Learn how the drink’s origins lie in a British rivalry with the French, and how for the best part of the 18th century, the children of London were drinking up to three pints of neat gin per week. Discover how London, a supposedly moralistic and respectable city, became famed for intoxication, where more than 7,000 gin bars opened up in the city alone. Venture into the netherworld of cabarets and top hats, with gin tasting locations that could be film sets, from elaborately eccentric gin palaces to the local and rather hidden historic pubs. As you stop for tasting after tasting, follow your private guide as they masterfully navigate you through the streets of the dandy West End to continue learning about this history of the classic British staple. Learn not only about how the drink is made and the effect it had on London, but also how its imperial exportation found it an unlikely pairing, tonic, and most importantly, how best to drink a gin and tonic. Sample 4 unique gins in 4 classic locations in the Covent Garden and Seven Dials area.