text: Pol Roger – Champagne Pol Roger has been producing exceptional champagne for over 160 years. To this day the house remains small, family-owned, fiercely independent and unrivalled in its reputation for quality. Indeed, it is this quality which brought about Sir Winston Churchill’s lifelong attachment to Pol Roger, who famously insisted “In defeat I need it, in victory I deserve it”.
  Great Britain is, and always has been, the premier export market for Champagne Pol Roger, a tradition dating back to the 1860’s. For more than a century, Champagne Pol Roger (celebrating its 150th Anniversary in 1999) was represented in Great Britain by a single company, Dent & Reuss and its antecedents: a symbol of stability, continuity and mutual loyalty.
  We are proud to showcase this very special drop on Williams Chase, with offices in Hereford, they have become firm friends of the Chase family and our go to choice for special occasions.
  With the Queen’s 90th birthday next week we thought we’d share with you one of our favourite creations from Bartender – Tristan Stephenson, Bartender of the year – Class magazine 2011.
  The Queen’s favourite drink is a form of Dubonnet cocktail. One part Gin to three parts Dubonnet, served in her personal crystal glass with a pit-less slice of lemon under two ice cubes.
  Method – Stir Gin and Dubonnet with ice, strain into a chilled coupet glass over a diamond shaped ice block.
  Quote: If you’re creating a cocktail to celebrate the Queen’s birthday, it would be impossible to ignore gin. A quintessentially British ingredient, William’s Gin combines very nicely with another palace favourite, Dubonnet. All that’s required then is a splash of tonic water (as a nod to the commonwealth) to add structure through bitterness.
  It would be a wasted opportunity if we didn’t take the time to carve a pretty ice diamond to mark Queen Elizabeth’s 90th year, but more importantly, manage the drinks temperature and add a controlled dilution. As a final flourish the cocktail is completed with a British flower in the shade of blue, thus balancing the appearance with the traditional red and blue of the Union Flag.
  Taste wise, the soft botanicals of Williams Elegant Gin couple beautifully with the aromatics of Dubonnet, with just a touch of celebratory sparkle and balanced bitterness from the tonic.