Our expert mixologists teamed up with Shears Yard in Leeds on Wednesday evening to host a Slingsby Gin Tasting Dinner with head chef – Jamie Clinton. Here, our brand ambassador Hannah tells us more…
Shears Yard is without doubt my favourite place to visit in Leeds when I want a creative, delicious and damn right ingenious dining experience. Famous for coupling up with alcohol brands to deliver unique pairing menu’s, I was thrilled by the idea of seeing what these guys could do with Slingsby. With chef’s who pride themselves on sourcing the best Yorkshire produce, what better pairing than our very own Harrogate gin?
The evening started with a welcome drink for our 40 guests in the form of Slingsby signature serve gin and tonic; garnished with grapefruit peel and blueberries served in gorgeous Slingsby Copa glasses.
There was already a buzz in the restaurant with talk of our botanicals, heritage and compliments on the aesthetic of our bottles. As our mixologist Louise and I mingled with the guests, it was great to meet people who had never tried our gin before but were very excited to see what we had planned.
The whole evening was about seeing how versatile and dynamic Slingsby Gin can be, which is where the inspiration for the cocktails and food came from. The chef talked us through his menu, to which Louise carefully crafted five cocktails which perfectly paired with each dish using the London Dry, Rhubarb and Navy Strength. After introducing ourselves and expressing just how pleased we were to be joining them, the feasting began.
As each cocktail and course arrived we were discovering new flavours, textures and complexity within the gin. The food was an extension of the key botanicals found within Slingsby such as grapefruit, rhubarb, green tea and orrisroot and each course played on a different one. Even when working with daring flavours such as liquorice and marmite, we were blown away by the creativity behind such a delicious dish.
The evening ended with the reveal of who had won a Gin Experience for two at The Spirit of Harrogate. The lucky winner was the envy of the evening and went home with a very big grin on her face. Some elbows were nudging to partners to organise a trip to Harrogate soon to stock up on their new favourite gin. As we said good-bye, people assured me they would be at the next Slingsby event and to make space for them on a Gin Experience.
I’d finally like to extend a big thank you to all the team at Shears Yard for their beautiful venue, incredible service and genius menu. It was a seamless and utterly delightful night. If you love your food and booze, then look out for the next pairing menu they host – you won’t be disappointed!
