Oodles of Boodles!
When we first rescued a very nervous tabby kitten several years ago – now sadly passed on to the sunny uplands of mice and moss (yes – he would bring moss into the house) – we really had trouble naming him. Our handle for him became Boodle, and ‘Oodles of Boodles and kit & Kaboodles’ after the junior cat food we fed him – yep, we’re barking, but a timid cat, who constantly runs away from you … it’s difficult to get to know their character, and thus to find a name that suits.
Some time later, our Kit & Kaboodle hobbled through the cat flap with a long bramble tangled in his furry underbelly, which ran from chest to tail and had to be teased and cut out – so he was finally called Bramble, to join our other prickly cats Thistle and Bumps, and the two dogs, Stig and Whiskey, as properly named members of our family.
So when Hubby grabbed a bottle of Boodles Dry London Gin, we of course smiled, reminiscing on the various escapades of our very handsome and fluffy version nicking socks (found in the garden), my bra (spotted under the kitchen table by a very embarrassed visitor). We tried our Boodles with ice, tonic and pink grapefruit: it was like being kicked by a donkey! With a hit of 45.2% ABV, the impact was in a good way, with lots of juniper and a big dose of angelica … plus a gentle nudge of spiciness, probably from the caraway and coriander.
A classic London dry with its juniper led nose, we will definitely be buying again; I particularly liked the oh so subtle hint of cinnamon. Boodles gin was established in 1845, so they’ve had plenty of time to get the recipe right: The botanicals include a number of traditional herbs and spices, as well as nutmeg, sage, and rosemary. Distilled from British wheat, it is distilled again in a Carter Head copper still, which allows the botanicals to gradually infuse into the spirit. Interestingly, Boodles Gin contains no citrus – a practical decision made by the original distillers who expected a drink to include a slice of lemon or lime.
The gin was originally named after a Pall Mall private members club called Boodle’s, which was frequented by the likes of Ian Fleming and Winston Churchill, and founded in 1762. As one of the most prestigious clubs in London, Boodle’s got its name from its first headwaiter, the austere Edward Boodle. Like most of the older clubs in London, Boodle’s is regarded as being aligned with the Conservative Party of Great Britain, where admittance to the club is strictly governed using a system of nomination by individuals who are already members.
To conclude: despite giving our cat the name Bramble, he was more frequently called Boodle; he lived to the ripe old age of 18 – as for this gin, may I please have some more?
Oodles, if you don’t mind!
