James Gin: James May's parsnip, mustard and 'rainy' London gins

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James Gin is the gin brand of TV presenter James May. The idea came after he bought half of his local pub to stop it closing, and he worked out the recipes with master distiller Hugh Anderson in a small distillery in rural Wiltshire, which the site describes as two blokes in a shed. The first batch, Asian Parsnip, was meant for the pub, but it sold out within days of May mentioning it online. The gins are now scaled up at Thames Distillers in London and bottled in Hampshire.

The flavours are deliberately unusual, and the website is written in May's familiar dry style, including a list of words the company promises never to use about gin. It suits gin drinkers who like trying something different, and fans of the presenter looking for a gift.

What's worth a look

Here are six picks from the UK shop, with today's prices.

Asian ParsnipThe original: parsnip, ginger and cardamom, 40%.£36.95View at James Gin London DrizzleBeetroot, lovage and ginger, 40%.£36.95View at James Gin Navy StrengthAsian Parsnip at 57% ABV.£50.50View at James Gin James Gin Mini Gift SetThree 50ml bottles to try the range.£18.99View at James Gin The Cocktail Starter KitCocktail book plus the mini gift set.£24.99 £26.98View at James Gin The Starter PackA bottle each of Asian Parsnip and London Drizzle.£69.95 £73.90View at James Gin

Asian Parsnip is where it all started: British parsnip, which brings a nutty sweetness, with ginger and green cardamom, at £36.95. London Drizzle uses beetroot, lovage and ginger to suggest the smell of rain on a warm pavement, also at £36.95. For something stronger, Navy Strength is the Asian Parsnip recipe at 57% ABV for £50.50.

If you'd rather try before committing to a full bottle, the James Gin Mini Gift Set has 50ml bottles of Asian Parsnip, American Mustard and London Drizzle for £18.99. The Cocktail Starter Kit adds the James Gin cocktail book to that set for £24.99.

The other two flavours are just as odd on paper. American Mustard is described as sharp, punchy and warming, and California Dreamgin' as earthy and unconventional. Each is £36.95, and the gift pages also have glassware, the cocktail book on its own for £7.99, T-shirts and a gift card from £10, if you're buying for someone who already has a bottle or two.

Current offers

• Free UK shipping on orders over £50; it's £3.95 below that.
• The multi-bottle packs show a saving on buying bottles separately, for example The Starter Pack of Asian Parsnip and London Drizzle at £69.95 instead of £73.90.
• Several gift sets are reduced too, including The Cocktail Starter Kit at £24.99 (was £26.98) and The Sharing Cocktail Kit at £52.99 (was £55.94).

How to save more

• A single bottle is £36.95, just under the free delivery threshold, so a pack or a bottle plus the mini set gets you free shipping.
• Buy packs rather than single bottles if you want more than one flavour; the bigger packs show larger savings.
• Sign up to the free Gin Club newsletter for news of new flavours and limited editions.

Please drink responsibly. Over-18s only.

Products, prices and offers checked on the store's own website on 6 Oct 2026. Prices and stock can change.

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