BOTANICALS
We carefully source small batch botanicals to give our drinks their distinctive taste
GINGER ROOT EXTRACT
The ginger plant (“Zingiber officinale”) originated from the rainforest of South East Asia and is now cultivated in most tropical regions.
The ginger we use is the Tafin-Giwa variety that is grown in West Africa and has a spicy, aromatic flavour with citrus notes.
ELDERFLOWER
There are various cultivars of the Elder shrub that grow wild in Britain, each producing similar white petal-heads with a fragrant aroma. The infusion we make is from the petals alone, after having carefully shaken them from their green stalks, to ensure absolute purity.
The Cuckmere River valley, from which many of the flowers have been collected, is an environmental haven for wildlife since it remains uniquely free from any development along its banks from source to its mouth in the South Downs National Park.
QUININE
Quinine is an extract from the bark of the Cinchona tree (“Cinchona officinalis”). The bark we use comes from India and can be traced back to the cinchona plantations established by the British Government in India in the 1860s.
BERGAMOT
Originally of Turkish origin, the bergamot is a unique fragrant orange that grows almost exclusively in the region of Calabria in Southern Italy. The oil of the fruit is widely used and is most famous for its use in Earl Grey tea.
TEA
Originating from China, tea is now grown across the African and Asian tropics. The leaves of the plant are cured to enable the flavour to be extracted by infusion.
MINT
Mint (“Mentha”) has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years; its digestive calming properties have become popular as a tea drink but it remains a powerful and distinctive ingredient in food, drinks and aromatherapy.
ROSEMARY
Rosemary (“Rosemarinus officinalis”) is curiously a member of the mint family originating from the Mediterranean region but has now adapted to cooler climates. It has been cultivated in England since the 14th Century. It produces little blue flowers between April and June. The rosemary we use is from England.
CUCUMBER
Cucumber (“Cucumis sativus”) originated in India over 3000 years ago. It is part of the gourd family but grows like a vine. In botanical terms it is classed as a berry but grows from a flower and is eaten as a vegetable. A cucumber is 95% water when fully grown.
GENTIAN ROOT EXTRACT
A wild flower that grows in mountainous regions. In Roman times its roots were used to make medicinal tonics, but nowadays they are used to provide a natural bitter flavour. The gentian roots we use are grown in Spain.
MYRTLE-LEAF ORANGE EXTRACT
The Myrtle-leaf orange (“Citrus myrtifolia”) is a small bitter orange that grows in Mediterranean coastal areas. Its leaves resemble those of a myrtle, from which its name is derived. The oranges that we use are grown in the Liguria Region of Italy and are considered to be the finest.