Pub offers rare £1,000-a-shot 1947 gin

A Lancashire pub that holds the Guinness World Record for having the most varieties of gin behind its bar is now offering patrons a shot of gin priced at £1,000.

A bottle of Gilbey’s orange gin

The Fence Gate in Burnley, owned by gin enthusiast Kevin Berkins, secured its first world record in July 2015 in recognition of its vast commercially available selection of 623 gins. Since breaking the record Berkins’ collection has grown further to number 850 gins. The 68-year-old’s collection includes rare bottles of gin produced by the House of Lords, Lloyds, Old Raj and La Ceraselia Ginepro with some dating back to 1923.

Now, Berkins has gone a step further by offering patrons the world’s most expensive shot of gin, with 25ml of a one-off bottle of Gilbey’s orange gin, made in 1947, priced at £1,000.

“It’s a one-off and cost a lot of money to buy”, said Berkins speaking to The Lancashire Telegraph.

The brand was founded in London in 1857 by brothers Walter and Albert Gilbey in the basement of a retail shop on Oxford Street.

For those with less cash to splash, the pub also sells household brands including Gordon’s, Hendrick’s and Bombay Sapphire.

Berkins became interested in gin around 2005 and started collecting bottles from auctions and specialist sales. Having ammassed a large colelction, he began selling them behind the bar. In 2014 his pub underwent a major refurbishment to install an enlarged gin bar allowing him to showcase his full collection.

On how he selected his next bottle Berkins said it’s very much “horses for courses”.

“Sometimes I go for a flavour, other times I go for a serious navy strength gin. It all depends on my mood and the company I’m in.”

His collection includes gins from America, Spain, Holland and Italy, as well as the UK, with flavours ranging from coriander and liquorice, to Christmas pudding.