Home House is an iconic members club in Portman Square with an interesting history. The building was originally commissioned in the 18th century by Jamaican born Lady Home as a place to party when she was in London. The Countess, in her late 60’s, twice widowed and childless, held such lavish parties that she became known as the Queen of Hell! The club is made up of three Georgian houses, all with their unique style; one side of the house fills you with old school grandeur, it has opulently decorated drawing rooms and an Imperial staircase which leads to a large glass dome in the roof; we particularly liked spotting the the discreetly disguised doors that served as private passageways…if these walls could talk! The other side of Home has modernity, a playful party feel and of course, this was the perfect setting for the gin launch.
The evening was hosted by Home House’s General Manager, Giuseppe De Wilde and award winning luxury distillery Oro’s Head Distiller, Ray Clynick. Inspired by the Countess’ favourite drink, De Wilde approached the Lockerbie based distillery with a clear concept and goal to capture the extraordinary heritage of Home.
The exclusive tutored tasting had us holding things that looked like cloves, bits of wood and was that a rock? As Clynick, once a chemical biologist turned distiller took us through the botanicals, we smiled wherever we correctly identified something. We recognised dried orange and lemon peel but only because we were brave and ate it! This gin has taken inspiration from Lady Home’s travels; Murcian Orange and Lemons, Guatemalan Cardamom, Madagascan Cinnamon, Macedonian Juniper, the most interesting ingredient by far is the Lignum Vitae, the national flower of Jamaica. Also known as the wood of life, it is an ode to Lady Home’s Jamaican roots and a very rare ingredient to be used in spirits bringing an earthy and slightly spicy note.
We soon realised the versatility of the gin; served with plenty of ice, tonic, mango bitters and a garnish of dried mango, left you feeling fruity and yet classic. When in a Home House Negroni, it becomes punchy, full of depth and flavour and a completely different experience. The final cocktail, a White Lady, is a refreshing citrus explosion. The gin can do it can do it all and was awarded a silver medal at the World Gin Awards 2023 in the London Dry Gin category before it was even available to Members!
The bespoke nature continues to the bottle design. The team took inspiration from the Art Deco period and the House’s architectural elements but the elegance and opulence comes from the glass stopper. It feels like an ode to a crystal decanter; we can’t wait to bring out the bottle at our next party to see who notices this design touch!
The first batch has been snapped up by members and for those of us not on the list, we can enjoy the Home House London Dry Gin by either being a plus one of a member or by staying in one of the twenty-three luxurious bedrooms. With access to two restaurants, five bars, opulent dining rooms, two outdoor balconies, a boutique gym, spa and The Vaults nightclub, a staycation may be nice but perhaps a membership is in order!
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