Luke Benson – Fever Tree

The wonderful Luke Benson of  Fever-Tree came in to visit us at Gin and Olive back in May. Unfortunately I was unable to attend but he kindly left some literature on one of the worlds favourite mixers.

Fever-Tree took its name from the colloquial name for the cinchona tree where  they source their quinine from in the Congo. They pride themselves on high quality ingredients, no artificial sweeteners, preservatives or flavourings and a dedication to producing flavours that work in tune with gin. This gives each gin a whole spectrum for possibilities and flavours.

Quinine has natural anti malaria qualities (it’s health benefits are also discussed in this interesting article in The Guardian). Allegedly it was used for this purpose in Peru in the early 1630s and it was originally added to sugared water to make Indian tonic back in the 19th century. This was drunk with gin when travelling warmer countries and with this, the most basic of gin and tonic was born. This original drink could also include lime to improve taste and help prevent scurvy. (If you’d like to find out more on gin history, I’ve also written a brief Fantastical History of Gin). Nowadays we have plenty of choice, including Fever-Tree Elderflower (that works beautifully with cucumber based gins such as Hendricks, Martin Miller and also more fruity gins) and Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic (made for savoury and orange/spicy gins).

I caught up with Luke to find out a little more about his role in Fever-Tree, some of his favourites and things we have to look forward to:

When did you join Fever Tree and what is your role there?

I joined nearly 3 years ago now and I am the UK On-Trade Marketing Manager. I am responsible for communicating the key brand messages and marketing Fever-Tree within bars, restaurants and pubs across the UK.

The Sicilian lemonade is by far my favourite. What’s yours?

I love them all and each one has a time and a place and a perfect spirit partner of course but I would say the Mediterranean Tonic is the one that stands out. It is completely unique and it’s carefully pairing of lemon thyme and rosemary means it can completely transform a G&T.

What’s your favourite gin?

There are so many out there and I go through phases of liking different combinations. Martin Miller’s, Whitley Neil, Sipsmith, Chase GB extra dry and Bathtub are all favourites but I am currently loving Bobby’s Gin. It’s a dutch gin and it’s made with lemongrass and fennel and really stands out.

What’s your favourite gin and tonic?

I am always trying different gin and tonic combinations so couldn’t pick one. Whitely Neill and Bathtube gin go so well with our Mediterranean Tonic, Martin Miller’s with our Elderflower tonic or I am after a quintessential G&T then I turn to Sipsmith and Indian Tonic usually.

Any new creations on the cards?

We are always exploring new ideas but unlike a number of brands we don’t just launch flavours for novelty value. Each one has to be perfect and designed with a spirit in mind. We have just launched our Indian and Naturally Light Tonic in 150ml cans which we hope will make them ideal for travel use and accessibility.

Do you get to travel much in your job?

I have spent 5 months in New York City working on creating awareness of Fever-Tree over there. NYC is has one of the most influential bar scenes in the world and so it’s hugely important we are recognised over there as the world’s leading premium mixer. Otherwise I am lucky enough to work with so many amazing gin brands across the UK and often that means the occasional distillery visit or two to learn about how they are made and what makes each gin different.

What’s the most interesting place you’ve visited?

New York City! The cocktail scene there is something else.

Any extra titbits you’d like to share?

Always make sure you are pairing your gin with a top quality tonic, obviously. Distillers go to great lengths to create some amazing gins and carefully select the botanicals for a reason. The last thing they then want is for people to ruin their gin with artificial sweeteners and poorly balanced tonic waters that mask the taste!

Fever tree produced their first bottle of mixer in 2005. Their attention to detail now sees them being used in 7 of the top 10 bars in the world. Last year they won the Cool Brand Status for the 4th consecutive year. The Mediterranean Tonic and Ginger Beer have won Gold Awards in the Soft Awards in the USA, and the Ginger Beer has won Best New Product at Tales of the Cocktail. I personally insist on fever tree in my gin and tonics and my bar only serve Fever-Tree. Over the last 10 years they’ve really established themselves and are now sat comfortably in the top levels of a big industry, and a very delicious one too.