The Diary: Gentleman’s Journal celebrates its 10th anniversary with Monkey 47

Hosted by London's Wild by Tart, this intoxicating evening was characterised by good cheer, exquisite concoctions, and delicious food

Words: Joseph Bullmore

Photography: Hubert Cecil

In association with:

Monkey 47 gin and Gentleman’s Journal. They go together like, well, gin and tonic. (Or gin and honey and lemon, if that brilliant Bee’s Knees cocktail is to be believed — but we’ll get to refreshments later.) So when the two old friends realised they each had something to celebrate, they thought they’d better join forces for a proper party in the fabled private quarters of London’s Wild by Tart.

The good old gin barons were celebrating the release of their new 2022 Distiller’s Cut, of course — a bottling which continues the unique tradition of adding a single ingredient to the botanical mix each year. (This vintage saw ‘sweet woodruff’ enter the fray as the 48th ingredient — an addition that affords the spirit new notes of vanilla, bitter cardamom and nutty straw, and goes down absolutely wonderfully in a long drink).

Gentleman’s Journal, on the other hand, was continuing its autumnal feast of 10th birthday celebrations — a rolling carnival which burst vividly to life at around 10pm, when a five-piece German oompah band (in fitting with Monkey 47’s Black Forest roots, of course) plodded merrily through the door to gasps and whoops and hollers. (Perry Pearson and Violet Manners even trotted a little do-si-do). It was a fitting climax for an intoxicating evening, which had been characterised by good cheer, exquisite concoctions, and delicious food — like buffalo mozzarella with Monkey 47 pickled pear; or pork tenderloin, confit garlic and ras el hanout. Guests included Jack Fox, Che Lingo, Jim Chapman, Max Chiltern, Oliver Proudlock, Jemima Cadbury, Sabrina Percy, George and Camilla Blandford and Cyril Ibrahim.