For years, Dubonnet sat quietly on British sideboards, gathering more dust than admirers. Then, when the late Queen’s fondness for her Dubonnet and gin was revealed, the country remembered the charm of a proper aperitif. Suddenly, bottles became scarce. We went searching for something similar – something British, elegant and bittersweet.
We stopped searching and decided to bring the real thing back.
Not a reinvention, a restoration
At G&D, we haven’t copied the Queen’s drink. We’ve revived it – using the genuine Dubonnet she loved, paired with Blackeye London Dry Gin, distilled by Hawkridge in Berkshire.
Blackeye was created by former England rugby internationals, men who know a thing or two about British backbone. It’s a gin built on balance: citrus, spice, a whisper of sweetness and an unmistakably dry finish.
It gives the Dubonnet just what it needs – structure, freshness and quiet strength. The result is a bottle that delivers the same satisfaction Her Majesty enjoyed, with the clarity of a modern serve.
Each pour carries a whisper of citrus, spice and something faintly regal. No gimmicks, no ironic twist — just the real Dubonnet and a proper gin, balanced at 23%.
Why we brought it back
Because Britain doesn’t need another novelty gin. It needs taste, ritual and the small theatre of doing things properly. Dubonnet isn’t just a drink; it’s an attitude – a wink to tradition and a refusal to rush.
It’s the sort of drink you pour before supper, when conversation still has manners and the world outside can wait.
We’re not here to sell nostalgia. We’re here to serve a moment that deserves reviving.
