About James Gin

James Gin is the gin brand founded by the broadcaster James May, built around a small numbered range with deliberately odd botanicals, and a discount code is worth having on bottles that sit above supermarket pricing.

The range, and what the numbers mean

Bottles are numbered rather than named. Asian Parsnip is the original — rooted and spiced, where the whole thing started. Navy Strength is the same character at a higher alcohol strength, which changes how it behaves in a drink rather than simply making it stronger. American Mustard is sharp and warming and sounds like a joke until you try it. London Drizzle is the earthy one, and California Dreamgin' the outlier. Gift packs and anniversary editions sit alongside the core five. The house tone is self-deprecating — there is a published list of gin-marketing words the company refuses to use — which is a fair signal of how seriously to take the copy.

Choosing between them

Buy for the drink you actually make. A classic gin and tonic wants a gin whose botanicals survive dilution, so the rooted, spiced end of the range holds up; a gin with an unusual savoury note is more interesting in a Negroni or a Martini, where there is less to hide behind. Navy strength is not for drinking neat by preference — the higher alcohol carries flavour further, which is why it stands up against strong competing ingredients, and why you use slightly less of it. If you are unsure, a gift or sample pack across the range costs less than being wrong about a full bottle twice.

Serving it properly

Most of what ruins a gin and tonic is not the gin. Use a lot of ice — a glass full, not three cubes, because ice that melts fast dilutes the drink faster than it chills it. Use tonic from a small bottle or can opened that day, since a large bottle goes flat in the fridge and flat tonic is the commonest fault. Keep the garnish relevant rather than automatic: citrus suits some, a savoury gin often prefers something else. An opened bottle keeps well for months in a cool dark cupboard.

Age checks, delivery and using your code

Alcohol is sold only to over-eighteens in the UK, and the site asks you to confirm your age; couriers may ask for identification at the door, and a delivery that cannot be handed to an adult goes back. Free delivery applies above a spend threshold, and glass bottles ship as fragile goods, so check the timing before ordering for a birthday. Enter your code in the promotional field in the basket and check the total moves before paying; codes usually do not apply to gift packs already priced as bundles.