A Toast to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Cornish spirits brand, Mainbrace, launched its Cornish Dry Gin in commemoration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee earlier this year.

Thursday 19th May – In the run up to the Jubilee weekend, Mainbrace shall continue its commemoration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee by offering a discount on its rum and gin range.

Earlier this year, Mainbrace launched its Cornish Dry Gin in commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, a huge milestone for the United Kingdom's longest reigning monarch. Now, the brand will continue to “splice the mainbrace” by offering 10% off sitewide with the discount code PLATINUM*.

Born from the naval term 'splice the mainbrace', which celebrates courage, teamwork, and friendship, Mainbrace's history is rooted in the spirit and tradition of the sea. In the days of sail, the crew were awarded a daily tot of either rum or gin, with sailors most commonly choosing rum and officers opting for gin. Today, 'splicing the mainbrace' has come to mean a toast to victory, as well as toasting to The Queen.

Cocktail ideas to celebrate the Jubilee weekend in style:

Gimlet

Mainbrace Gin is best served as a Gimlet cocktail, which was named after Admiral Gimlette, a 19th century Royal Navy surgeon who insisted the men mix lime syrup with gin get their daily dose of Vitamin C.

• Ice
• 50ml Mainbrace Cornish Dry Gin
• 50ml Lime syrup
• Slice of lime

 
Gin and Dubonnet

Mainbrace Gin can also be enjoyed with Dubonnet and a twist of lemon peel, said to be Queen Elizabeth II's favourite cocktail.

• Ice
• 25ml Mainbrace Cornish Dry Gin
• 50ml Dubonnet
• Slice of lemon

 
Always Sunny

For a Mainbrace Rum classic party starter, try the Always Sunny cocktail – delicious even when the weather is not so sunny.

• 50ml Mainbrace Premium Golden Rum
• 25ml Fresh orange juice
• Ginger ale 

 
Splice the Mainbrace

Keep it traditional by splicing the mainbrace with a simple cocktail.

• 50ml Mainbrace Navy Strength or Premium Golden Rum
• 25ml Lime juice
• Garnish with a slice of lime 

 *Promotion ends at midnight on Sunday 5th June

-ENDS-

About Mainbrace

Launched at the end of 2019, Mainbrace is a family-owned brand based in Helford Passage, Cornwall. The idea to enter the spirits business was sparked on a summer's day at the Ferryboat Inn in Helford Passage, where the family were watching the local gig rowers celebrating after a race. That spirit of teamwork and celebration inspired them to bottle the moment, and thus, Mainbrace was born. As a family of varied tastes, they wanted to create a Cornish rum that would suit a variety of usage options, fitting perfectly into a refreshing long drink, a sophisticated cocktail, or a drink that could be savoured neat.

In the quest for the perfect blend that captured the spirit of the sea, they worked with mixologists in Cornwall and London to experiment with different flavours, eventually setting on a blend of two styles that have never been bottled together before: English Navy Rum from Guyana and Agricole Rhum from Martinique

The name Mainbrace is inspired by the naval term to “splice the mainbrace”, which embodies the spirit of courage, teamwork, and loyalty. In the days of sail, the main mast was steadied, or braced, with a thick rope called the mainbrace. If it was cut by enemy fire in battle a team of naval ratings (sailors) had to splice the rope back together under enemy fire to save the ship and win the battle. As a reward for successfully achieving this herculean task the captain would order the ship's pusser (purser) to issue a double ration of rum to the team of ratings as a toast to victory.  

To 'splice the mainbrace' inevitably became a naval euphemism for an important celebration and was always accompanied with the toast 'The King – God Bless Him' or 'The Queen – God Bless Her.' 

Mainbrace therefore embodies the spirit of celebrating a victory, no matter how big or small. As the spirit of the sea, it is the essence of the sea, the ethos of maritime life, and a drink most associated with the sea.

Drinking Mainbrace Rums

Mainbrace Rum is produced using locally sourced sugar cane and traditional pot and column still distillation – the same methods that were used to make navy rum for the British as far back as 1732. We take our rum seriously so there are no sweeteners, colourings, or other additives included in the blend.

When tasting Mainbrace Premium Golden Rum, the nose is initially dominated with notes of dried fruits and toffee. Over time, it offers notes of sweet apple and spices. The pallet starts with grassy notes that quickly give way to caramel and toffee nuances. The finish is long and smooth with a subtle warming spiciness, making it an extremely well-balanced rum.

Mainbrace Navy Strength Rum is consistent with the Royal Navy Standard of 54.5%. This was the lowest alcohol content that would still allow gunpowder to light if it were soaked in the rum. The term “proof” comes from testing whether the rum was of a high enough ABV to light the wet gunpowder.

The nose begins with sweet woody aromas that eventually subside to dried fruits and caramel. The palate has an initial peppery spice that quickly become naturally sweet treacle notes with a hint of spiced vanilla.

Drinking Mainbrace Cornish Dry Gin

Mainbrace Gin is handcrafted in Penzance, Cornwall using a traditional copper pot still in the London Dry style. Mainbrace Cornish Dry Gin is therefore artisanally crafted by distilling natural botanicals, with artificial flavourings or additives after distillation strictly prohibited according to the London Dry style.

To capture the spirit of the sea, the gin is made with Cornish water and local botanicals, namely lemon verbena harvested from St. Michael's Mount, and three different types of seaweed, namely kelp, dulse, and sea spaghetti. These seaweeds create a delicious umami palate which is complemented by juniper, orris, lemon and lime peel, angelica roof, and lime leaf for a subtle citrus flavour.

The gin's unique flavour can be enjoyed in a classic gin and tonic or in a selection of cocktails, a selection of which can be found on the Mainbrace website, with the Gimlet being the best cocktail to show off the gin.

Note to Editors:  

Co-Founders Richard and David Haigh are available for interviews.

If you would like to receive more information about Mainbrace or need any high-resolution images, please contact Melissa Economou at +44 (0)20 7389 9433 or email m.economou@brand-dialogue.com.

Mainbrace Premium Golden Rum, Mainbrace Navy Strength Rum and Mainbrace Cornish Dry Gin are available to buy at select group of distributors, including Master of Malt, Distoo, Drink Finder, The Rum Company, Amazon and The Whisky Exchange.

Alternatively, please email hello@mainbracerum.com to order your own bottle or visit https://www.mainbracerum.com/shop.   

For more information, please visit www.mainbracerum.com.    

Follow Mainbrace Rum on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn: @mainbracerum