Tanqueray No. Ten Gin & Food Pairing, Da Ba

Tanqueray No. Ten Gin & Food Pairing

Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Rich Callahan

Today we’re at Da Bao for a gin and food pairing session. Bar veteran Andrew Tan guides us in matching diverse flavours of gin infusions with Chinese bao. Andrew Tan spearheaded a gin infusion project for Tanqueray No. Ten, and it’s with those creations we experiment this afternoon.

Tanqueray No. Ten

Tanqueray No. Ten, in its striking lime green bottle, was named after the stills of its production. This small-batch spirit is bright with citrus making it an ideal mate to premium tonic water. However, today Andrew has other plans for the liquor. He’s been busy infusing it with tea!

Promising to supply dimensions of flavour outside of the usual gin cocktails, the infusions take on chamomile, Earl Grey lavender, Darjeeling, and Rooibos Cinnamon tea. Baos, dumplings, and ice creams are supplied by Da Bao, a casual dining and cocktail bar in Chinatown’s heart.

Chamomile Gin & Tonic

The session begins with an enhancement of a classic G&T in the Chamomile Gin & Tonic. It features – Chamomile tea-infused Tanqueray No. Ten topped up with Fentimans Indian Tonic. A garnish of lemon peel plays perfectly with the citrus notes in the gin. The mellowness of the chamomile serves to temper the bitter edge of the spirit.

British Breakfast Tea infused T10 & Soda

While I’m happy to begin with a beverage, I’m grateful for the pork and shrimp dumplings adding some solids to our stomachs with the next drink. Da Bao’s soft-skinned parcels are packed with flavour and so the increased strength in the second cocktail makes sense. British Breakfast Soda sees Tanqueray No. 10 infused with the tea of the same name simply partnered with soda. The black tea and gin produce a more intense bitter conclusion. 

Earl Grey G&T Float

It’s almost as though we have dessert and main at the same time with our bao’s arrival (Rich and I choose the vegetarian as we love, love, love the way they do the Brussels sprouts here). The bao is escorted by an Earl Grey G&T Float. It layers the tea-infused gin with Fentimans Indian Tonic and a scoop of genmaicha ice cream to float on the surface. The creamy, roasted brown rice and green tea ice cream is quite the contrast to the liquid’s bright notes. 

Rooibos Cinnamon Tanqueray No. Ten

For the “real” dessert, Rooibos cinnamon-infused Tanqueray No. 10, this time comes as a shot rather than a cocktail. It’s made for pouring over DaBao’s latest dessert creation Fried Bunga Kantan Ice Cream. Both Rich and I are big fans of the veggie bao, but Rich thinks this dessert might now slide into first place for him. It’s a stocky ball of cold and warm, and the pineapple jam on the side lifts the profile entirely. 

Spiked Tea

Acting as a digestive, the Spiked Tea sees Darjeeling as the infusion in this final round. Served warm, the powerful tannins of the tea dominate the mouth. A lemon slice provides a lovely lift of citrus. 

Thanks to Thirst Mag, Da Bao and the Hyde at 53M team for arranging this informative session.