Buckingham Palace was able to sell out its first batch of premium dry gin within hours of its release online, attracting even Hollywood celebrities like Ryan Reynolds to patronize the product.
A spokesperson for The Royal Collection Trust, which has developed and managed the gin's marketing, said that they are delighted by the public's response to the merchandise. The Buckingham Palace gin will be restocked online within a few weeks but interested royal fans and gin lovers could register on the website, where it is exclusively sold for $50 (£40.00), to be notified when the batch is ready.
According to Metro, beginning July 23, the bottles of gin will also be made available at physical stores managed by The Royal Collection in Windsor Castle, the Royal Mews in Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and the Queen's Galleries in Edinburgh and London. Proceeds of the sale will go to the trust, which has recently experienced financial hardships as royal historical sites have been closed for visitors because of the pandemic.
Queen Elizabeth's sold-out favorite drink of choice is a much-needed boost for the trust, which has had a $22 million (£18 million) deficit since the coronavirus lockdown. According to reports, the Royal Collection Trust will soon have to let go of 250 workers because of the slowdown in tourism at the Queen's estates.
Buckingham Palace's exclusive 42% ABV 70cl gin is made using 12 types of citrus and herbal botanicals found in Queen Elizabeth's garden. The bottles, however, are only available for delivery within the U.K. but this didn't seem to stop Hollywood celebrity and Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds from purchasing one as a gift to a Londoner.
According to Hello, the Deadpool star posted on Instagram a photo of a receipt of his purchase of the Buckingham Palace gin for Sir Paul McCartney. Followers of Reynolds, however, were quick to notice that the actor made some slight changes to the details of the receipt with fake addresses and payment methods.
This was not the first time Reynolds made fun of the Beatles star on his social media. In 2018, the actor also shared his photo with McCartney when they first met and implied that it was the legendary singer and British music icon who was too excited to meet him.
Meanwhile, to enjoy the Buckingham Palace gin perfectly, drinkers are advised to pour it on an ice-filled short tumbler, topped with a tonic and garnished with lemon. That's, apparently, how Queen Elizabeth enjoys her drink.
