Cocktail Trend: Modern Heritage
The rise of Modern Heritage has been impossible to miss. From interiors and fashion to food, design and style, we’re seeing a new appreciation for the stories, craftsmanship and character of the past - reimagined for modern tastes. Now, the trend is making its way into cocktail culture, with heritage spirits being given a fresh, contemporary twist.
“Exceptional cocktails start with exceptional spirits…”
COCKTAIL CULTURE
by JLB Publicity
21 July 2026
Think classic serves with unexpected ingredients, heritage spirits brought back into the spotlight, and cocktails that tell an intricate story as well as delivering on flavour.
Trevethan Gin was first created in 1929. The story begins with Norman Trevethan, who created his original “bathtub” gin recipe while working as a chauffeur on the gorgeous Port Eliot Estate in Cornwall, during the golden age of cocktail culture. More than 80 years later, the recipe was rediscovered by chemist-turned master distiller John Hall, who transformed it into an award-winning London Dry Gin, now showcased in deliciously summery cocktails at Cocktails in the City.
London’s biggest cocktail festival returns to Bedford Square Gardens from 6–8 August. Following a sell-out 2025 event, the festival will transform a private Georgian garden into a summer cocktail playground, bringing together some of the world’s best bars, bartenders and drinks brands.
Guests can expect exclusive serves they’d usually have to travel across London - or even across the globe - to discover, alongside live music, street food, workshops, tastings and unforgettable summer evenings.
At the heart of this year’s line-up is a new generation of brands proving that heritage doesn’t mean old-fashioned.
A century-old Cornish Gin’s summer refresh
Trevethan Original 1929 Dry Gin hails from Cornwall and is bringing its own take on modern heritage to Cocktails in the City, partnering with The Gin Bar at Holborn Dining Room, Rosewood London, to create a collection of exclusive festival cocktails.
“Cocktails in the City is about celebrating great cocktails,” says Carly Fordy, Brand Manager at Trevethan Distillery.
“For us, it’s about showing how a handcrafted, well-balanced London Dry Gin can come to life in the hands of exceptional bartenders. We love taking something with real heritage and seeing how today’s bartenders and at-home mixologists can reinterpret it for a new generation.”
Why modern heritage is taking over cocktail culture
Today’s drinkers are looking for more than just a great serve. They want something with meaning - a story behind the bottle, a connection to place, and an experience they can share.
While Trevethan’s roots lie in the golden age of cocktail culture, its flavour profile has been designed for today’s drinking occasions - from a perfectly balanced Martini or G&T to innovative serves created by leading bartenders. Modern heritage combines the best of both worlds: the authenticity of traditional craft with the creativity of modern bartending.
“We’re proud of where we’ve come from, but we’re always looking at how we can create new experiences around the liquid,” says Carly.
“Exceptional cocktails start with exceptional spirits. We want to create something that has a sense of place and history, while still feeling exciting and relevant today.“
The must-try modern heritage serves
For Cocktails in the City, The Gin Bar at Holborn Dining Room has created two exclusive serves showcasing how a heritage spirit can be transformed for a new generation of cocktail lovers.
Eden Highball
Light, elegant and made for long afternoons, the Eden Highball pairs Trevethan Original 1929 Dry Gin with delicate elderflower, tropical tea and fresh lime. The result is a silky, sparkling serve with a bright botanical finish and an elderflower jelly garnish.
Zest & Stone
A celebration of seasonal flavours, Zest & Stone combines Trevethan Original 1929 Dry Gin with yuzu sake, juicy peach, zesty lemon and fig leaf soda. Fresh, fragrant and full of character, it’s finished with a peach spray garnish for an extra burst of summer flavour.
Your summer cocktail destination
As cocktail culture continues to evolve, the future isn’t about forgetting the past - it’s about honoring it. From heritage spirits to innovative techniques and unexpected flavours, Modern Heritage is proving that the classics still have plenty of stories left to tell. And this summer, Trevethan’s 1929 recipe is getting its next chapter, served with a fresh twist in the heart of London.
Event Information
Cocktails in the City
Dates: 6–8 August
Opening Times:Thursday 6 August: 5pm–10pm
Friday 7 August: 4pm–10pm
Saturday 8 August: 12pm–4pm and 5pm–10pm
Location: Bedford Square Gardens, London WC1B 3HH
Nearest Tube: Tottenham Court Road
Tickets: https://cocktailsinthecity.com/tickets/
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Related news:
The best gins for refreshing summer serves
Discover Holborn Dining Rooms at Cocktails and the City this summer
Cocktail chemistry: how a chemist from Cornwall wants to bring back the golden age of gin
COCKTAIL CULTURE
by JLB Publicity
7 May 2026
“We’re seeing people come back to wanting a gin that genuinely tastes like gin.”
Trevethan Gin is calling for a return to bold, unmistakably juniper-forward gin - the kind of gin that was made for cocktails in the first place. The original Trevethan recipe was revived and reawakened by Master Distiller John Hall - a former chemist - bringing the historic formulation back into production for a new generation of classic cocktail lovers.
Originally inspired by the roaring cocktail culture of 1920s London, Trevethan Gin traces its roots back to 1929, when Norman Trevethan - a chauffeur at the grand Port Eliot Estate - first created his bathtub gin recipe in Cornwall. Today, that same spirit of craftsmanship and creativity lives on through every bottle distilled by hand at Trevethan Distillery.
At a time when many modern gins lean heavily into novelty flavours and sweetness, Trevethan Gin remains rooted in traditional London Dry principles. Distilled using classic botanicals alongside handpicked Cornish elderflower and gorse flower, the result is a balanced, juniper-led gin with bright citrus notes, floral depth and a clean finish designed to stand up beautifully in cocktails, with the local botanicals paying homage to the stunning surroundings, and provenance of the liquid. The elderflower and gorse provide balance - complimenting the punchy juniper, and adding a vanilla, coconut creaminess to the liquid.
For Trevethan Gin, World Cocktail Day is about rediscovering what made classic cocktails iconic: proper gin character. From Martinis and Sidecars to a simple Gin & Tonic, great cocktails rely on a gin with depth, structure and botanical balance.
John Hall, Founder of Trevethan Gin says,
“There’s been a huge wave of experimentation in gin over the past decade, but we’re seeing people come back to wanting a gin that genuinely tastes like gin. Classic cocktails were built around juniper-led spirits with real botanical structure, and that’s exactly what Trevethan was created to deliver.”
Whether served in a crisp Martini, a bold Negroni or a refreshing Gin Collins, Trevethan Gin’s traditional profile delivers the clarity and complexity bartenders look for when creating balanced cocktails.
Cocktail Spotlight: The Coastal Living at Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling
Trevethan Gin is also being showcased in contemporary cocktail serves that champion coastal flavours and classic gin structure.
At Adam Handling’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling, bartenders are serving the Coastal Living - a cocktail featuring samphire-infused vodka, Trevethan Gin, Oyster Shell Cocchi, Americano and grapefruit.
The serve captures the fresh, saline character of the Cornish coast while allowing Trevethan Gin’s juniper-forward profile to remain firmly at the centre of the drink, demonstrating how classic gin structure continues to elevate modern cocktail creation.
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