[1] The site of production, the Plymouth Gin Distillery, was built in 1431 and is reputed to have once been a monastery of the Dominican Order, widely known as "Black Friars".

A higher proportion of root ingredients and other botanicals is used in the Plymouth recipe, which brings what is described as a more 'earthy' feel to the gin, as well as a softened juniper flavour, and noticeable citrus notes.

[15] In the first half of the 18th century, as a result of government policy and economic conditions, gin became a low-cost and readily available alcoholic beverage.

It was widely consumed by the poor and was generally believed to be a major contributor to the considerable social problems of the time, in what became known as the Gin Craze.

[16] Among those advocating for reforms that would address the situation was William Hogarth, whose 1751 engraving, Gin Lane, formed part of his campaign.

[17] The negative reputation arising from these circumstances, coupled with the often poor quality, adulterated product of unregulated distilling, positioned gin as an undesirable beverage even decades after "anti-gin" legislation (notably, the Gin Act 1751), along with the reduced economic viability of using grain for alcohol production, had substantially reduced the adverse impacts of the "craze".

The product was standardised and reliable, while its distillation occurred far from the slums of London where substandard gin had most often been both made and imbibed.

[16] The global deployment of the Royal Navy, who carried it on their ships, led to the renown and wider consumption of the Plymouth product.

The front of the bottle depicted the ship, Mayflower, based upon the fact that when the Pilgrim Fathers set out for their journey to the New World, bad sea conditions and damage forced them to put into Plymouth harbour for shelter and essential repairs.

[1] In the same way as the monk's feet had purportedly indicated the need for re-stocking, it was now said that it was time to get a new bottle when the Mayflower 'no longer sails on gin'.

In January 2012, the packaging was again redesigned, this time returning to a more classical "shaving bottle" shape with a slightly green tint and the words "Est.