Sweet, deceptively strong, lashings of orange and red-fruit, refreshing with a touch of bitterness on the finish.

A gin-based fruit cup whose recipe has traditionally been kept secret. First produced in 1841, in legend the exact formula of the drink is only made known to the top six people at Pimm's.

The recipe was invented by the owner of a City of London oyster bar in the early nineteenth century.

Not strictly a liqueur, Pimms is a gin-based drink, infused with aromatics and mixed with lemonade for consumption.

Pimms has a powerful social associations with the English, or London, 'season', and the sort of people who take part in events such as Henley, Ascot, May Balls and wherever else the young (and not so young) in-crowds gather.

Connoisseurs insist that only adding champagne as opposed to lemonade, makes a true Pimms No1 Cup.

Pimms perfect summer serve:
Take a jug or long drink glass and fill it with ice.
Mix 1 part Pimms No 1 with 3 parts chilled lemonade.
Add some mint, cucumber, orange and strawberry.