Name: Howard Raymond
Role: Director
DOB: 23/11/1959
Birthplace: Wimbledon
Twitter Handle: @thekingofsoho
What was it like being born into such an enormously influential family? Did you feel any pressure when you took up your portion of the empire, or does it come naturally to you?
First of all I wasn’t born into one because when I was born we didn’t have any money, although that is not something I remember. There was no pressure and this is something I have been doing all my life, so I suppose it comes naturally, but I have always done other things as well as property.
Do people still associate you with the more risqué stuff that your father started out with, or have they gone beyond that? I’d imagine it’s a cool piece of heritage to play upon…?
It’s gone beyond all that now it’s more about the legacy of the man and the area.
You had a pretty tumultuous relationship with him, right? What was he like?
No, a fairly normal father and son relationship, you must never believe everything you read in the newspapers. ‘Copacetic’ would be a word I would use to describe him, a good bloke.
What happened with ‘The Look Of Love’?
I was asked if I would consult, but it was not appropriate so I didn’t get involved! As has been much publicised they attempted to change the name of their film to the King of Soho and I stopped them which cost them a lot of money.
Now let’s move on to you…and the gin!
Tell us about the guy on the bottle…who is he and why does he have a fox tail and a brass instrument?
He is a character that conjures up the very essence and being of Soho both past and present. The fox’s tail symbolises Soho’s status as a royal hunting ground of Henry VIII and also the fox’s more recent reputation as a mischievous creature of the night embodying the smart, naughty and enigmatic nature of urban Soho.
His velvet tailoring reflects the hedonistic fashion culture of the area and with the trumpet he tips his hat to Soho’s rich jazz history and with the book to the area’s long association with the creative industries and media.
Tell us about what sets the gin apart? Is it a London dry?
Yes, The King of Soho is a London Dry gin; quadruple distilled in London by a 9th generation distiller. It combines citrusy grapefruit with classic Juniper to create a perfectly balanced smooth gin. With a combination of 12 botanicals including coriander, angelica root and cassia it gives a soft warming spice on the palate, balanced by the soft-juniper and strength of the citrus.
You also celebrate the spirit of Soho – but what is the spirit of Soho?
It’s whatever you want it to be or is it the fluid in the bottle!? It’s wonderfully ambiguous.
How did you transition into gin production anyway? Seems like quite a leap from the property business! Have you always been a gin drinking man?
I already had a large stake in another drinks company so the interest was already there. I couldn’t find a gin which I enjoyed drinking over ice so I decided to make my own and it seemed fitting to launch it in honour of my father. Like my Dad I’ve always enjoyed a good gin martini.
What’s the process of coming up with a gin like? Could you outline the process for us?
First of all you have to decide on the flavour profile and what you are trying to achieve, after the liquid comes the branding and then a lot of hard work and planning to bring it all alive.
Seeing the first bottle come off the bottling line is quite a magical moment.
I have a bottle, any recommendations on how to enjoy it? What’s your favourite serve?
We have some great cocktails on our website created by Jamie Stephenson; at the launch of the Gin we served a Soho Sling and Evening Thyme which are both fantastic.
Recently he has come up with some hero serves – for the summer we suggest Summer in Soho which is…
50ml King of Soho Gin, 15ml Fresh Lemon Juice and 125ml of Raspberry Lemonade.
Simply pour into a tall glass filled with cubed ice and stir gently.
Then, garnish with lemon slices and a raspberry and enjoy!
It’s also great to see what other bars create with your gin, for example Joao Gloria, Head Bartender at Gillrays came up with a tropical cocktail with a Prosecco chaser, the Prosecco bringing out the flavour of the grapefruit on the pallet; and at the Red Bar at the Grosvenor Hotel, head barman Roman created the Perfect Sling – where the citrus notes compliment the balance between the sweet fruit juices and the bitters.
My personal favourite is a Gin Martini or simply the gin served over ice.
Does West End Drinks produce anything else? Are there any plans to?
Not yet, but we have other spirits in development.
What’s a ‘day in your life’ like? Could you give us an insight into the world of Howard Raymond?
Invariably interesting, never a dull moment! Planning meetings on some property related matter, architectural drawings, production meetings for the film, the King of Soho and I usually end the day with Gin. I have recently bought 150,000 sq. ft in Soho and this is taking up quite a bit of time as I look to improve the area.
What’s your philosophy, summed up in a sentence?
Take it head on.
What advice would you give to aspiring food & drink entrepreneurs who’d want the kind of results that you’ve had?
If think you can see a gravy train coming, you’re too late you’ve missed it! You need to be the driver. That advice applies to all business.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had, how did you overcome it, and what did you learn from it?
Every day is a challenge and life is one big learning curve.
What’s your ultimate aim and goal for the King Of Soho? If you could achieve anything with it, what would you pick? Money and reality are no obstacle, so shoot for the moon…
The object is to be an international drinks brand. There is something very satisfying about being able to walking into a bar or restaurant 2000 miles away from home and seeing the King of Soho on the shelf.
And we always ask three customary ridiculous questions…
If you had to employ any member of the Justice League of America to come and work with you guys at West End Drinks, who would you pick, and why?
As we already have a Wonder Woman, I would employ the Martian Manhunter, as you never know when you might need to fend off an alien invasion.
If you were forced to fend off an alien invasion and singlehandedly save mankind using only the tools available at the business, how would you do it?
Distract the aliens with gin, at 42% it should be strong enough to see them off.
If you were forced to convert the West End Drinks into some sort of scientific/technological research firm (assume a limitless budget and access to the best scientific talent in the world) – what would you call yourselves and what would your specialist areas of research be?
I already have one of them but I’m not going to tell you the name.