Wednesday, December 24, 2014

  Largest Gin Collection at Sea: Europa 2 breaks Guinness World Records' record (VIDEO)

MIAMI, FL, USA -- With 35 gins, the Europa 2 has the largest collection of any cruise ship; the majority of gins are from the United Kingdom and there are 140 ways to have a gin and tonic on board the Europa 2; the cruise ship now sets the new world record for the Largest Gin Collection at Sea , according to the World Record Academy: www.worldrecordacademy.com/ .

  Photo: With 35 gins, the Europa 2 claims it has the largest collection of any cruise ship. Photo: Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten GmbH ( enlarge photo )

The Guinness World Records' record for the most varieties of gin commercially available (*on land) is 429, achieved by Jorge Bataller (Spain) at the Doce Gin Club, in Valencia, Spain, on 20 August 2014.

  Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the most varieties of sherry commercially available; it is 293, achieved by Bar de Ollaria Ginza (Japan) in Chuo, Tokyo, Japan, as of 10 December 2013.

  Personal service, a high gastronomic standard, individual travel programme and excellent interiors: you will experience this comfort on the newcomer to the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises fleet in a modern and casual atmosphere.

    There are 140 ways to have a gin and tonic on board the Europa 2, ForbesLife reports.  
    "Our most popular combination is Monkey 47 with Fentimans tonic," says Erik Schütze, manager of the luxury cruise liner's Herrenzimmer bar. The gin hails from Germany's Black Forest and is made with 47 botanicals, including local cranberries, while the English tonic water is brewed with herbal infusions and lemongrass extract. An orange peel garnish completes the drink.

   The majority of gins are from the United Kingdom; you also have four tonic waters available to create the perfect pairing.

   The most expensive gin on the ship goes back to Monkey 47 with their Sloe Gin variety. They make less than 1,000 cases a year, and it'll set you back about $22 a glass.

    Other unique selections include Spain's Mare Mediterranean Gin, distilled with olives, basil, rosemary and thyme, for a distinctive regional flavor, and G-Vine Floraison, a grape-based gin made in France's Cognac region. No. 209 Gin, the lone American entry on the list, is made in California by the Rudd Family, who are better known for their Rudd Oakville Estate Winery and Dean & DeLuca stores.

  Besides culinary diversity and luxurious surroundings, wellness, fitness and a multi-facetted entertainment programme are the highlights of EUROPA 2.