Tarquin's Navy Strength First Release - Squadron 771

For over fifty years the Royal Navy Helicopter Search and Rescue teams have been saving lives up and down the length and breadth of the country. Their role encompasses a wide variety of missions that can range from rescuing walkers to aiding divers, surfers and holiday makers in distress along the coast. Their operational range is 200 nautical miles off the British coast so are often also called upon to rescue sailors and fisherman from stricken vessels in appalling conditions that most aircraft would refuse to leave the ground in. Nowhere is this more poignant than Cornwall where the famous 771 Naval Air Squadron, also know as the Ace of Clubs, operates from their base at Culdrose. The sight of the magnificent Sea King helicopter is a regular occurrence, especially near the beautiful, rugged but equally dangerous coastline that attracts thousands of tourists each year. They are ready to fly 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year and can scramble a helicopter in 15 minutes with a second always waiting on the tarmac should the need arise. 771 squadron provide search and rescue cover for the Cornish peninsula, Isles of Scilly and the Atlantic channel; this results in them flying over 200 missions a year and that number is steadily rising. The squadron certainly lives up to its motto “non nobis solum” which is Latin for “not unto us alone”. In layman’s terms this equates to “the greater good”, a term that many people who wouldn’t be here today if not for 771 squadron can attest to! With the ace of clubs logo proudly emblazoned on the helicopter’s hull, these brave men and women save lives on a daily basis with no regard for the perils they put themselves in. Whilst the focus and glory is usually heaped on the pilots and air crew, one must not forget the engineers on the ground that keep the ageing Sea King’s operational and fit for duty. After all, without them the pilot would never even get off the ground! This is especially true considering the Sea Kings are actually 1950’s technology that has been constantly retrofitted to maintain modern standards. The Sea Kings have been in use since 1969 and have over 1.54 million flying hours between the whole fleet; it takes 130 engineers to undertake the required maintenance which equates to 30 man hours for every one flying hour! They must undergo extensive maintenance every time they are flown to ensure they are in peak operable condition for the next flight. Unfortunately these helicopters are coming to the end of their life along with Royal Navy Search and Rescue in its entirety. As with most other British institutions, Search and Rescue is being privatised with American company Bristow Helicopters taking the reigns in 2017. They won the contract with a staggering 1.6 billion pound bid that will see the operation modernised with a new fleet of aircraft. This will mark the end of a glorious era for 771 squadron who will be reassigned to different duties once the change over occurs. To commemorate the selfless work that 771 squadron has performed over the years, South Western Distillery has launched a limited edition of its world renowned Tarquins Gin. The full title of this extra special gin is Tarquins Rescue 193 Navy Strength Limited Edition; the 193 relates to the squadrons call sign in case you were wondering. There have only been 771 bottles produced and each one features the Ace of Clubs badge that the squadron displays on their Sea Kings. Traditionally, Tarquin uses light blue wax to seal the bottle but this has been swapped for a red wax to match the squadron’s colours. This is the first ever Navy Strength gin Tarquin has produced and the bottled strength is a healthy 57% ABV; Tarquin has increased the volume of botanicals used to maintain his gin’s unique taste to compensate for the increased alcohol strength. The only thing different you may notice on the palate (apart from the high strength of course!) is subtle hints of pink grapefruit. As one of Tarquin's first supporters when he initially launched, we are proud to say that we are the exclusive retailers of this limited edition gin. This is doubly apt as our store is only a few minutes drive from Culdrose Naval base where 771 squadron are based. To be honest, we feel privileged to be able to retail this gin that recognises the outstanding work 771 squadron has done and the positive impact of their actions in the county. You just won't find this gin anywhere else so follow this link to get your hands on a bottle. Once you’ve done that, you can join us in a raising a glass and giving 771 squadron the send off they deserve.