FEATURES
James May Brings Gin, Gripes, and British Wit to Miami
Written by Eric Barton | June 24, 2025
AUTHOR BIO: Eric Barton is editor of The Adventurist and a freelance journalist who has reviewed restaurants for more than two decades. Email him here.
James May arrived in Miami the way I figured he would: slightly annoyed and ready to promote a gin he freely admits he didn’t like much until he started making it.
James Gin, which now comes in four flavors including one based on parsnips (yes, really), has developed something of a cult following—despite May’s best efforts to remain skeptical of all things trendy.
I caught up with him while he was in town to talk about what makes James Gin different, why vodka is a waste of time, and where he’d send Hammond and Clarkson if they found themselves in the 305. Spoiler: not the beach. His answers were, as you’d expect, unapologetically British, a bit cantankerous, and occasionally brilliant.
You told The Independent you weren't a massive fan of gin before creating your own label. Can James Gin win over other non-gin drinkers?
Yes—because my gin is The Gin of the People, and therefore it will appeal to all people, even if they have—until now—misguidedly been drinking whisky (which is boring) or even vodka (which is pointless).
Favorite gin drink poolside in Florida?
A James Gin and Tonic. Asian Parsnip, a light tonic, and some ice. A slice if you insist, but no other nonsense. Although poolside is generally the right place to be in Miami, I’ve found that there are some disadvantages. Key issues are:
a) The likely presence of people in performative swimwear
b) Your G&T is likely to be served in a plastic cup.
However, James Gin is good enough to overcome both of these assaults on good taste, so don’t let either put you off.
Have you had a Bahamian gully wash, and can I convince you it's the world's best gin drink?
No and no.
Hammond or Clarkson asks you for your Miami recommendations. Where are you sending them?
Hammond is a professional gin drinker, so I’ll send him to Botánico, where they apparently have over 150 gins from around the world—146 of which he can ignore and concentrate on the four current flavors of James Gin that they are now serving.
Clarkson prefers weak beer, so I’d probably send him to the Wynwood neighborhood, where there are apparently some “craft breweries” and where I expect he will also enjoy the “vibrant street art scene.”
Miami is a place where you can see six supercars randomly parked outside the Winn-Dixie. As a car guy, what do you think of that?
I think parking them randomly is probably not the best way to enjoy them. Also, you can’t yet buy my gin at Winn-Dixie, so why go there anyway?
You’ve spent years traveling the world. How does Miami stack up—culturally, culinarily, automotive-ly—with the other places you’ve been?
Miami seems like a very culturally aware city for one with such a high moisture content. I ate excellent lobster, shrimp lollipops, and burgers. It seemed a bit thin on supercars, but yacht-spotting is a more appropriate activity—and you can drink on boats.
