HER Majesty’s fondness for the occasional Dubonnet inspired a Hexham drinks company to concoct a cocktail to celebrate her Sapphire Jubilee.

Fentimans has created a contemporary cocktail to mark the Queen’s 65th year on the throne.

The Hexham-based botanical brewers tasked leading cocktail expert Myles Cunliffe, of The Mixology Group, to come up with a special drink to mark the occasion.

The drink, titled The Sapphire Sovereign, will be available in participating Amber taverns around the UK from June 13.

Fentimans’ head of marketing Andrew Jackson said: “We wanted to do something to mark the Queen’s Sapphire Jubilee and had intended to launch this new cocktail on the extra bank holiday weekend that was mooted.

“But as that’s not happening, we decided to to ahead and do it anyway! “We think 65 years as Queen deserves a celebratory drink and we’ve sent the recipe and ingredients over to Buckingham Palace for Her Majesty’s own team to mix her up one!”

The Sapphire Sovereign is made up of Dubonnet, Bombay Sapphire Gin and Fentiman’s Dandelion and Burdock and topped with a pink grapefruit garnish.

Mixologist Myles said: “It made sense to look at drinks that the Queen enjoys and which were popular back in the 1950s when she came to the throne.

“The Royals are known to be big fans of Dubonnet, which is not so widely consumed these days, so that was my starting point.

“Fentimans Dandelion and Burdock, with its distinctive, slightly spicy flavour is a perfect choice for the drink as it really brings out the herbs and spices in the Dubonnet.

“I chose Bombay Sapphire partly because of its blue hue and British Empire connotations but also because the Dubonnet and Dandelion and Burdoch work perfectly with its liquorice and lemon undertones.

“It’s undoubtedly an interesting flavour combination with a distinctive taste that will tantalise tasetbuds.”