Hendrick's

History

Hendrick's gin is relatively new, having been launched on the market in 1999. Manufactured in the southwest of Scotland by Williams Grant & Son, it is one of the few companies in the distilled spirits world that is still family-owned.

Although its first gin launched to the world only a short time ago, there is a lot of history behind its production. In its distillation, they use stills where one is built from a Carter-Head made in 1948, of which there are very few in the world, and a Bennett from 1860.

The family has had them restored and used them to distil their gin, which is today one of the best known premium gins in the world.

After being restored in 1960, the family used it to distil this gin, which soon achieved worldwide fame and became known as "the cucumber gin".

How gin is made

The entire distillation process takes place in the Ayrshire region of Scotland and the master distiller Lesley Gracie is, unusually for the industry, a woman.

What makes Hendrick's gin unique is that it uses two completely different methods of distillation, using two separately distilled gins and then integrating the botanicals.

The gin's own botanicals are macerated for about 24 hours before being passed through the Bennett still. They are not introduced into the alcohol, being the traditional way, what they do is to pass the steam through them so that the aromas can be extracted much better.

On the other hand, the botanicals used in the Carter-Head are left on top of a basket in the distiller. They do not go through the same process as the previous ones, which are macerated and boiled, but rather, they are steamed to extract the lighter aromas.

They use cucumber from Holland, which is what gives them the peculiar aroma and flavour of this gin. Both distillations are carried out for 12 hours. Once the two gins are fused together, the cucumber and rose essence are added before the water is added and bottled.

Both the cucumber and Bulgarian rose petals make a perfect combination giving the full essence. One gives the intensity, oily like juniper, the other the light, sweet and floral.

Fun facts

The packaging of this bottle is also a sign of identity and personality of Hendrick's gin. It is inspired by the old pharmacies of the Victorian era, where normally, all condiments and remedies were kept in dark or black bottles to keep out the light.

Among the ingredients found in this gin are: java pepper, chamomile, caraway seeds, elderflower, meadowsweet, orange peel, juniper, coriander seeds, lily root, angelica root, lemon peel and the two highly unusual essences: cucumber and rose. They enhance the flavour that gives this gin its identity.

Where does the name Hendrick's come from?

The idea came from one of its master distillers, who sat in a rose bush eating cucumber sandwiches, typical of England, and drinking a gin. He used this mixture to fuse the two flavours to create Hendricks.

The name of the gardener who tended the rose bush for so many years, where this master distiller sat, was called Hendrick's, hence the name.

Awards

In 2003, the Wall Street Journal proclaimed Hendricks Gin as the best gin in the world.

Awarded Best Distilled Gin 2011 by International Spirits Challenge.

Gold in 2011 by International Spirits Challenge.

Double Gold in 2010 by San Francisco World Spirits Competition.