Review: Hendrick's Gin

According to Hendrick's Gin, their product is preferred by 1 out of 1000 gin drinkers. If this is true, than I am one in a thousand. While I assert that this is simply a clever marketing ploy aimed at exclusivity, I will admit that I could see how the typical gin drinker would find Hendrick's somewhat offputting. For starters, it is a rose petal and cucumber infused gin which, while it still possesses the juniper aroma characteristic to traditional gins, presents a stark contrast to such London Dry offerings such as Beefeater and Bombay. Yet, the smoothness and complexity that Hendrick's brings to the table is compelling and convincing. Try it with house-made tonic (recipe follows) or simply straight up, shaken, with a garnish of cucumber. Either way, you wont be disappointed.

Overall Rating: 96

Tonic Water (Recipe courtesy of The Wild Drink)

2 teaspoons of ground Cinchona Bark
Zest of 1 pink grapefruit
500g sugar
1 litre water
1/2 teaspoon citric acid

Add everything except the sugar to a pan. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 20mins, stirring regularly to remove lumps. After 20mins strain the hot liquid through a tea towel into a large container such as an ice cream tub, do it whilst it’s still hot and it strains faster. You should be left with a gunky brown mess all over the tea towel and a brown coloured liquid in the tub. Next add all the sugar to the liquid whilst it’s still hot and stir it in until the syrup becomes translucent.