Here are four ways we’re serving up Hendrick’s Gin this season.
It’s here! After nine long months, summer is finally back. You know what that means – post-beach hangs, friends in the backyard, drinks at the park and afternoon barbecues that go well into the night. And you know what we love as much as we love summer? A summer Spritz. And we’re calling it: the Spritz of summer starts with one thing – Hendrick’s Gin.
That’s just one of the many fresh cocktails we’ll be whipping up with Hendrick’s Gin this season, so we thought we’d go straight to the source. We had a chat with our mates at Hendrick’s Gin to find out exactly how they like to serve their gin.
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Hendrick’s Gin 101
It’s likely you’re familiar with Hendrick’s Gin, but you’ll at least be familiar with the iconic bottle. You know the one, the black apothecary-style bottle that’s branded with a cream diamond label and cork stopper. Yes, that’s the one. It might feel like Hendrick’s Gin has been around for centuries, but it launched in Scotland in 1999. In less than 30 years, it’s become a household name (and rightly so), and many people credit Hendrick’s Gin as a key player in the gin renaissance. Can you even believe there was a time when people weren’t drinking gin?
Let’s get specific. There’s obviously a secret recipe – not dissimilar to KFC, Colonel Sanders has 11 herbs and spices, and Hendrick’s Gin combines a blend of 11 dry botanicals, along with two very important liquid botanical infusions. The secret recipe remains the same to this day. What's that saying? If it ain’t broke... you get it. But the Hendrick’s signature? Taking those 11 botanicals and infusing rose and cucumber after distillation.
The team is led by master distiller Lesley Gracie – she’s the mastermind behind the gin, secret recipe and all. When it comes to the distilling process, Hendrick’s is crafted 500 litres at a time (that’s just over 700 bottles at once), which is the same amount that was being distilled back in ‘99 and how it’ll always remain, according to the team.
Hendrick’s Gin is the only gin that uses spirits from both a Carter-Head Still, an incredibly rare hybrid pot still from 1948 that delicately extracts aromas and flavours from botanicals, and a Bennett Copper Pot Still – an antique copper pot that dates back to 1860. The two stills create an incredibly smooth gin that if you want to categorise is a New World gin.
1. Hendrick’s Original Gin Spritz
So, you want to make a Gin Spritz? Well, you’ve come to the right place. This is the Hendrick’s Original Gin Spritz, which uses the OG Hendrick’s Gin (duh). It’s light, fresh and one of the easiest cocktails you’ll ever make (we can guarantee it’ll earn a spot in your summer drinks rotation). So, how do you make it? You need 30mL of Hendrick’s Gin, 20mL of elderflower liqueur (or elderflower cordial will also do the trick), 60mL of your favourite prosecco, soda water, lots of ice and cucumber slices for garnish.
Let’s put it together. You want to pour all your ingredients, except the soda water – hold that for now – into a wine glass (hot tip: use your wine glass with the largest bowl, like the one you use for reds), and fill the glass with loads of ice. Then, top it with that soda water to fill in the gaps and garnish with a couple of slices of fresh cucumber. Voilà. We’re serving this seriously summer-approved Spritz on Christmas Day; it’s the perfect arrival drink to sip while you pretend to help in the kitchen. It’s also the ideal 3pm palate cleanser, just as dessert is being set up, the sun is at its hottest and the promise of a Christmas afternoon nap isn’t far away.
2. Hendrick’s Gin Martini
There are people who will tell you there’s only one way to drink a Martini, and that’s with vodka. To them, we say agree to disagree. What we will agree on is putting Martini glasses in the freezer to chill before serving. Now, there truly is nowhere to hide in a Martini, which is why you need a serious (yet silky) gin. Grab that bottle of Hendrick’s Original Gin, because we’re stirring (never shaking) Martinis. Take 60mL of gin, 10mL of dry vermouth (like Lillet Blanc) and add both into a mixing glass filled with ice. You want to stir gently for two minutes, before straining into your frosty Martini glass. Cap off the Hendrick’s Martini with lemon zest and a cucumber slice.
To express the lemon zest, take a strip of lemon peel and twist over the top of the finished cocktail to release the aromatic oils, then take a single slice of cucumber and drop it in. Don’t forget you can absolutely batch your Martinis ahead of time and pop them in a freezer-safe bottle. We’re having the gals around for Saturday afternoon drinks, which we all know will turn into dinner and dancing, which means, we’re serving Martinis. A tray of oysters from the market, some cheese and charcuterie? You can count us in.
3. Hendrick’s Gin and Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic (AKA G&T)
The sun rising, gravity and a bloody good G&T are three things we can always rely on. The humble gin and tonic is a classic for a reason; it’s cute, classic and basic without being basic, you know? Don’t put that bottle of Hendrick’s Original Gin away just yet, we’re mixing it with Fever Tree’s Mediterranean Tonic – it’s made with floral botanical oils and will add another layer to your gin.
We love a two-ingredient cocktail here at Dan’s Daily – not only is it a winner on the hip pocket, but it also makes hosting a tad less stressful. The Hendrick's Gin and Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic calls for 45mL of gin and 100mL of Mediterranean Tonic, so pour that goodness into a highball glass that’s packed with ice, and pop two slices of cucumber on top for garnish. In charge of the drinks for a pot-luck lunch? Grab a 1L bottle of Hendrick’s Gin and a slab or two of Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic, and you’re laughing. Just don’t forget to pick up a bag of ice.
4. Hendrick’s Oasium Mango Sgroppino
If you have a gin lover in your life, we know exactly what you should gift them this Christmas. Hendrick’s Gin has just released a very limited range of its Oasium Gin. Now, the backstory of how this gin came to be is both important and interesting. Master distiller Lesley Gracie was on a quest to quench thirst and, in doing so, she travelled to the desert in the Middle East for inspiration. Enamoured with the colours of paradise, she had an idea to combine the aromatic herbs and almost tropical bright fruits of a desert oasis. Enter Oasium: pronounced oh-ace-e-yum, we can confirm it’s ace as well as yum.
You can expect those signature juniper characters we know and love in Hendrick's Gin (in fact, the base is the original), along with thyme, prickly pear and kumquat, which bring cooling herbs and tropical notes. You can swap Oasium for your original gin in a G&T, but we reckon you have to try the Hendrick's Oasium Mango Sgroppino. This is one of those cocktails that looks harder to make than it is, which means your mates will be totally in awe of you when you serve this baby up. Pour 30mL of Hendrick's Oasium Gin into a coupe, add a large scoop of mango sorbet (you can pick this up at your local ice cream parlour or supermarket), then top with 60 to 80mL of prosecco and garnish with some lime zest. Is your mouth watering yet? It’s fresh, fruity and friend-worthy. Serve the Mango Sgroppino alongside a plate of seared scallops dusted with chilli and a squeeze or two of lime.
Back to your Christmas list, Hendrick’s Oasium is less than 70 bucks (we love a limited-edition gin that’s pretty affordable) and you can only get your hands on it at Dan’s, so you’d better grab a bottle for yourself, too.
