Hendrick's

[beans]

More gin in the news. And this one sounds lovely. Check out it's unique botanicals!

Launched by William Grant & Sons, best known for the Glenfiddich malt, it [Hendrick's] is being marketed as Scotland’s "first homegrown premium gin". It picked up a gold medal at the San Francisco International Spirits Competition 2000 and was last year’s "Gin of the Year" at the Food and Wine Magazine Spirit of the Year awards.

Article here

Edited February 11, 2004 by beans (log)

[trillium]

Hendrick's has been discussed quite a few times in this board most notably here, here, and here. It seems to have a few fans. I haven't tried it yet, I'm done Junipero and now I'm on Plymouth.

regards,

trillium

[Mabelline]

Beans, dear girl, I've a question. Bear with me. The Hendrick's sounds intriguing, and reading the threads trillium put up, someone, I think Sazerac, mentioned Magellan, with iris root and flowers infused. I enjoy a very small flavored liquor as a digestive, and I have always loved iris, and wished I could eat the scent. But does anyone know of a lilac infusion in any liquor? Because lilacs, purple violets, iris, rose,they all sound just heavenly.

[beans]

Hendrick's has been discussed quite a few times in this board most notably here, here, and here.

Thanks for the links trillium. However the recent February 4, 2004, article I thought I'd post a new thread dedicated solely to Hendrick's.

[slkinsey]

Hendrick's is actually one of the martini gins of perference around the slkinsey household, along with Plymouth and Boodle's.

For a Hendrick's martini I like to use 8 parts Hendrick's to one part Vya white vermouth. For the garnish I float a translucently-thin slice of English cucumber in the glass (really need a mandoline for this), and I serve it with a little dish of sliced cucumber sprinkled with Maldon salt.

[beans]

Beans, dear girl, I've a question. Bear with me. The Hendrick's sounds intriguing, and reading the threads trillium put up, someone, I think Sazerac, mentioned Magellan, with iris root and flowers infused. I enjoy a very small flavored liquor as a digestive, and I have always loved iris, and wished I could eat the scent. But does anyone know of a lilac infusion in any liquor? Because lilacs, purple violets, iris, rose,they all sound just heavenly.

I'm into florals lately too. I just infused johnny jump ups into some vodka and it has become a lovely purple colour.

Lilacs or iris? Not sure, but I'm sure there's got to be one somewhere!

Roses? Have you ever seen this?

Rosolio di Rosa:

The petals of the Bulgarian Rose, infused in high quality alcohol, are the essential ingredient of this Rosolio liqueur which has a sweet and delicate taste.  It is excellent for the preparation of refined cocktails (among them the St. Valentine cocktail) as a dessert.

(scroll to bottom on page)

http://www.russo.it/rosoli-en.html

I found this a little over a year ago, posted on Webtender if anyone heard of this absolutely lovely sounding cocktail and liqueur, without response. I've even emailed the folks at Russo to ask if they could expound on this St. Valentine Cocktail, also no response.

Mabelline: Did I remember you to be the clever eG'er that once made violet jelly? (I've schemed to do this ever since reading that post last Summer). There is a French Creme de Violette and another I think that is simply violet liqueur.

If I find more, I'll be sure to post back.

[beans]

Hendrick's is actually one of the martini gins of perference around the slkinsey household, along with Plymouth and Boodle's.

For a Hendrick's martini I like to use 8 parts Hendrick's to one part Vya white vermouth. For the garnish I float a translucently-thin slice of English cucumber in the glass (really need a mandoline for this), and I serve it with a little dish of sliced cucumber sprinkled with Maldon salt.

I remembered that cucumber slice and the reason why this article caught my eye immediately!!!

[slkinsey]

To give credit where it's due, I ripped off the entire garnish and accompaniment idea from the bar at Town, Geoffrey Zakarian's place in midtown Manhattan. As an interesting touch, the cocktail is not even stirred! The bartender simply poured the ingredients into an ice-filled individual cocktail mixer and then bedded the mixer down in a large tub of ice while he prepared the garnish and accompaniment. When they were done, he poured the drink -- no shaking, no stirring.

[Eric_Malson]

Hendrick's is actually one of the martini gins of perference around the slkinsey household, along with Plymouth and Boodle's.

And one of the best spots for a choice martini I know of.

I noticed on the other gin thread active right now a couple of fans of Citadelle and remembered how much I liked it in tasting offered in a liquor store a couple of years ago. Never had it in a martini, though.....Sam, if I bring over a bottle of Citadelle, can we do side-by-side- martini tastings?

How about tonight?

[slkinsey]

You're on. But you'll have to bring some Hendrick's too, we're fresh out.

[denise_jer]

I love Hendrick's! I brought in one of my lavender plants from the garden for the winter, and made a martini with Hendrick's and lavender leaves. Very, very tasty. And instead of an olive, a thin slice of good cucumber and a lavender flower.

[Mabelline]

I have,as well as rose petal and geranium. But I didn't remember posting it. Mind like a steel trap...unfortunately it's starting to rust. My favorite violet project this summer was burnet and violet vinegar with a Champagne vinegar base. So goood on a salad. Burnet is a cucumberish taste, by the way, so it still goes along with the other aspects of the thread, too. Do youall out there suggest only vodka for an infusion, or might I use a milder sort of gin? I am also wanting the gin benefits, but not wanting to get 'smacked on the head by a branch of juniper berries" like someone else said.

Edit to add: That was a gorgeous site for that Rosolio di Rosa, and all the others looked so tasty. Bay, Pistachio, wow.

Edited February 11, 2004 by Mabelline (log)

[slkinsey]

Last PM Eric Malson, bergerka and I decided to make some martinis and compare Hendrick's to Citadelle. All martinis used Vya white vermouth and were mixed at an 8:1 ratio of gin to vermouth (this seems like a vrey high ratio, but Vya is a very flavorful vermouth).

So... we got our materials together

Into the cocktail mixer for a light stir

Garnish with cucumber slices (these are the Hendrick's martinis)

Et voila! The cloudy appearance is due to frost on the glass, which had just come out of the freezer.

The results were interesting. We all, I think, liked Hendrick's better. It seemed more subtly flavored, more refined and had a silkier texture. The mild cucumber flavor was right there in the front of the mouth, and there was an interesting hint of rose in the finish. Interestingly, we all agreed that, while Hendrick's does not have an immediately identifiable juniper flavor or aroma, it still had a taste that was immediately recognizable as "gin." Citadelle, on the other hand, was more upfront with the juniper. We liked Citadelle as well, but I think we all felt that it was less complex amd a little clunky and unsubtle compared to Hendrick's. Citadelle did not have the silky texture that Hendrick's had, and there was a definite, although not unpleasant, alcohol taste which Hendrick's did not have (interesting, since both are 88 proof). This is not to say that Citadelle isn't a good gin. It has a nicely heavy mouthfeel and, perhaps due to its more assertive flavoring, a good finish.

[beans]

Nice cocktail mixer and bar spoon Sam.

Those looked delicious. Thank you for sharing!

p.s. Where were you and Eric? I spy the lovely bergerka graced the background of your materials for this taste-testing!

[Mabelline]

That sealed the deal for me, Samuel. As soon as I'm allowed, I shall be having a tot of Hendrick's. Wonderful photos!

[Eric_Malson]

Nice cocktail mixer and bar spoon Sam.

Those looked delicious.  Thank you for sharing! 

p.s.  Where were you and Eric?  I spy the lovely bergerka graced the background of your materials for this taste-testing!

Mr. Kinsey was behind the camera, and I was off to the left, just outside the photograph.

They also possess some of the most beautiful cocktailware (is that a word?) I have ever seen. They have an amethyst glass shaker (from the '30's, is it?) and matching drink glasses that are just gorgeous.

I agree with everything Sam said.....I lack the descriptive vocabulary to add much more of significance. As wonderful as Hendrick's is (it really is extraordinary), I might actually prefer Citadelle for martinis in the summer. Hendrick's silkiness and "full-bodied" effect from the expert balance of herbals are ideal for colder weather, while I suspect Citadelle's "spikiness" may end up, in the end, being more refreshing when the weather is hotter. Just a guess.

[ludja]

...

We all, I think, liked Hendrick's better.  It seemed more subtly flavored, more refined and had a silkier texture.  The mild cucumber flavor was right there in the front of the mouth, and there was an interesting hint of rose in the finish.  Interestingly, we all agreed that, while Hendrick's does not have an immediately identifiable juniper flavor or aroma, it still had a taste that was immediately recognizable as "gin." 

←

I had the good fortune to taste Hendrick's for the first time at Bacar's in San Francisco last night.

Someone mentioned a 'new' Scottish gin they had heard about on Friday to me; I of course looked on egullet to see what you guys had to say about it and found this and other threads

So, I ordered a Hendrick's martini; I decided to try ~ 8:1 on the vermouth also; the bar had Noilly Prat vermouth. I don't know how Noillly Prat and Vya compare in terms of strength, but I figured getting a good first taste of the Hendricks would not be bad in any case. No cucumber garnish; rather olives.

The martini was sublime and I when I came back to thread today to post and re-read slkinsey's post I very much agree with his description--silky texture, interesting floral flavor. I will definately buy a bottle and try it with the cucumber accoutrements as well.

If the bartender did make it 8:1 (we were not sitting at the bar)---the balance between the Noillly Prat and Hendrick's tasted very good to me at that ratio. Again, further experimentation at home will be on the agenda.

Thanks also for the heads up on Vya; I'm excited to try both their vermouths, straight up and in martinis as well.

edited for sp

Edited January 24, 2005 by ludja (log)

[slkinsey]

Hmmm... I just might have to have a Hendrick's martini tonight. Interesting to read my 8:1 ratio from almost a year ago, as I am going in a significantly wetter direction these days (4:1, 3:1 or even a "reverse martini" at 1:2).