Hendrick’s Gin Review: Still One of the Most Distinctive Gins Around
A name that for every gin lover evokes mellow memories and evenings spent swinging between a Gin & Tonic and a Dry Martini.
We are dealing with a Scottish gin produced at Girvan, in South Ayrshire, and built around one of the most recognizable aromatic signatures in the category: rose and cucumber, laid over juniper and a broad botanical base.
The production is peculiar because Hendrick’s combines distillates obtained from two different stills, the Bennett still and the Carter-Head still, before bringing everything together into the final blend. This dual approach is one of the keys to its unusually smooth texture and aromatic precision.
The botanical profile is broad but beautifully controlled: juniper, coriander, elderflower, chamomile, orange peel, lemon peel, caraway, angelica, cubeb pepper, orris and yarrow, with rose and cucumber giving Hendrick’s its unmistakable identity.
The result is a sophisticated gin, enveloping and full of floral echoes, with citrus, cucumber, spices and resins in the background. But what is really amazing about this beauty is how smooth it remains on the palate.
While many gins, especially the spicy ones, run horizontally across the tongue, Hendrick’s has a vertical momentum. It feels cool, lifted and precise, and for this reason it has a natural affinity with sharp, pungent and fresh ingredients.
Hendrick’s Gin bouquet
The bouquet is delicate, very floral and slightly resinous, played on subtle tones, almost ethereal, with juniper berries diving into a waterfall of rose petals.
The spices are there, elegant and almost sweet, followed by citrus peel, cucumber, chamomile and light earthy nuances. The whole aromatic profile is polished, graceful and unusually distinctive.
The quintessence of elegance.
What does Hendrick’s Gin taste like?
On the palate it is smooth and elegant, with excellent freshness and spicy touches of cubeb pepper, coriander and herbs, followed by rose, citrus peel and of course the wild call of cucumber.
The balance is excellent.
Despite its structure, this is not a bold or brutal gin. Hendrick’s is bottled at around 41.4% ABV, enough to give it substance without sacrificing finesse.
Be careful not to bury it under too many aggressive ingredients or you risk losing its charm.
Hendrick’s is not my first choice for a Negroni, where Campari and vermouth can easily overwhelm its floral delicacy.
Try it instead in a simple Gin & Tonic with a slice of cucumber, or in a very cold Dry Martini, where its rose, citrus and cucumber character can finally breathe.
It also works beautifully in a Tom Collins or French 75.
Hendrick’s Gin cost
The old idea that Hendrick’s is an expensive bottle no longer really holds.
A 70 cl bottle can often be found around 28-33 euros, with many offers starting close to 28 euros. At that price, considering its character, production style and consistency, it is a very convincing purchase.
To buy or not to buy Hendrick’s Gin?
Yes, especially if you love floral, fresh and polished gin.
Hendrick’s is no longer an exotic curiosity: it has become a modern classic. But the strange thing is that it still tastes immediately recognizable. Rose, cucumber, juniper and citrus have been copied to death, yet the original keeps its own rhythm.
Drink it with tonic, put it in a Martini, keep the garnish simple and let the gin do the talking.
