by Holly Riddle
Hendrick’s Gin’s master distiller Lesley Gracie has been with the brand from the very beginning, and her mission has remained the same for more than two decades: craft a gin “the likes of which the world had never seen before.”
“Charlie Gordon, the late life president of William Grant & Sons, had these two very unusual vintage stills he’d picked up at auction, and the idea to use two very British ingredients, rose and cucumber,” she said of Hendrick’s origins. “It was then my job to combine these into a gin full of character that was simultaneously light and complex.”
Twenty-five years ago, Gracie noted that the gin industry was far from innovative, but, with Hendrick’s Gin at the forefront, the market has grown substantially, leading to a bevy of craft gins and gin aficionados. All the while, Gracie and Hendrick’s have continued to push the envelope on what gin can be.
In 2018, the brand built the Hendrick’s Gin Palace, a beautiful distillery and home to Gracie’s laboratory. The palace features two flanking greenhouses with two separate climates and a walled garden, as well as Gracie’s Cabinet of Curiosities (yes, it is a real cabinet), from which she pulls inspiration for the Cabinet of Curiosities limited-release gin series.
“These releases push the classic Hendrick’s recipe into different directions flavor-wise, so there now really is a Hendrick’s Gin for everyone,” she described.
A new Cabinet of Curiosities gin arrives on store shelves in March of each year. In 2024, the latest gin in the series, dubbed Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret, took inspiration from 17th century decadence, incorporating notes of bright stone fruit. Other varieties have included Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice, Lunar, Neptunia, and Flora Adora.
“Each gin from the Hendrick’s Cabinet of Curiosities starts with an idea, a story, a sensation or feeling that I want to capture in liquid form,” Gracie said of her creative process, “and these ideas can come from anywhere. It could be someone mentioning something in passing or smelling a particular scent that fascinates me. Then this kickstarts a process where I think, ‘Hmmm, I wonder what that would be like,’ so I have a look into it, play around in my lab at the Hendrick’s Gin Palace and see what I could do with it and what other flavors combine well with it, and where all this leads me.”
A new Cabinet of Curiosities gin is fast approaching, in March 2025, but until then, Gracie offers some recommendations for those new to gin in general or just new to Hendrick’s.
She said, “First try the classic Hendrick’s Gin with a touch of elderflower cordial and lengthen with soda instead of tonic. Elderflower cordial lifts everything up and with the slightness of soda instead of the bitterness of tonic you capture more of the deep floral and herbal notes in the gin.”
“Sometimes when people have enjoyed a gin, they are somewhat surprised, because they previously thought they didn’t like it,” she added. “I don’t think it’s that people don’t like gin, but more that they haven’t found the gin that is right for them. There are so many different dimensions you can push gin in, flavor-wise. So, if you like floral flavors, you might prefer Hendrick’s Flora Adora; if you’re a fan of rounder, fruitier flavors, the decadent stone fruit character in Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret may be just the ticket. Lean into what you love; that’s good advice generally in life.”
