Unusual party, unusual gin

Vodka is my poison. I have tried over 100 vodkas all around the world and I am certain I can distinguish the good ones from the bad ones in a blind taste test. Gin has never been a favorite of mine but forgive my skepticism when I doubt gin drinkers to correctly choose their favorite gin in a blind taste test. 

Then Hendrick’s came along and introduced the concept of peculiarity to the rather conformist world of gin. This is the first premium white spirit to be introduced by the famous William Grant & Sons, a distiller with over 100 years of experience in producing some of the world’s finest single malt Scotch whiskies. 

Distillery manager Mike Webber says, “London-based distillers may have cornered gin production up until now. But it’s time for the Scots to show what a fine gin should taste like. After all, what does London have over the Highlands when it comes to distilling?”

It’s true that no other gin tastes like Hendrick’s, a fact that is borne out in taste tests, which indicate that only one out of 1,000 gin drinkers prefer Hendrick’s. One in 1,000 may not be a good average but those working at Hendrick’s beg to differ. “Most people shrink away from what is odd,” they counter. “But there are those who seek it, individuals who are truly excited by what is different. Hendrick’s is for them.”

Hendrick’s is peculiar because it is made with a free and imaginative spirit — hints of coriander, juniper, citrus peel, rose petals and a curious but marvelous infusion of cucumber. This eclectic combination of flavors achieves a harmonious balance that delights difference-seeking individuals and leaves them wholly dissatisfied with typical gins. I don’t like gin and I hate cucumbers but I have tried Hendrick’s and I have to admit, I strangely enjoy drinking it... maybe because I am not a drinker of typical gin.

A second reason for Hendrick’s peculiarity can be found in its country of origin, Scotland, the land of the single-highland-malt-Scotch-whisky.

The third reason for Hendrick’s peculiarity comes from its production process. Hendrick’s is made in handcrafted small batches in Girvan, Scotland. Mike Webber infuses this elixir with seven distinct botanicals. It is then exported to the United States by Scotland’s own William Grant & Sons.

So, an unusual party for an unusual gin was held at The Filipinas Heritage Library where guests enjoyed four featured Hendrick’s cocktails: Hendrick’s & Tonic, Hendrick’s Buck, Hendrick’s Martini and the Basil Smash. A Hendrick’s pocketwatch was given to the most unusually dressed while everyone else got a miniature Hendrick’s bottle to take home.