Hendrick's Gin

Date: 3.12.22 Served: Neat, Flute. Bottle Status: Nearly empty after 10 months, tasted same day (Side by Side comparison) Whenever a bottle I've had for some time is nearly finished, I like to compare it with a new one to check for flavor degradation from oxidation. All my bottles are kept in darkness, but I haven't taken steps to minimize the air inside. Aroma: The difference is striking. The older bottle presents a scent profile of soap, savoriness, powder, grain, and flowers. Gin often has too many complex botanicals for me to identify more than a couple of scents. Here, I only detect juniper and a generic citrus soap scent (a dull lemon, unlike the vibrant oil from a peel). The new bottle offers a much stronger aroma with a more vegetal character. After initial bright citrus and juniper notes fade, the aroma settles into cucumber peel. Flavor: (Approach with caution, I've recently consumed a lot of sugar and tried to counteract it with jerky and club soda). My refractometer indicates only a 1-2% decrease in alcohol by volume in the older bottle. If any evaporation occurred, it likely affected both ethanol and water equally. The older bottle's taste is mellowed. Very little complexity on the palate. It now resembles floral hand soap more. The new bottle is, simply put, much more flavorful. The initial taste is the smooth essence of cucumber. Rose becomes more apparent mid-sip. Juniper appears at the end, and the finish is quite bitter (again, the sugar might be influencing this). I am choosing not to provide a rating. The goal of this tasting was to observe oxidation, and my palate is not fully reliable due to unusual food intake and dehydration. I will revisit this gin soon.

A 375 ml bottle from a government liquor store in Vancouver. Widely available in such places. Note the alcohol content is 44%, a factor when comparing prices. Gordon's is my go-to for value, but it's 40%. Also, the 375 ml size comes in plastic, which some dislike, but for immediate use, who cares, right? My apologies, reader, I'm rambling. Back to Hendrick's. Excellent, with not an overpowering juniper presence, leaning more towards citrus and other delicate botanical notes. If you want a strong juniper flavor, look elsewhere. Worth the cost for those of us who appreciate drinking gin straight, savoring the aroma as much as the taste! Unlikely I'd bother if my preference was gin & tonic. I do enjoy a well-made gin & tonic in warm weather only, but I'd be reluctant to use a premium gin for that.

Some pleasant aromas, though I can't pinpoint everything; maybe some pine. The flavor has slight medicinal qualities, but in a good way. The finish is sweeter than anticipated, leaving the mouth feeling refreshed. Nice with a little club soda. I'm not sure this will make me a gin enthusiast, but I could see myself getting a bottle for summer enjoyment when seeking something light and different.

One of my favorites; Hendrick's excels in both flavor and aroma. It's also very smooth, with no harshness at all, but a slight, pleasant tanginess suggests you should be mindful of indulging too much. The botanicals combine beautifully to create a well-rounded taste that stimulates the senses just enough.

This is my second positive review and comment on this spirit, and I'm just finishing the last bit of a smaller bottle. This was my first bottle, and it definitely won't be my last. This spirit improves with time, it grows on you. The aroma is fantastic, and the slight increase in alcohol content enhances both the aroma and flavor. Delicious!

Refreshing cucumber flavor; wonderful on a warm day with a lemon slice, ice, and a little tonic. A friend wishes theirs was this good. Always has a place in my collection, though I lean towards another brand for general cocktail mixing.