Gins have certainly come a long way from their roots. Even ten, fifteen years ago, the most exotic gin you could (relatively easily) get your hands on was a Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray Ten.
While affordable and excellent gins in their own right, they cleaved fairly close to traditional taste profile of the London Dry; citrus, juniper, coriander, cassia bark, angelica root and if one is particularly lucky, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Well, look how far we’ve come. Hendrick’s new Midsummer Solstice bears as much resemblance to the classic gins as a jumbo jet does to a biplane.
Stop and Smell the Flowers
Hendrick’s has a history when it comes to unusual, floral gins.
The original Hendrick’s was a breath of fresh air when it launched in 2000s. The conditions were ripe. The market was hungry for premium spirits and, frankly, something completely different.
In the late 90s, the whole concept of what a gin could be – a blank canvas on which an artist could paint virtually anything they wanted- was largely unexplored. The definition of a gin is literally “a strong, aromatic alcoholic liquor distilled from rye and other grains and flavored with juniper berries”. Meaning, if one wanted, they could conceivably add in whatever flavours they pleased, as long as they put juniper somewhere in the spirit.
The story goes that just such a person, David Stewart, the Master Blender at William Grant & Sons had such a thought one day, while munching on cucumber sandwiches and admiring the roses in his garden. Working with a lady named Gracie Lesley, he went about creating a gin that captured that experience.
The original Hendrick’s is a combination of two separate distillations- a blending of floral distillate with a juniper spirit. The addition of cucumber and Bulgarian roses gives Hendrick’s its distinctive flavours and aromas- as well as its most popular serve- Gin and Tonic with a garnish of either sliced cucumber or a rose petal. It even came in an unusual, dark tinted Victorian Apothecary Jar.
Quite a revelation at a time where people free-poured their gins, hastily threw in the tonic and casually tossed in a lime slice.
While Hendrick’s might not have been the first gin to use unusual botanicals, it jumpstarted the gin movement that is broadly (and sometimes begrudgingly) called the “New Wave”, “International”, “Craft” or, hilariously, “Others”.
There’s probably a splendid argument to be had about what a “gin” is, but I think we can credit Hendrick’s in helping to start that debate. An accomplishment.
A Second Blossoming
The gin renaissance that started with the original Hendrick’s has pollinated worldwide. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that a new, fantastic gin is created every day. A staggering pace, and one that is hard to keep up with, even just as a consumer. This is where Hendrick’s, in my opinion, needs to play a bit of catch up.
The flagship rose-and-cucumber Hendrick’s is still going strong today. However, it is now joined on the shelf with crazy gins from around the world. Gins featuring Californian firs, black tomatoes, or other unusual ingredients. Those made from grapes. The revival of the Old Tom style. The possibilities seem endless, and these possibilities compete for the attention of the thirsty masses.
That is not to say that William Grant & Sons has been idle. Hendrick’s has also, over the years, launched new gins with some increasingly whimsical themes. In 2013, Scorpion’s Tail, a botanical commonly found in the Americas, was the highlight of the Kanaracuni gin. The Orbium, originally released in 2017, incorporated Quinine, Wormwood and Blue Lotus Blossom extracts. We saw the Orbium reach our shores in 2019.
More recently, though, the brand has picked up the pace. In 2018, the Hendrick’s Gin Palace was unveiled. There, variants of Hendrick’s gins are being formulated under the watch of Gracie Lesley, the Master Distiller. A new gin will be released each year, available only during the launch year and, thus, replacing the previous variant.
Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice is the first new expression to come from the Hendrick’s Gin Palace, and it has finally reached our shores.
A Rose, and Not Just by Any Other Name
I was told that the Midsummer Solstice was “inspired by the sensory power of nature during the Summer solstice when the Earth is tilted maximally toward the Sun” and that it “captures the bright, aromatic intensity of a midsummer day”.
In practical terms, the Midsummer Solstice returns to the original floral focus of the original Hendrick’s. The exact botanicals- or even how many there are- are a secret, but orange blossom counts among them. Obviously, there’s juniper as well, but others have reportedly smelled iris, chamomile and elderflower. Our friends at Spirited have detected geranium, and I am inclined to concur.
Tasting Notes
Nose: The first impression is fruity and floral. A blast of citrus, mostly rounded sweet and bitter oranges. Maybe even the lightest hint of yuzu. There’s definitely orange blossom- it’s front and center. Beneath that, elderflower, honeysuckle and lavender. Perhaps chamomile. It’s all very well integrated. Astonishingly, I don’t get the signature rose petal aroma. There’s also some dark forest berries in here. Blackberries, I would hazard. Finally, when boring down to the core, there’s juniper and a bit of spice. Overall, quite pleasant indeed.
Palate: Mellow. Fairly sweet and definitely more spicy and floral than citrusy. This is where the juniper is hiding. It’s assertive but not overwhelming, however, and meshes nicely with a floral, honeysuckle-elderflower-like mellowness. Blackberries and even blueberries make a surprise appearance. There is a light orange flavour, though that manifests as a midnote and quickly fades into the spice.
Finish: Surprisingly spicy. I suspect this is where the base Hendrick’s DNA finally makes itself known. Some licorice, some spice,
A Spirit in Bloom
While the original Hendrick’s definitely leans toward the floral side, the Midsummer Solstice practically leaps into a bed of flowers, rolls around and then braids some petals into its hair for good measure.
That being said, the Midsummer Solstice has more nuance than a quick scan of my description would suggest. While unmistakably floral, it makes room for the flavour and aromas to evolve into citrus and then spice. While noticeably given a shorter runway in this gin, they can still take flight- albeit under the wings of the floral aspects.
This double act lends just enough depth and variance to be interesting- and to give some room for mixologists and home bar enthusiasts alike to play with. It’s not the most complex, perhaps, but it’s definitely good enough.
How best to use this gin, though?
Admittedly, I haven’t tried all the combinations of gins, tonics, and cocktails that this could possibly work in, but I observed that it makes an excellent G&T with a tonic that isn’t too quinine or spice forward. I like to round off the floral notes with a citrusy mixer- I’d suggest the East Imperial Yuzu or Grapefruit, or a Fever Tree of any sort- though Mediterranean seems to work best. For garnish, edible flowers and a lemon twist should work. If you want to get particularly fancy, throw in some berries as well.
As for cocktails, I think it should do well in a Clover Club, a Ramos Gin Fizz (with the cream turned down slightly) or maybe even a more feminine variation on a Martini with a very floral vermouth- say, Dolin Blanc. I’ll keep you guys posted on Instagram when I get around to making one of those.
Dreaming of a Midsummer Night
The one question that I’m thinking about is whether it does what it says on the bottle; evoke a bright, summer day traipsing through the garden. Close- but that’s not how I, a child of the tropics, picture it.
While there is a definitely warm, spicy element to it, the combination of white flowers and dark fruit puts me in the mind of a summer evening; basically, any evening in Singapore.
When I close my eyes, I smell the evening breeze. It carries the intoxicating scents of the garden city. Flowers and grass from the garden outside, the spice from my neighbour’s cooking. The harsh light of day fades into a cool night- but one that carries the promise of warmth. The night soothes, drawing me in with soft, sweet promises. Yet, there’s a smoldering ball of fire lying just below the horizon.
That’s what the Midsummer Solstice says to me. I like it.
If you’re interested in picking up a bottle, Midsummer Solstice will be available on major e-commerce retailers like LazMall & iShopChangi. It’ll be available at over 50 watering holes islandwide, which, happily, we can now visit.
