Hendrick’s Gin has launched a new limited-release expression for ‘dreamers, artists and free-spirited souls’ called Grand Cabaret.
The latest edition to the Hendrick’s Cabinet of Curiosities series is inspired by a historic fruit-based libation which was in vogue in Paris during the early 20th Century, and boasts a rich ensemble of bright flavours that seduce the senses.
Hendrick’s Master Distiller, Lesley Gracie, revived the expression after reading about a stone fruit ‘eau de vie’ that was served with a dash of gin and scented with rose, which gained popularity at fashionable Parisian parties in the early 1900s. This eau de vie was, in turn, inspired by a 17th-century revelation: the distilling of stone fruit yielded a wildly indulgent tasty portion.
Lesley has long been tantalised by the notion of experimenting with unusual combinations of botanical fruits, yet this is the first time she has selected stone fruits to anchor a rich cabaret of flavours in a gin. Pirouettes of decadent stone fruit share the stage with sweet herbs and make for an elegant sensory feast that is deliciously indulgent yet as light as silk. The result is a decadently delicious, pleasure-seeking expression of Hendrick’s that’s ideal to add a refreshing elegance to glorious gatherings together.
Gracie explained: “I’m always looking for inspiration, and this time I found it leafing through historical recipes for stone fruit spirits, eau de vies, peach schnapps, cherry liqueurs when those indulgent stone fruit flavours were the ‘in thing’ for those that had the means to celebrate in spectacular style.
“I played around and found that when you put these different stone fruit flavours together, they give you a rich depth of flavour with great brightness and lightness. I added sweet herbs to round out the vibrant fruit. It’s the first time I’ve experimented with stone fruits in Hendrick’s Gin, and I love how it adds a decadent depth of flavour and yet still has the signature refreshing lightness of Hendrick’s”.
Ally Martin, Hendrick’s Global Brand Ambassador, adds: “It’s fascinating to dig deep into cocktail history and see what flavour combinations captivated creative minds in Paris at the turn of the 20th Century. It seems that the flavour of stone fruits, rose scents, and gin was a magical combination in the most opulent of establishments, and who better to deftly combine these flavours today into a ravishingly fruity spirit than Hendrick’s Master Distiller, alchemist, and liquid poet Lesley Gracie?
“This is a bright, bold gin that has a rich depth and layers of flavour and yet is still refreshing and light – it’s ideal in a Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret and Tonic. If you want to be a little more fancy, the Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret Royale is an indulgent way to toast tantalising celebrations. It combines Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret, cranberry, lime, and a touch of sugar syrup, which is topped with Champagne or sparkling wine for added decadence.”
The Hendrick’s Grand cabaret bottle, meanwhile, bursts onto the scene with a luxurious purple hue, and the signature apothecary bottle is adorned with an eclectic mix of intriguing icons, including a stunning chandelier – a nod to the extravagant gatherings which inspired the liquid’s creation.
- Available nationwide from 1st March at Tesco, Morrisons, Ocado and Amazon – £30/70cl
