Hendrick’s debuts Grand Cabaret gin

William Grant & Sons has released a limited edition Hendrick’s gin containing stone fruit and sweet herbs, called Grand Cabaret.

Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret was based on a historic fruit-based libation that was popular in Paris in the early 20th century.

Master distiller Lesley Gracie was inspired to create Grand Cabaret 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 the distillation of stone fruit – said to be a revelation in the 17th century.

The creation of Grand Cabaret marks the first time that Gracie has used stone fruit in gin production.

Gracie said: “I’m always looking for inspiration, and this time I found it leafing through historical recipes for stone fruit spirits, eaux-de-vies, peach schnapps, cherry liqueurs and the like way back when those indulgent stone fruit flavours were really the ‘in thing’ for those that had the means to celebrate in spectacular style.

“So I played around and found that when you put these different stone fruit flavours together they give you a really nice rich depth of flavour with a great brightness and lightness. I added sweet herbs to round the vibrant fruit out.

“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 too.”

The expression is also the biggest release to date from Gracie’s ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’, which is described as “a place of experimental botanic alchemy” at the Hendrick’s Gin Palace in Scotland.

Other experimental releases have included moon-inspired expression Lunar, and a summer solstice-inspired gin.

Ally Martin, Hendrick’s global brand ambassador, recommends serving the new gin with tonic water or in a Royale. The drink combines 30ml Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret with 30ml cranberry, 15ml lime and 15ml sugar syrup, and is topped with Champagne or sparkling wine, and garnished with a cucumber slice and orange peel.

Bottled at 43.4% ABV, Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret will be available in more than 50 markets. In the UK, it can be purchased from Tesco, Morrisons, Ocado and Amazon for £30 (US$38) per 700ml bottle.

Scottish spirits firm William Grant & Sons also owns English brand Silent Pool Gin, which it acquired in September last year.