Hendrick's Gin
A Scottish gin brand distinguished by the use of cucumber and Bulgarian rose alongside traditional juniper.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Hendrick's Gin is a Scottish gin brand launched in 1999 at the Girvan distillery in Ayrshire by William Grant & Sons. The brand was developed as a super-premium gin and is associated with a deliberately unconventional flavor profile built around juniper, Bulgarian rose and cucumber. Its identity also depends heavily on presentation: the gin is sold in a dark brown, apothecary-style bottle rather than a conventional clear spirits bottle, helping it occupy a distinctive position in the premium and luxury gin segment. The product was conceived by Lesley Gracie, a Yorkshire-born liquid developer who worked on new product development for William Grant & Sons. Hendrick's production combines spirits made in two historically different stills. The first is a small nineteenth-century pot still, generally known as the Bennett still, which produces a heavier, more juniper-forward spirit. The second is a Carter-Head still constructed in 1948, a comparatively rare design that places botanicals in a basket so that rising alcohol vapors extract lighter, sweeter and more floral notes. The two distillates are blended, after which cucumber and rose essences are incorporated to create the finished gin. This dual-distillation approach is central to the brand's story and sensory positioning. The Bennett still contributes body, oiliness and pronounced botanical intensity, while the Carter-Head process contributes delicate aromatic qualities. The resulting liquid is designed to taste recognizably like gin while offering a softer, more floral and refreshing profile than many traditional juniper-led products. Hendrick's has consequently been marketed as an imaginative alternative to conventional London dry gin rather than simply as another standard gin label. The brand also promotes a characteristic serve: gin and tonic over ice with cucumber as the garnish instead of the more customary lemon or lime. Lesley Gracie has also associated the spirit with a serve combining soda water and elderflower cordial. These serving recommendations reinforce Hendrick's emphasis on cucumber, floral flavors and experimentation. Beyond its core gin, Hendrick's has produced absinthe and a range of gin-related merchandise and accessories, including kits, glasses, teapots, pourers and novelty items. Publicly documented recognition includes strong results in spirits competitions and positive expert reviews during the 2000s and early 2010s. The Wall Street Journal described the gin as the best in the world in 2003, while the San Francisco World Spirits Competition awarded it double-gold, gold and silver medals across the period from 2005 to 2012. The Beverage Testing Institute gave it scores of 93, 94 and 95 between 2007 and 2011. Hendrick's remains an active brand within William Grant & Sons' international spirits portfolio.
History
Hendrick's Gin emerged from William Grant & Sons' effort to create a new super-premium gin. The brand was launched in 1999 at the company's Girvan distillery in Scotland, with the product developed by Lesley Gracie and associated with Allan Hendricks and Ashwin Hendricks. From its introduction, the brand differentiated itself through a combination of recipe, manufacturing process and visual identity rather than relying solely on a traditional gin heritage narrative. The recipe retains juniper as the defining gin botanical but adds Bulgarian rose and cucumber, two ingredients that became closely identified with the brand. Hendrick's production uses a blend of spirits from two restored stills with contrasting designs. The Bennett still, built in 1860 by Bennett, Sons & Shears, is a small pot still that allows substantial botanical character to carry through the distillation. Botanicals steep in neutral spirit and water before the still is heated, producing a dense and juniper-rich spirit. The second still is a Carter-Head still constructed in 1948. In this process, the neutral spirit and water are heated while the botanicals sit in a basket above the liquid. Alcohol vapors pass through the botanical material, extracting lighter floral and sweet notes without boiling the botanicals directly. The resulting spirit is more delicate than the Bennett distillate. Hendrick's combines these two styles and then adds cucumber and rose essences, creating a balance between weighty juniper character and softer aromatic notes. Both stills had been acquired at auction during the 1960s by Charles Gordon, a former life president of William Grant & Sons, and were restored to working order. Their use became an important part of Hendrick's production explanation and brand storytelling, emphasizing craft, rarity and technical difference. The unusual process supports the product's premium positioning while giving consumers a clear reason for its flavor profile. Packaging and serving rituals further shaped the brand's identity. Hendrick's is bottled in a dark brown bottle modeled on an apothecary bottle, setting it apart from the transparent bottles commonly associated with gin. The brand recommends serving the gin with tonic over ice and using cucumber as a garnish. An alternative serve associated with Lesley Gracie combines the spirit with soda water and elderflower cordial. The brand expanded beyond its principal gin into absinthe and merchandise connected with gin consumption, including kits, glasses, teapots, pourers and novelty products. Its reputation was reinforced by favorable reviews and competition results. The Wall Street Journal gave the brand a prominent best-in-world description in 2003. Between 2005 and 2012, Hendrick's received double-gold, gold and silver medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and the Beverage Testing Institute recorded scores of 93 to 95 between 2007 and 2011. Hendrick's is an active Scottish gin brand owned by the privately held William Grant & Sons group.
- 2007
Beverage Testing Institute ratings
[1]The Beverage Testing Institute awarded Hendrick's scores of 93, 94 and 95 during the period from 2007 to 2011.
- 2005
San Francisco World Spirits Competition recognition begins
[1]Hendrick's began a documented run of medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, including double-gold, gold and silver awards through 2012.
- 2003
Recognized by The Wall Street Journal
[1]The Wall Street Journal described Hendrick's as the best gin in the world.
- 1999
Hendrick's Gin launched
[1]Hendrick's Gin was introduced at William Grant & Sons' Girvan distillery in Scotland as a super-premium gin developed by Lesley Gracie and associated with Allan Hendricks and Ashwin Hendricks.
- 1960
Historic stills acquired and later restored
[1]The Bennett pot still and Carter-Head still used in Hendrick's production were acquired at auction during the 1960s by Charles Gordon, a former life president of William Grant & Sons, and subsequently restored for operation.
Products and positioning
Super-premium gin with an unconventional botanical profile, distinctive apothecary-style packaging and a strong emphasis on cucumber, Bulgarian rose and experimental serves.
Gin · 1999
Hendrick's Gin
The brand's core gin combines juniper with Bulgarian rose and cucumber. It is made by blending spirits from the Bennett pot still and the Carter-Head still, whose different distillation methods produce contrasting heavy and floral components. The finished spirit is associated with a dark brown apothecary-style bottle and is commonly recommended with tonic, ice and cucumber garnish.
Absinthe
Hendrick's Absinthe
Hendrick's has produced absinthe as an extension of the brand's spirits activity. The reference material confirms the product category but does not provide sufficient information about its launch date, recipe, availability or current status.
Merchandise and barware
Hendrick's Gin Accessories
The brand has offered gin-related accessories and novelty products, including gin kits, glasses, teapots and pourers. These items extend Hendrick's visual and serving identity beyond the bottled spirit, although the reference material does not establish a complete catalog or current availability.
Brand decisions
1999
Launch of a cucumber-and-rose super-premium ginProduct launchBackground
William Grant & Sons sought to develop a differentiated super-premium gin rather than a conventional, standardized expression.
Action taken
The company introduced Hendrick's Gin at the Girvan distillery, using a blend of Bennett and Carter-Head still spirits and adding cucumber and rose essences.
Aftermath
The formulation, bottle design and recommended cucumber garnish established the brand's distinctive premium positioning and helped distinguish it from more traditional gin labels.
Recent events
Alexandrion Group launches Hendrick’s Gin promotional campaign in Romania[2]
Reported:
Alexandrion Group ran the “Escape the Conventional and you can win unexpected prizes!” campaign for Hendrick’s Gin in Romania from July 31 to September 1, 2021, offering daily prizes and three grand prizes.
Hendrick’s Gin launches Pour it Forward campaign[3]
Reported:
Hendrick’s Gin launched the Pour it Forward campaign, asking bartenders to make a drink featuring the gin, dedicate it to a bartender friend, and share a story about them. Participants, including those toasted, will receive $200 from parent company William Grant and Sons’ Stand Fast Fund.
Sources3 sources
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