Hendrick's Grand Cabaret Gin (700ml)

No.4 in Drinkhacker's Top 10 Gins of 2024.

Other reviews... Hendrick’s Gin and its Cabinet of Curiosities line of special editions continues with this fifth release, Grand Cabaret, the first wandering of master distiller Lesley Gracie into the world of stone fruits as botanical ingredients. You won’t miss those stone fruits — they’re evident from the moment you pour the gin from the bottle. On the nose, bold notes of cherry and peaches are prominent, evoking fruit brandy more than any gin you might be imagining. Some blossom elements provide a slight break from the exuberant fruit notes, but they are comparably mild in relation to the bolder, juicy fruit quality. The palate holds no surprises: Slightly sweet, it’s a fruit bomb that again drops a torrent of peach, cherry, and some tropical elements on the imbiber. Florals are present mainly in the form of lilac and lavender, with orange and cherry blossom also in the mix. Juniper and the signature cucumber of standard Hendrick’s aren’t notable here until the finish emerges, where some gentle green herbaceousness finally shows its face. Still: Red fruit dominates, through and through. As gins go, this will be far afield from anything remotely familiar to most, but it’s certainly charming as a diversion and works very well in long drinks (think soda, cranberry juice, Prosecco, or ginger ale — or a combination of these). Whatever you do, don’t even think about using it in a martini. - drinkhacker.com