Hendrick’s Amazonia, the latest variant of the super-premium gin brand, will be exclusively released into global travel retail.
The latest instalment from the William Grant & Sons brand, which will be introduced in March 2020, is inspired by the brand’s Master Distiller Lesley Gracie’s journey into the Venezuelan rainforest.
The result is a bright, tropical and fruity 43.4% ABV gin with spicy aromas that still has the signature cucumber and rose elements of the Hendrick’s house style.
“The liquid that we are now going to release is based on the memories of the green, floral and spicy aromas we got from the jungle.” – Hendrick’s Master Distiller Lesley Gracie
Hendrick’s Global Brand Ambassador Ally Martin explained: “This new liquid is inspired by one of Lesley’s most interesting experiments; in 2013 she met an explorer called Charles Brewer-Carías, who asked if she wanted to have a look at his back garden, which turned out to be the Venezuelan rainforest.
“She spent three weeks completely immersed in that environment exploring and experimenting [with] all of the flora and fauna that exists in that part of the world. What she came up with was a gin, which we made in very small amounts and was only released to bartenders.”
The new release, rather than being a replica of that which was released to bartenders, is a whole new variant that is inspired by Gracie’s travels into the Amazon.
At the launch, Gracie added: “It was one of the most life awakening trips I have ever done; I lived with a tribe that had only been non-nomadic for three generations.
“One of the things that really came across to me was the different sensation of smell in different areas; some areas were really hot and humid, while some were quite dry. The difference in aromas was quite amazing, so you really got a sense of the depth of character coming from the plants just by walking through them. The liquid that we are now going to release is based on the memories of the green, floral and spicy aromas we got from the jungle.”
To celebrate the launch, William Grant & Sons has partnered with One Tree Planted, which means a tree will be planted in Peru for every bottle of Hendrick’s Amazonia sold. “You heard the passion that Lesley has for that region, so it would feel wrong not to do our bit,” Martin added.
