Hendrick’s Gin has launched a premium ready-to-pour Martini in collaboration with five cocktail bars ahead of World Martini Day (19 June).
The Hendrick’s Gin Martini is the first gin-based release in William Grant & Sons’ Batch & Bottle series – a range of premium pre-batched cocktails created by master distillers and designed to elevate the ‘home bar’ experience.
To create this first release, Hendrick’s master distiller Lesley Gracie partnered with five international bars – Brujas in Mexico, Maybe Sammy in Australia, Nauticus in Scotland, Nutmeg & Clove in Singapore and Yaldy in Germany.
Lesley has long been interested in wormwood, a chief botanical in vermouth, and had been experimenting with her own Hendrick’s vermouth concoctions before teaming up with bartenders to create the Batch & Bottle Martini.
Each bar created three variations of a Hendrick’s Martini exploring some unusual and unique ingredients. Lesley and Hendrick’s global ambassador Ally Martin then combined the best of these flavour elements to develop the Batch & Bottle Hendrick’s Gin Martini, continuing to work with the bars through the development process.
Lesley said: “I worked closely with some of the very best Martini-making bars in the world, taking inspiration from what they do and translating it into something you can easily pour at home, that’s fresh, floral, round and smooth like Hendrick’s. The whole process of developing this drink was good fun. It’s fascinating that each bar had such a wildly different take on what made the perfect Martini.
“The finished liquid is creative and yet classic, and such a smooth and exquisite drink. There’s a nod to all of those top bars in there, and some really interesting botanicals that make for a delicious, balanced drink.”
Ally Martin, Hendrick’s Global Ambassador said: “The martini, with its famously fervent followers, is the quintessential gin cocktail. Because of this, there is no better beverage to showcase Hendrick’s Gin.”
Kyle Jamieson, co-owner of Nauticus, said: “The versatility of the Martini and the amount of ways in which it can be made keeps it fresh, current and constantly at the forefront of every bartenders skillset. The fact that we can play a part of this modern bottled version is amazing.”
The William Grant & Sons Batch & Bottle cocktails are available online via Master of Malt, Harrods and Amazon and will be available through Waitrose from August.
Pre-mixed cocktails are always such a great idea. Our Take-Away cocktails have also been quite the hit, especially with the rolling lockdowns as of late.