Hendrick’s releases limited edition Lunar gin

Quirky gin brand Hendrick’s has released a limited edition ‘Lunar’ gin in the UK, which is due to go on sale at Harvey Nichols on 10 February.

Described as “distinctly floral with a delicate spicy finish”, the small batch gin is the second release from master distiller Leslie Gracie’s Cabinet of Curiosities at the brand’s Gin Palace in Scotland.

It follows the launch of Gracie’s Midsummer Solstice Gin in 2019.

According to brand owner William Grant & Sons, the gin was conceived “beneath the celestial light of the moon and yields an alluring complexity and a delightful warmth, which is best suited to refreshing sundowners and night-sipping”.

Gracie took the grounds of the Hendrick’s Gin Palace in the remote Scottish Ayrshire coast, within the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, as her inspiration for the limited edition gin.

Here, away from the city lights, the stars shine bright and the moon makes its presence felt. Gracie felt compelled to create the gin on a  moonlit evening while tending to the botanicals in her hothouse.

“There is the warmth of some of the botanicals, like being wrapped up warm and snug of an evening. There is the rich aroma of night scented flowers and in the background you can just about make out the refreshing burst of citrus,” she said.

Sasha Filimonov, UK brand ambassador for Hendrick’s, suggests adding a pinch of black pepper to the gin to enhance its top notes.

“Lunar Gin lends itself to the addition of black pepper to accentuate the top notes of this gin. A stunning sundowner would be a Moonlight Buck, a combination of Hendrick’s Lunar, ginger ale and lemon juice, garnished with cucumber and a twist of lemon,” she said.

The 43.4% ABV Hendrick’s Lunar Gin will be available online and at Harvey Nichols from 20 February, followed by wider national distribution.