Hendrick's Flora Adora

It's been said a bit of fragrance clings to the hand that gives flowers. I like gin, and I like big, bold flavors. I like the unusual and this is the crest of that hill. Rarely am I taken so far from my expectations as this drink has taken me. I like the Hendricks special releases and they all have been quite enjoyable, but this is simply an exercise in "so you think that's all of it". This is what happens when you try to get all Spinal Tap with a fragrant elixir. This is so goddam flowery that you'll think you're drinking a cocktail made from potpourri. Fragrant and perfumy doesn't even begin to describe the zip code where this exists. This is gin turned up to 11 on the botanical and flower scale. I've tried this gin neat, on ice, with varieties of tonic and in a martini. This is unlike any gin I've have before. It's not easy to like, but it is easy to love. It is the single most floral gin I've ever tasted. It's complex, rich, layered and requires patient contemplation to reveal its reason for appreciation. My wife isn't a fan, but I like it! Juniper and coriander are there for sure, but they are in the background. Rose, chrysanthemum, dendrobium, and pansy take the foreground. This is a full on flower garden in bloom, and it works. Neat or on ice this is a delicious sipper. In a martini with a properly delicate vermouth like Dolin or Noilly Pratt this is an explosion of springtime on the taste buds. With soda and garnished with a wedge of ruby grapefruit this is a perfect Sunday brunch cocktail. I had this with Fever Tree Elderflower tonic - way too much of a good thing. Don't go there. With Indian tonic and a blood orange slice this redeemed itself as a tall drink. This is a polarizing gin. You'll love it or you'll hate it. You won't be neutral, and that's okay. This is a big flavor and very far from the usual. Clearly Ms Lesley Gracie has decided to leave the pasture of safe and expected and taken this to a new level. This is an 11 on the 1 to 10 scale of the tasteometer - it's louder and, therefore, better. You're probably not having 2 in a row, but I'm guessing if you like intense you'd like to have one every now and then. I know I do. What I'm thinking next is 'can this gin go where only a few liqueurs go?' This is as herbaceous as a St Germain, Benedictine or Chartreuse liqueur but without the sweetness. This gin needs to be in a cocktail designed to take advantage of its fragrant nature. I'll be working on it, and if you get any ideas please share! I think this is worth every penny of the $38 price tag even though I doubt I'll be getting a back-up bottle. It's a special release and it should be enjoyed the way flowers are enjoyed. In the words of W Somerset Maugham, "Nothing in the world is permanent, and we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we’re still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it." Enjoy this while we have it.

My wife has been searching for her own bottle of this after trying it at a nearby lounge, and we finally picked it up a few nights ago. I have never personally been a fan of Hendrick's, as I've thought even the base spirit had certain botanicals that were aggressive and too overpowering, with the variants being even further away from a more traditional gin flavor. However, Hendrick's markets themselves as a modern gin and is fully aware of their uniqueness of ingredients, so there's no docking them for that. This variant seems very curious, since nowhere on the bottle or website is there any list of the specific additional botanicals that were used, instead using creative buzzwords and leaving the flavor profile up to imagination. Based on this, I'm expecting obvious and heavy use of flowers or other garden botanicals that are not present in other competitive modern gins. The nose indeed reflects floral notes alongside a soft base of coriander and juniper. I get very green, leafy notes of non-specific fresh plants, with a focus on roses and lavender. There's a small ethanol kick present, but not enough to force you to draw back from the glass. Repeated smelling brings small notes of lemon and lime zest, and an even smaller hint of raw cacao. The body is quite light, but also fairly watery, with immediate flavors of the same roses and lavender found on the nose, alongside some baking spice and fairly soft, approachable juniper. The finish has a dry, perfume-y taste, while the body remains light and falls off pretty quickly. There's a small tingle in the front of the gums, but not enough to be considered spicy or boozy. That same raw cacao comes around through the finish, but repeated sips continue to bring up more and more plain floral notes without any specificity. There indeed is a noticeable uniqueness of flavor to this Hendrick's variant, but ultimately falls flat with the delivery. It's especially difficult to deliver an aggressively floral flavor without any speicifc promises to go off of, so this leads the customer to draw their own conclusions, and, in my case, this doesn't quite hit the mark. If you must have a gin with these specific floral notes in it for some cocktail, the price point is still very fair here. And speaking of cocktails, I find it a very nice touch to include a cocktail recipe right on the bottle that benefits from using this speicifc variant; this is likely a turning point detail contributing to a good chunk of sales to those who love spirit-specific cocktails. As for myself, I am hesitant for cocktail use, especially with a lot of ice, because the body is already so light and very well may easily be drowned out by other additives or ingredients.

I just made one of the best cocktails my husband I have ever tasted with this gorgeous gin. The beautiful label drew me in and as a new gin enthusiast, I was hoping it would not disappoint. We both love floral and herbal cocktails, but not overly sweet. I mixed it with cranberry juice, blackberry purée, lime juice, a dash of triple sec and simple syrup with ice in a cocktail shaker. Then layered it in highball glasses with cold club soda. Garnished with fresh blackberries and a sprig of mint for color and aroma. The perfect semi sweet cocktail. Others complained that Flora Adora smells like incense. That’s the entire point. It’s a limited release but I hope they keep making it. I’m stocking up on extra bottles for Christmas.

A curious nose with the juniper figuring prominently, but overlaid with a perfume of dried herbs and flowers. A somewhat peppery scent, but vaguely reminiscent of stepping into a floral shop. On the palate, the juniper is subtle, with surprising orange citrus notes leading into the herbal portfolio. Lightly sweet, with a definite flower petal sensibility. The effect is not overpowering, but rather the additional botanicals add an elegance not often found in gins. The finish is long with the flowery flavors staying close. A terrific new spirit that's ideal for creative craft cocktails.

This is not subtle. It's rose water and a field of other flowers followed by a complex bouquet of other botanicals and spices that are much harder to place, but reminds me of walking through a flower shop. If you love floral gins, this is the one for you. Juniper character is really played down here... so gin purists might feel a certain way about it, but this would be a perfect bottle to break out for romantic themed cocktails.

This is an amazing gin. I love her entire line up, and this one doesn't have the usual gin scent / flavors that Hendrick's does, and it's very heavy on the floral and roses. It's a plus for those who want to taste summer - but could be a negative for those not inclined to drink "floral" drinks. I am not a fan of sweet drinks, but floral I can get behind. This one, like all of the other Hendrick's that I've tried, is a winner.