Hendrick's Lunar Gin

Hit the local liquor store today and bought a few things. Amongst them was a bottle of Hendrix Lunar and Hendrix Neptunia. I'll be comparing both to the stock Hendrix expression and to gin in general. For the record, I don't really drink G&T. Gin and juice? Yes (fresh squeezed, always). Gin Martinis? Absolutely, they are like life's blood in my household. My wife and I enjoy a Martini most days (although I'm happy to play with a Rob Roy or Manhattan variant as well). Gin neat? Never unless it's a tasting. Gin on the rocks? Sure, from time to time. That said... This expression tasted neat from a glencairn. A good rest was provided for the pour to settle in. This is flowery on the nose. It is redolent of a mixed bouquet straight from a really good florist. The flowers are anchored by an alcohol-based perfume, although the raw impact of the ethanol is tamed quite a bit. I get lavender and rose hips, chamomile and traces of bergamot. It suggests a potpourri candy bar, with a foundation of sweetness holding together a complex mixture of flowers and spices. Compared to the standard Hendrix expression, this is at once more potently packed with fragrance and is significantly more complex. Hendrix smells like a sweet London Dry, the Lunar smells like a lush summer garden at night. Very impressive if you're into that sort of thing (and fortunately I am). On the palate this remains complex but the profile turns towards a greener note with cucumber skins riding on top of a faint, sweet green pepper note. Citrus is strongly present without overpowering the profile. The juniper is far enough forward to satisfy a Martini enthusiast without the gin getting lost in the vermouth. It's a sweet sipper, with just a slight note of black pepper and a soft fade into something that reminds me of cilantro or fresh cut parsley. The finish is sweet, warm and clean. In a Martini (4:1) using Martini & Rossi dry (not my favorite, but my wife's favorite and a household staple) the vegetal elements come forward a bit more. It tastes of garden plants, cut flowers, juniper and honeysuckle. Quite complex and refreshing, if not as bracing as something like a Citadelle or Bombay Sapphire (our house standard). This makes a fine Martini! This is a semi-stop sweeter than the standard expression and misses the slightly sour notes I sometimes get from bog standard Hendrix. The ethanol is pushed back a bit as well, making this creamier, smoother and more approachable. Nicely done! This is a really good gin. For under $40 its a reasonable value and I think its a better Martini gin than Nolet's Silver gin, for example. I'll say it's very competitive with Drumshanbo Irish Gunpowder, but different enough that a gin-head will likely want both (I do). This is clearly a very good product, well above average. Not Monkey 47 good, but not embarrassed by that comparison either. I like this a lot. I'm going to pursue these Hendrix special releases. They're on a roll and they're inexpensive and readily available (in my market). If, on a 5 point scale an average mass market release is a 2.5 (Tanqueray, Gordons), then this deserves a full point or more bump. But it's not quite to the level of extraordinary (4.0). I gave Citadelle a 3.5 (great value for a juniper-forward London Dry), and this is a touch better if quite a bit different. It diverges from the expected path and delivers a unique experience for the enthusiast. I'm giving this a generous 3.75 but I think maybe the Neptunia bests it, so it might be the three drinks I've had making me feel magnanimous. So be it. 3.75 it is.

More goodness from Hendricks, one of my favorite purveyors of gin. I'm trying to nail down the exact differences in this and Midsummer Solstice. They really aren't all that much as you'll find much of the same fragrant botanicals in Lunar that exist in Midsummers. First and probably most notable is the far more subdued berry notes, they just don't pop like the forward rasp and blue berries in Midsummers. Lunar also brings forth the spicy pepper notes that are less pronounced in Midsummers, it's slightly dryer while still bringing a nice variety of herbal notes. I know this might seem less helpful for those who haven't tried or at least read reviews on Midsummers gin from Hendricks but the similarities make their comparison fairly relevant. If you really loved the berry forward Midsummers as I did, you might like the Lunar a little less, while if you prefer a dryer, spicier gin, you most likely will find the Lunar more to your liking than Midsummers. I'm going to wind up rating them about even as they both bring a lot of gin features I like and avoid the pitfall of over reliance on juniper and anise. Another good job by Hendricks on yet another limited specialty release. Cheers!

Rating: 17/23 N: Sweet creek water with citrus notes (lemon, orange), mild juniper, coriander, and old books. P: Sweet with citrus and spices. Clean creek water, lemon, orange peel, juniper, black pepper, coriander. I do get some of the old books flavor from the nose, but it's not quite that water-damaged, fishy flavor that makes Sipsmith so disgusting. A little grainy at points, but not harsh. An occasional hint of woody spice even too, but it's faint. The balance is nice here and it's an enjoyable sip. I makes me think of Nolet's mixed with Spismith and Monkey 47. F: The grain, some prickly spice, and a general sweet smoothness remain. - Conclusion - This is more balanced and complex than Nolet's Silver is. It's still floral and fruity, but it's less sweet. Between the two, I find this to be more appealing. I like the Nolet's boldness and just generally fun character, but it's too perfumey. On the other hand, Monkey 47 is richer, fuller, and more complex than this is. I would absolutely take the Monkey 47 over this. I kind of wish that this was a bit less soft and sweet, but I really enjoy the elegance and smoothness here. I'm looking at a 16 or 17.

Bourbon Snob Tries Gin: Part 3 Part 2: Copperworks New Oak Cask Finished Gin (Release No. 030) Part 4, 1/4/25: Bols Genever >>>~~~~~~~~~~<<< I have not had too many gins. It’s been years since I’ve tried one. I don’t really know the language or the flavor profiles that make sense when describing gin. d==RNG for flavors==b This is a bourbon snob trying to understand gin. Much thanks to @ContemplativeFox for the pour! >>>~~~~~~~~~~<<< Nose is pine, lemon, dust. Peaches. Body is lemon, peaches, cream. Finish is orange, chocolate. More peach. Bit of pine. This is fantastic! This is my favorite gin to date. It’s so creamy and peachy. It’s delicious.

Really nice, light gin, perfectly paired with a cucumber slice (or a few) in a G+T or neat. Much preferred by me over Orbium, and would like to try the other types of Hendrick’s to see how they stack up, but to me Lunar is better than the standard Hendrick’s, for those who don’t like floral gins and for drinks on the drier side.

I expected a lot more burn from this, but was pleasantly surprised. A very light flavor profile and mouthfeel, but I definitely get a hint of berry in the aftertaste. Left my mouth numb after a few straight drinks.