What it tastes like
Cucumber and rose first, juniper a polite distance behind. Eleven botanicals total but only two of them are louder than soft. Hendrick’s is the gin that doesn’t taste like gin, which is either the best thing about it or the worst, depending on how you feel about gin.
Smooth, aromatic, summery, slightly perfumed. Drinks lighter than its 41.4% ABV suggests.
How to drink it
Hendrick’s gin and tonic with a cucumber wheel. That is the drink the brand built. Three cucumber wheels in the glass, no lime, Indian tonic, a long stir. Done.
It also works in a Garden Martini, a Cucumber Gimlet, or any summery floral cocktail. Skip it in a Negroni: the bitterness wins, and you waste good gin.
Drink Buddy Exclusive
Tell us what's in your cabinet.
Our Cocktail Builder takes whatever bottles you've got and hands you every drink you can actually make tonight.
Open the Builder →Get the Drink Buddy newsletter
One drink, one tip, one Tuesday a month.
Plus the recipes we drop before they hit the site. Zero spam.
The cucumber and rose thing
Hendrick’s was launched in 1999 as a deliberate counter-programme to traditional London Dry. While Tanqueray and Beefeater were defending big juniper, Hendrick’s leaned into cucumber and Bulgarian rose. People who hated gin started ordering it. The category permanently shifted.
Most contemporary gins (Sipsmith VJOP excepted) owe their existence to Hendrick’s proving that softer, more aromatic gins could sell.
The bottle
Apothecary-style brown glass with embossed lettering. Looks like a Victorian medicine bottle. Half the brand. Don’t decant Hendrick’s into anything else, the bottle is the point.
Best cocktails to make with Hendrick’s Gin
Hendrick’s wants summer cocktails. Gin and tonic, Garden Martini, Cucumber Gimlet. Don’t waste it in a Negroni.
How it stacks up
How Hendrick’s compares to the rest of the gin shelf.
| Gin | Character | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Hendrick's | Cucumber, rose, soft juniper | Garden Martini, cucumber G&T, summer cocktails |
| Tanqueray | Big juniper, traditional | Negroni, classic Martini, busy cocktails |
| Bombay Sapphire | Balanced, accessible | Almost everything |
| Beefeater | Aggressive juniper, citrus | Stirred classics, Negroni |
| The Botanist | Wild Islay botanicals, complex | Sipping, complex contemporary cocktails |
Substitutions and swaps
When to use Hendrick’s instead of (or alongside) other gins.
Hendrick’s will change the drink. Use it if you want a softer, more floral version. Stick to Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire for the classic version.
The cocktail will be flat. Either use Bombay Sapphire instead or pivot to a different drink.
Hendrick’s is the floral default. Sub at 1:1.
Hendrick’s Neptunia or Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice are the louder expressions. Same family.
Drop the cucumber garnish, swap to a thin lemon peel. The drink calms down.
You’re making a Negroni. The Campari and vermouth bury the cucumber-rose, and you’ve spent good money for nothing.
You want a juniper-forward drink. Buy Tanqueray.
It’s winter. Hendrick’s is a summer gin. It works year-round but it shines hardest when there’s cucumber in season.
Where to buy Hendrick’s Gin
Where to buy
Hendrick’s is widely available at any bottle shop or major supermarket. Premium price band but worth it for the cucumber drinks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people ask about this bottle.
What is Hendrick’s gin?
Hendrick’s is a contemporary-style gin made by William Grant & Sons at Girvan, Scotland. It uses eleven botanicals, with cucumber and Bulgarian rose as the signature flavours. Launched in 1999.
Why is Hendrick’s served with cucumber?
The brand built that ritual deliberately. Cucumber is one of the two signature botanicals in the gin, and the garnish doubles down on it. A cucumber wheel in a Hendrick’s gin and tonic is the canonical serve.
Is Hendrick’s a London Dry gin?
No. Hendrick’s is contemporary-style. London Dry is a strict legal classification (juniper-forward, no flavouring after distillation). Hendrick’s blends two distillates and adds essences, which puts it outside London Dry rules.
What does Hendrick’s taste like?
Cucumber and rose dominate. Juniper is present but quiet. Soft, aromatic, summery. Drinks lighter than the 41.4% ABV suggests.
Hendrick’s vs Tanqueray, which is better?
Different gins. Hendrick’s for summer, floral, gentle drinks. Tanqueray for classic, juniper-forward cocktails. Most home bars need both.
What cocktails should I make with Hendrick’s?
Gin and tonic with cucumber, Garden Martini, Cucumber Gimlet, French 75, Aviation. Avoid Negroni (Campari buries the cucumber) and anything heavily sweetened.
Is Hendrick’s expensive?
Premium price band, around $35-40 (US) or AU$65-75. About 30-40% more than Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire. Worth it if you drink cucumber gin and tonics; not worth it if you mostly make Negronis.
Are there other Hendrick’s expressions?
Yes: Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice (floral, slightly sweeter), Hendrick’s Lunar (cardamom-led), Hendrick’s Neptunia (coastal, salty), Hendrick’s Orbium (quinine and wormwood). All limited or rotating releases.
