By Wee James, Hendrick’s Gin Model Ambassador. @weejammacrae
Of all of the locations Australian Bartender of the 12 months, James Irvine, imagined he’d be making cocktails, Hendrick’s Grasp Distiller Lesley Gracie’s laboratory in all probability wasn’t considered one of them. Nonetheless, successful Australian Bartender of the 12 months does open these Distillery doorways.
Closed to the general public, The Hendrick’s Gin Palace on Scotland’s Southwest Coast is a surprise of bizarre delights that few get to discover – even fewer having Lesley as your private information, as you journey from greenhouses rising uncommon and uncommon botanicals to the Nonetheless Home the place each single drop of Hendrick’s Gin is distilled.
Recent upon initially arriving in Glasgow, James was whisked right down to the South Ayrshire coast the place the Hendrick’s Gin Palace is situated to showcase his successful Hendrick’s cocktail “Crusts Off” (Cucumber Sandwich Hendrick’s Gin, Cucumber, Dill, Crème Fraiche, Waxflower, Fizz) to Lesley, as she was very eager to attempt it having had me raving about it for months.
After a stable first try at using Hendrick’s penny-farthings across the grounds (positively not as straightforward because it seems to be), it was off as much as Lesley’s lab to debate secret scrumptious initiatives that Lesley is engaged on…
All be it that Hendrick’s Boomerangs from across the World isn’t a brand new factor for Lesley, really having the cocktail creator flip up in particular person, armed with vac-sealed deliciousness on the Distillery’s entrance door for a morning tipple is a little more of a rarity.
After a stable first try at using Hendrick’s penny-farthings across the grounds (positively not as straightforward because it seems to be), it was off as much as Lesley’s lab to debate secret scrumptious initiatives that Lesley is engaged on, the do’s and don’t’s of cocktail comps (extra on this to be revealed later), and for James to re-tell his story behind his award-winning serves for Hendrick’s Gin. This went down a deal with and a second was whipped up, solely to mysteriously disappear, being polished off by Lesley earlier than a good picture of the drink could possibly be taken.
Now, after all, this wasn’t the one time the Crusts Off was to be sampled in Scotland. Just a few nights later, James was to be discovered behind the stick at Panda & Sons in Edinburgh the place each Crusts Off and James’ award-winning Monkey Shoulder drink “(It goes like) Nanana!” (Monkey Shoulder, Entire banana, Koji) had been flying throughout the bar till the wee small hours!
Extra on this unbelievable journey to Scotland – a part of James’ prize for successful Australian Bartender of the 12 months on the Abercrombie Lodge final September – to return in future editions, once we’ll hear about how issues went when presenting to Malt Grasp Brian Kinsman.
This text is our cowl story for the June version of Australian Bartender Journal which is hitting bars now!
