Review: Hernö Distillery Batch 1 London Dry Gin
Free sample bottle provided by Atom Brands.
Hernö Distillery Batch 1 London Dry Gin was distilled at the Hernö Distillery for That Boutique-y Gin Company and bottled at 46.2% ABV
Price: $41.00 for 500ml or $4.50 for 30ml
The Hernö Distillery is located in the village of Dala just outside the City of Härnösand in Ångermanland, Sweden. Dala is in an area called The High Coast, which is a UNESCO world heritage area. Out of this small village, Jon Hillgren, founder of Hernö has been producing some of the world's best gin. In 2016, the International Wine and Spirits Competition named Hernö Gin the Gin Producer of the Year.
The standard Hernö Gin includes juniper, coriander seeds, fresh lemon peel, lingonberries, meadowsweet, black pepper, cassia, and fresh vanilla. For this bottling, gin expert David T. Smith of Summer Fruit Cup worked Hillgren to formulate a variation on his standard recipe to include rose petal and blended in gin that had been aged in casks made from juniper wood.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: The nose has bright citrus notes of lemon and orange zest with a hint of juniper and coriander underneath. As the gin has some time to breath I got a slightly earthy floral note that reminded me of black iced tea.
Palate: On the palate the gin has a very smooth texture with notes of juniper up front creating a warm and slightly piney flavor. There is also a very pleasant earthiness in the gin that imagine coming from the coriander.
Finish: The gin has a medium finish that is semi-dry and bitter with lingering flavors of juniper, and citrus.
Conclusion: Hernö Distillery Batch 1 London Dry Gin is an excellent classic gin with great body that probably comes from blending in some cask aged spirit. I think this bottling from Hernö and That Boutique-y Gin Company would be an great choice for both a dry martini and a gin & tonic.
Thank you to Master of Malt and That Boutique-y Gin Company for providing the free sample.