New expression from Hendrick's – Orbium

William Grant & Sons has launched a quininated expression of Hendrick's Gin. Hendrick’s Orbium is instilled with additional extracts of quinine, wormwood and blue lotus blossom.

Created by Hendrick's master distiller, Lesley Gracie, Orbium follows on from previous trade-only liquid innovations.

Orbium contains the same distillates as Hendrick’s, however the same mind that broke convention by infusing gin with essences of cucumber and rose has now taken gin in a new direction, by infusing flavours that are traditionally associated with classic gin libations; quinine found in tonic (G&T) and wormwood found in Vermouth (Martini).

Orbium derives from the word ‘orb’, the plural of Orbis and the Latin for circle. It is inspired by Lesley’s description of the liquid’s journey. It represents the spherical round taste that Lesley refers to when describing the Hendrick’s house style.

Orbium is presented in the same apothecary style bottle that is now synonymous with Hendrick’s, albeit in a dark blue, inspired by theessence of blue lotus blossom. It also features an ‘all seeing eye’ on the label, as a continuous circle and a reference back to the liquid’s rounded character.

In 2014 Lesley undertook an expedition to the Venezuelan rainforest in search of exotic new botanicals and flavours. The subsequent launch of the limited edition Kanaracuni Gin (325L) was the latest in a line of bartender exclusive liquids, however, for the first time one of these experiments has been made available to bartenders beyond sample quantities, with a first release of 4,000 bottles.

Orbium is available initially in select bars in the UK.

5 May 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor