Hendrick’s, The Gin Famously Infused with Rose and Cucumber, has Scoured the Planet to Find and Cultivate Some of the World’s Most Unusual Cucumbers
Hendrick’s, the world’s most unusual gin, has brought some of the rarest and peculiar cucumbers from around the globe back from the brink of extinction and made them available for the masses. An unprecedented delight to the senses, this noble endeavor will invite lovers of food and drink to satisfy their curiosity and taste a bounty of otherworldly cucumbers via the exclusive Hendrick’s Curious Cucumber Collection from Farmer Jones Farm at The Chef’s Garden, available now for pre-order delivery nationwide at Farmerjonesfarm.com
Hendrick’s Gin and cucumbers have always been and will always be inextricably bound. Since its inception, Hendrick’s has championed all that is curious, unexpected and unique. In fact, the gin began as a rarity itself due to its unusual but delightful infusions of rose, and of course, cucumber. “You could say I have a healthy obsession with cucumbers, they truly are quite fascinating fruits,” said Hendrick’s Master Distiller Ms. Lesley Gracie. “When we were first developing Hendrick’s, experimenting with cucumbers and figuring out how to get that curious cooling sensation into a gin was a big moment in
my career. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing so many diverse and wonderful varieties of cucumber in different parts of the world. The chance to cultivate some of the more peculiar styles on the brink of extinction has been an extremely fun and welcomed challenge.”
Ms. Lesley Gracie worked with Professor Lenore Newman, one of North America’s foremost experts in agriculture, to identify multiple varieties of rare cucumber species scattered across the globe, from the vast African plains to the mist-shrouded foothills of Asia. Through no small effort on the part of Hendrick’s Gin and renowned farm partners, The Chefs Garden (Huron, OH) and MX Morningstar Farm (Hudson, NY), these glorious fruits have been saved from extinction and are ready to share with the world in their freshest, most imbebible forms. “As someone who has devoted my career to the discovery and preservation of rare fruits and vegetables, I can say with conviction that what Hendrick’s has done for these cucumbers is a tremendous scientific accomplishment,” said Newman, PhD & Director of the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley. The author of three books on food, Lenore advises the British Columbia government on
agricultural policy and the impact of climate change on food security. “These seeds represent a microscopic amount of the global cucumber population and without this project, they remained in danger. It’s remarkable to see them restored to such great scale, and it’s such a joy for people to now be able to taste these marvelous fruits.”
The various seeds were sourced from across the globe after months of academic research and meticulously
cultivated in greenhouses across North America and Europe.
The Six Rare Cucumbers
- The highly curious Cucamelon (Melothria scabra) is cultivated as a minor crop in Mexico and
Central America, and very rarely experienced elsewhere. Flavors are similar to a cucumber, yet
sweeter and citrus-like, with an uncanny exterior resemblance to a mini-watermelon.
- Particularly unusual in appearance donning a peculiar mix of bright orange & green with
horn-like spikes, the African Horned (Cucumis metuliferus) is a close relative of our beloved
cucumber that primarily grows wild and in local gardens across southern Africa, carrying
delightful notes of melon, kiwi, banana and citrus.
- The Hmong Red (Cucumis sativus) is grown by the Hmong people in intimate gardens
adorning the mountains of Northern Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar, where upon
maturation, this miraculous fruit transitions in color from a pale green to a golden orange, and
offers a tart flavor.
- The Aonaga Jibai (Cucumis sativus), a treasured family gem from the island of Kyushu, Japan,
can only be found in the quaint town of Beppu, where it’s known for its unusually long and
narrow shape and splendidly sweet taste.
- Only found tucked away in the country of Bhutan, the Gagon Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is
quite distinct – as it matures, it shifts from containing the characteristics of a common cucumber
to marvelous honeydew.
- Generally unknown outside of Eastern Europe, the ancient Muromsky Cucumber (Cucumis
sativus) is oddly covered in black spikes and prized for its pleasant scent, crunchy texture, and
punchy flavor.
Thousands of these peculiar cucumbers have been cultivated globally and are available in the United States via an exclusive Curious Cucumber Collection from Farmer Jones Farm at The Chef’s Garden. With a plethora of culinary and cocktail uses, these atypical yet delicious cucumbers come in a farm-fresh variety pack for $48, with no one box the same based on harvest at the time of order.
Among the first to experiment with these extraordinary fruits, Hendrick’s National Ambassador, Vance Henderson, tasted and tested to his delight in order to create a cocktail experience unlike any on earth. “Experimenting with these rare cucumbers was not only a pleasure, but an exploration in itself and a welcomed creative challenge,” says Henderson. “One of our favorite creations, The Cutecumber Lemonade, is an ode to our popular Hendrick’s Cucumber Lemonade with one-of-a-kind notes of citrus from the Cucamelon that beautifully compliment our delicious and refreshing gin and mixes well with the unusual.”
The Cutecumber Lemonade – Ingredients
- 1.5 parts Hendrick’s Gin
- .75 part Fresh Cucamelon Juice, Strained
- .75 part Fresh Lemon Juice
- .75 part Simple Syrup
- Top with Premium Soda Water
- 1 Cucamelon and 1 Lemon Wheel to Garnish
Method: Combine all ingredients in a highball glass filled with cubed ice and lightly stir. Garnish with 1 whole Cucamelon speared between 1 lemon wheel and serve.
For further information, visit https://www.hendricksgin.com/us/ and follow Hendrick’s on social media @hendricksginus and via the hashtag #hendricksgin.
HENDRICK’S GIN 43.4% ALC/VOL. ©2022 BOTTLED BY WILLIAM GRANT & SONS, LTD. IMPORTED BY WILLIAM GRANT & SONS, INC, NEW YORK, NY. DRINK THE UNUSUAL RESPONSIBLY.
ABOUT MS. LESLEY GRACIE
Ms. Lesley Gracie, who heralds from Yorkshire, is the Master Distiller at Hendrick’s Gin. With a background in chemistry, Lesley’s genius lies in her fascination with flavors and how they work together. She visualizes flavors as shapes and strikes to create a round, balanced flavor in all of her elixirs. In 1999, Ms. Gracie was approached by the great grandson of William Grant, Charles Gordon, to create an ‘ultra-premium’ gin which was to become Hendrick’s. She was appointed as the Master Distiller and went on to spearhead the development of this most unusual gin and is responsible for the creation of all of
Hendrick’s liquid innovations.
Over the past two decades, Gracie has been responsible for countless pioneering Hendrick’s releases and has amassed an array of botanicals, distillates, and experimental liquids, which are housed in a locked cabinet in her laboratory, the Cabinet of Curiosities at the Hendrick’s Gin Palace. Ms Lesley Gracie has a strong history of pushing boundaries from her experiments and venturing far and wide in search of new flavors – even as far as the Venezuelan rainforest. Lesley is enchanted by animals and keeps two tortoises and loves to walk her dog, Jock. She also has a penchant for salmon fishing and exploring the rugged Scottish countryside in her motorhome, affectionately named Ted.
AWARDS/ACHIEVEMENTS
2021 – Lifetime Achievement Award at The Spirits Business Awards 2021
2021 – Grand Rectifier of the Gin Guild
2021 – Inducted into the Gin Magazine Hall of Fame
2018 – ‘Gin Distiller of the Year’ by the World Gin Awards
ABOUT HENDRICK’S GIN
Hendrick’s is a deliciously super premium gin, made with a number of unusual twists. To deliver a most curious and delightfully unique flavor, Hendrick’s combines a distinct blend of 11 botanicals, as well as the signature infusions of cucumber and rose petals, producing a wonderfully refreshing gin with a delightfully unique aroma. Hand crafted in Scotland in miniscule batches by William Grant & Sons, Hendrick’s is the only gin that uses a marriage of spirits from both a Carter-Head and Copper Pot Still, a combination that produces a divinely smooth gin that has both the required character and balance of subtle flavors. Hendrick’s Gin has an ABV of 44% and an SRP of $34.99. Please drink the unusual responsibly. For further information, visit www.hendricksgin.com.
ABOUT WILLIAM GRANT & SONS
William Grant & Sons Holdings Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the global premium spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including Glenfiddich®, The Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and the world’s third largest blended Scotch, Grant’s®, as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick’s® Gin, Sailor Jerry® Spiced Rum, Tullamore D.E.W.® Irish Whiskey, Monkey Shoulder® Blended Malt Scotch Whisky and
Drambuie® Scotch Liqueur.
Founded in 1964, William Grant & Sons USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of William Grant & Sons, Ltd. and features one of the fastest growing spirits portfolios in the US with brands including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Hendrick’s Gin, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey, Drambuie, Milagro Tequila, Fistful of Bourbon, Grant’s, Hudson Whiskey, Gibson’s Finest, Monkey Shoulder, Clan MacGregor, Reyka Vodka, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Flor de Caña Rum, The Knot and Raynal French Brandy. For more information on the company and its brands, please visit HERE.
ABOUT FARMER JONES FARMS AT THE CHEF’S GARDEN
In order to grow foods that look good, taste good and are good for you, the team at Farmer Jones Farms at The Chef’s Garden is committed to sustainable agriculture and practices that replenish nutrients depleted from the soil. Embracing the traditional philosophies of farming and recognizing the importance of growing crops through natural means, The Chef’s Garden is deeply dedicated to “growing vegetables slowly and gently, in full accord with nature.”® We believe that by rebuilding the soil naturally it will return to us a more nutritious, flavorful product.
