Hernö Gin is made in Sweden in the Northernmost distillery in the world, established in 2011.
After a decade spent in the UK, loving and studying Gins, Mr. Jon Hillgren decided to start it’s own Gin production.
Gin comes in 4 different versions, all starting with the same base, then going in different directions: there a classic London Dry, an Old Tom, a Navy Strenght and a Cask aged Gin.
The global idea seems solid and coherent: starting from a very good quality common Gin, with certified organic botanicals, to produce 4 different Gins that are able to reach every market segment.
I was very curious to study Hernö Gin, and in this review I’ll talk about the London Dry and the Old Tom.
The list of the prizes won by these Gins is very long, and it’s a sign of the quality of these products: every bottle is hand numbered and checked, to guarantee the highest quality we espect from a real micro distillery.
The recipe is composed by juniper, coriander, lemon peel, lingon berries, meadowsweet, black pepper, cassia and vanilla. As you can notice, a couple are just used in Hernö Gin.
The London Dry (40,5%) has a nice fresh juniper smell at first, followed by spicy and complex notes. The taste is smooth, easily drinkable neat, with a pretty evident citrousy and floral note.
The Old Tom (43%) is made with the same recipe but with more lingon berries, and sweetened after the distillation with honey. The smell is more floral, the juniper softer, the taste is obviously smoother, and the citric note is pushed up. It seems to be more enjoyable drinking it neat.
In the Martini, I liked the Old Tom the best, surprisingly: it mixes better with the vermouth: both are very particular tho. The cocktail is “open”, it tastes of fresh juniper.
In the Negroni, I preferred the London Dry, as it elevates the bitter note, but if you want a smoother version, try the Old Tom, both are very interesting.
For a G&T the London Dry works well, for my taste, it’s dry, junipery and rich, with a subtle sweetness too.
As I always say, I don’t like the half a litre bottle, but it’s a way to underscore the preciousness of this Gin. Hernö Gin is really worth a trying, they can be a good instruments for dedicate preparation, with a high quality appreciated in the world.
