They say that ‘good things come to those who wait’. But then again, so do death and taxes. So you really have to ask yourself…is it really worth it?
At least this was the theory of my 5 year old son the other week. In sole charge of the eldest of my two boys, I had escaped for a quick shower. But don’t worry, I had left a very responsible minder in charge in my absence; YouTube Kids.
Yeah, yeah, ‘screen time’ blah blah blah – don’t @ me. I do admit that there is something crass and distasteful about how some of these parents place their own kids in the spotlight for their YouTube videos, with the primary intention of generating income. But don’t be so quick to judge. Unless you know something that I don’t, ‘Blippi’ seems like a standup guy, and I’m willing to trust him if it means I get to wash off the c.4 hours sleep of the night before.
So it was somewhat of a surprise when the bathroom door opened, and my eldest appeared from a ‘Stars in your Eyes’ steam-like haze to begin the Spanish Inquisition…and yes, I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting it….
After wiping the blur, and shampoo, from my eyes I started to tune in to the line of questioning. Which seemed to centre around the provision of sustenance, in the form of a ‘snack’. Now, as most parents will know, there are two snack boxes in life; the first box on the ground floor shelf that would make little dent in the calorific deficit and the top (out of toddler reach) shelf which contains the ‘good stuff’ that mom & dad regularly help themselves to post ‘Witching Hour’. Stop pretending, we know you do it too!…
After a lengthy exchange, that (from my stance) indicated he had only recently consumed breakfast, yet from his camp suggested that a call to ‘Child Line’ may be required, I started to get to the route of the terrorist camps demands. It became apparent that the iced buns his doting mother had left on the kitchen side were proving too much of an intoxicating distraction – even for YouTube Kids. The issue being that he had already had his, and was now eyeing the sole remaining delicacy…which was mine.
Thinking this to be a great opportunity for a lesson in restraint, I explained the concept of sharing and that ‘yes, I understand that life sometimes isn’t fair & that sometimes bad things do always seem to happen to good people’. But on semi reasonable terms we parted company and I returned to my rudely interrupted shower. Naive.
Ask any parent and they’ll tell you that it’s not the screaming and shouting that you need to worry about. It’s the silence. And as I entered the kitchen, feeling like a million dollars but looking like pocket change, it was eerily quiet. Two little feet innocently poked out from the shelter of the couches upright, and a smattering of crumbs adorned the plate where the lonely iced bun had once rested. It sounds dramatic, but for a moment they appeared to have been left as a chalk outline of where the crime had occurred.
I approached the usual suspect, and cleared my throat to begin my line of questioning. But before I could turn the spotlight on his face, he instantly answered the unasked question with ‘I didn’t eat it dad’. That in itself should have been enough of a give away. But had I have been left in any doubt, the smear of pink icing round his face and across his jumper were all the incriminating evidence I needed.
In life you need to choose your battles, and this was one I was willing to stand down from (whilst desperately trying to not laugh out loud at the ludicrous situation). In fairness to him, it had looked bloody delicious. And what he didn’t know was that I would win the war later in the year when the annual ‘Halloween Haul’ hit the top shelf.
Perhaps the other reason I chose not to get mad is that I can sympathise. I had been waiting for a special occasion to open the bottle of Henstone Navy Strength Gin that I had treated myself to at Junipalooza 2023. And so there we were; Tuesday night, with a dram of the good stuff, whilst cooking a curry…
Ok, ok. I couldn’t wait any longer. But my curries are pretty ‘special’ (if I do say so myself!).
Henstone Distillery; The heart of Shropshire
There are lots of words I could say about this gin – and I will be doing just that, to avoid this write up being light on content – but for now, you’ll have to make do with one word; Exquisite.
Established in 2017, hailing from ‘the heart of Shropshire’, Henstone Distillery was created by husband & wife duo Alex and Chris Toller (note: their previous business partners left to pursue other ventures).
And in the ‘Spirit’ of keeping it in the family, two of their four children have since joined them; Henry (as Sales Manager) and Flo (as Distiller).
What the team have gone on to achieve over the last c.6 years has been remarkable. But don’t just take my word for it. Henstone were named the UK’s ‘Distillery of the Year’ for 2023, with their Rosé Gin being awarded ‘Best in Britain’. And equally impressively, the brand bagged a clean-sweep of awards for their London Dry, Navy, and Rosé gins at the Gin Guide Awards 2023 – being a proud member of the judging panel for those prestigious awards, I can attest to just how much of an achievement that is. If you head to their website, you can check out just how many accolades each of their gins has been awarded…just be prepared to keep scrolling when you do!
And Henstone are showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, in November 2023, the team announced the investment from Mike Harris, renowned entrepreneur, “who has acquired 50% ownership of the company in line with the brand’s ambitious growth plans”.
As well as extra capital to help boost production of their already impressive core range (which boasts gin, whisky, vodka, brandy, and rum), the venture will also result in a brand new facility that is more befitting of their growing size and stature. Exciting times ahead.
Henstone Distillery; In the Navy
Henstone gin production started in February 2018, and now sits at five expressions; Dry, Navy, Rosé, Strawberry & Pink Peppercorn & Sloe gin.
But the focus of our attention here is on the higher ABV edition of the Henstone Dry gin, which was a VERY worthy winner in the Navy Strength Gin category of The Gin Guide Awards 2023.
The gin itself is classic in the majority of its make up, with the locally sourced botanicals consisting of juniper, coriander seeds, orris root, angels wreath, cardamom, hops, orange peel, lemon peel. So then just what is it that makes this Navy Strength such a stand out? Let me tell you…
Henstone Navy Strength Gin to taste
On the nose, there is a white pepper and cinnamon warmth, that is packed to the rafters with juniper – we’re talking face first on the forest floor level of piney goodness here.
The subtle florals and citrus peel spikes are expertly balanced and bring character and complexity. But despite the lofty heights of the aromas, and obvious ABV, there’s no sense of harsh alcohol aggression at all. Just a reassuring sense of robustness.
The hops bring a floral and citrus depth to the flavour profile, whilst the juniper is earthy and resinous. There is a white pepper and Szechwan spiced heat to the long lasting finish, that never crosses the line in to the realms over being too aggressive or overwhelming. It is ridiculously well balanced, and carries a smoothness that a Navy Strength shouldn’t be entitled to credit to its name.
It is breathtaking in every sense.
Henstone Navy G&T
And how does it stand up to a mixer you might ask? Like a champ, that’s how.
Every element remains in tact, never once bowing down to the quinine or threat of dilution.
In reality, this isn’t a tipple that many will drink neat (although I have and do!). And the addition of tonic is a great way to deliver an outstanding longer serve that allows all of the gins very best bits to be enjoyed for longer.
A dangerous summer sipper for sure.
But what about fighting fire with fire? Can Henstones Navy Strength gin stand its ground in two of my all time favourite cocktails?
Henstone Navy Negroni
True to the message on the front of the bottle – this packs one hell of a punch in a Negroni.
The brute strength of the gin, and that resinous juniper, fights its way to the surface on every sip; seemingly content to be the frontman to a supremely talented backing band of the Camille’s Red vermouth & Sacred’s Rosehip Cup.
The citrus of the gin pairs effortlessly with the burnt orange profile of the vermouth, bitters and garnish, making for a well rounded and balanced short serve classic.
The perfect companion to a winters night and a log fire.
Henstone Navy Martini
As for the Martini – I like it. I mean, I really like it! But then…I’m a geek. I write about juniper based spirits for a pastime, and a hazard of the trade (when you’ve been about for a bit) is that you yearn for bigger and bolder pine notes and textures. And a Henstones Navy Martini brings its A-Game in that regard.
However. I’ll concede that the 57.3% ABV isn’t sufficiently tamed by a splash of vermouth, and even I have to admit that this probably isn’t a serve to appeal to the masses (I personally find 47% ABV the sweet spot for a classic Martini).
That said, it’s the masses loss & all the more for me!…
Henstone Distillery; The best Navy Strength on the market?…
This gin blew both me and my socks away at Junipalooza, and continues to do so each time I return to the bottle; a Navy Strength that cunningly disguises its brute power behind a complex array of botanical flavour and an elegant smoothness across the palate & long finish. The wider range is now well and truly on my radar for a more thorough investigation.
Pound for pound, this could be – and in my eyes is – the best value Navy Strength on the market. Furthermore…it may just be the best Navy Strength on the market full stop.
Returning to the theme that started this blog – they same that time waits for no man. Well neither does Henstone Gin. What are you waiting for?…
Contact us
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Website: https://henstonedistillery.com
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