Discover Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend gin, Craft Gin Club's February 2022 Gin of the Month!

Discover Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend, a special edition craft gin distilled exclusively for lucky Craft Gin Club members by the Hawkridge Distillers. It’s a beautiful Victorian-era-inspired gin like no other!

In this feature, you can find out everything you need to know about Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend, including how and where it’s made, what it tastes like and where you can buy it for yourself. Scroll down to reveal all!

How is Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend made?

This remarkable gin was created by Hawkridge Distillery co-founders Phil Howarth, James Gurney and Robin Horrex (all Craft Gin Club members!), inspired by the beautiful Hawkridge House, a Victorian manor in Berkshire, where they originally set up the distillery before moving to a bigger space.

The interiors of the Hawkridge House influenced the unique and creative design of the red bottle and the bottle stop is even designed after the doorknobs of the house.

The gin was also influenced by the rich romance of the Victorian era. In particular, the Language of Flowers - in the romantic rituals of the Victorians, each bloom was assigned a special meaning. Exchanging flowers became a wordless way to express feelings of love and friendship. And so they chose botanicals like rose petals, jasmine and lavender (scroll down to find the full list of botanicals).

The botanicals in Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend are distilled using a unique three-step method so as to capture all of their incredible flavours in the gin.

Step one: prior to distillation the team takes the most traditional botanicals used in the gin – juniper, citrus peel, coriander and angelica root – and macerates them in a neutral spirit in the still for a minimum of 24 hours.

Step two: the distillers then brew a botanical tea using delicate flowers like lavender and jasmine. This is strained and added to the still before distillation.

Step three: the final step is to take the most delicate botanicals, like mint leaves and rose petals, and add them to an infusion basket that is placed in the still. During the distillation process, the gin is infused with the vapours of these fragile ingredients.

What botanicals are in Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend?

This delicious gin is made with thirteen key botanicals: juniper, coriander, angelica, lemon peel, orange peel, meadowsweet, lemon verbena, rosemary, mint, lavender, jasmine, rose petals and honey.

Where is Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend made?

Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend is distilled in a 3,000-square-foot building in the Berkshire countryside. The distillery is set in three acres of land, where the distillers grow many of their own botanicals.

What does Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend taste like?

On the nose, expect a fragrant bouquet of bold citrus notes and beguiling meadow flowers and herbs. This is followed by a subtly spiced, traditional juniper-forward profile on the palate, with an exceptionally smooth mouthfeel. To finish, delicate notes of honey and jasmine round off this well-balanced and refined gin.

How do you serve Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend?

We love to enjoy Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend with a premium citrus-forward tonic water like Fitch & Leedes Grapefruit Tonic, garnished with slices of lime and juniper berries. You can find the recipe for our perfect Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend G&T recipe here or by clicking on the image below:

Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend is also fantastic in cocktails like Craft Gin Club’s Gin Crush, our February 2022 Cocktail of the Month. This cocktail recipe mixes Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend with Flawsome! Apple & Strawberry Lightly Sparkling Juice and Craft Gin Club’s bespoke Gin Crush cocktail syrup. It is divine and you can find the full recipe at this link!

Are there any more Victorian gins from Hawkridge Distillers?

Yes! Hawksridge Distillers have also distilled a gin called Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Garden Blend, which is inspired by Victorian gardens. Here’s what you need to know:

Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Garden Blend:

Flavour profile: Complex and well balanced, with beautiful forward notes of rich citrus, fragrant herbs and honey.

ABV: 42%

How to serve Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Garden Blend: In a copa glass with plenty of ice, a Mediterranean tonic, a slice of juicy lime and a sprig of rosemary.

And that’s not all: Hawkridge Distillers also distils The Blowing Stone range of craft gins, a selection of which is available on the Craft Gin Club online shop, here.

The range includes The Blowing Stone London Dry Gin, which was named the Best English London Dry Gin at the World Gin Awards in 2021, and a fascinating collection of flavour combinations like Crabapple & Royal Ginger, and Nettle & Blackberry. Grab these while you can, as they’re likely to sell out in a snap!

Where can I buy Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend gin?

Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend, along with the other craft gins from Hawkridge Distillers, is available to buy on the Hawkridge Distillers website and at the Craft Gin Club online shop, here!

Hawkridge London Dry Victorian Aphrodisiac Blend is also available as part of Craft Gin Club’s February 2022 Gin of the Month box, while stocks last. Join the club to get your Gin of the Month box, here.

Find out what else we sent to Craft Gin Club members in our February 2022 Gin of the Month box by clicking this link or on the image below: