Hernö Navy Strength Gin
Hernö · Hernö Gin Distillery
Jon Hillgren built Hernö as Sweden's first dedicated gin distillery, and his navy strength expression demonstrates what happens when a perfectionist increases proof without sacrificing balance. Every botanical is amplified in proportion, making this a gin that punches through tonic or citrus in cocktails while remaining supremely drinkable on its own.
Nose
A potent wave of juniper — resinous and pine-forward — leads, followed by bright lemon citrus and a warm undercurrent of cassia bark. Meadowsweet and coriander add a floral-herbal complexity behind the juniper wall.
Palate
Intensely juniper-driven but never aggressive. The higher proof amplifies the botanicals rather than the ethanol, with lingonberry-like fruitiness emerging at midpalate alongside cracked black pepper. Coriander and lemon maintain freshness, while a subtle vanilla sweetness rounds the edges.
Finish
Long and warming, with juniper lingering alongside cassia spice and a clean, dry peppery close.
- Style
- Navy Strength
- Botanicals
- Juniper, coriander, cassia bark, lemon peel, meadowsweet, black pepper, lingonberry, vanilla
- Base Spirit
- Organic wheat spirit
- Distillation
- Distilled in a custom 250-liter copper pot still named Kierstin
Cocktail Suggestion
Nordic Gimlet — 2 oz Hernö Navy Strength · 0.75 oz fresh lime juice · 0.75 oz lingonberry cordial · Shake hard with ice, fine strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a lime wheel.
Food Pairing
Gravlax with mustard-dill sauce
Jon Hillgren left the restaurant industry to build a tiny distillery on Sweden's High Coast, making Hernö the country's first dedicated gin producer and quickly earning a reputation for meticulous botanical sourcing.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Madeira Cask Finish
Tyrconnell
The Madeira finish gives this Tyrconnell an extra dimension that its standard expressions don't reach. Ten years of maturation provides enough malt structure to stand up to the wine cask influence, and the result is an Irish whiskey with genuine layering. An underrated gem in the single malt category.
Clairin Communal Vaval
Clairin
Clairin Communal Vaval is rum stripped to its most honest expression — no aging, no blending across distilleries, no additives. Fritz Vaval's small operation in Cavaillon uses native yeast fermentation and direct-fire distillation to produce a spirit that tastes of exactly where it comes from. It's a masterclass in terroir-driven rum.
David Nicholson Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
David Nicholson
David Nicholson Reserve punches well above its modest price, offering layered complexity that rewards patient sipping. The 100-proof backbone gives it cocktail versatility without sacrificing neat-pour nuance. A workhorse bourbon that deserves more shelf attention.
Inverroche Classic Gin
Inverroche
Inverroche Classic demonstrates that terroir is not limited to wine. The wild fynbos botanicals hand-foraged from the Cape coastline give this gin a genuinely unique aromatic fingerprint. It is simultaneously familiar enough for a juniper-focused gin drinker and distinctive enough to reward close attention.
Inverroche Classic Gin
Inverroche
Inverroche Classic demonstrates that terroir is not limited to wine. The wild fynbos botanicals hand-foraged from the Cape coastline give this gin a genuinely unique aromatic fingerprint. It is simultaneously familiar enough for a juniper-focused gin drinker and distinctive enough to reward close attention.
Indlovu Gin
Indlovu
A gin shaped quite literally by environment and ecology — Indlovu translates the African bush into a glass with surprising elegance and balance. Distinctive without being gimmicky, it rewards drinkers who value provenance and terroir.
Bimber Da Hong Pao Gin
Bimber Distillery
Bimber is better known for whisky, but this gin shows the same meticulous approach. The Da Hong Pao oolong tea botanical is not a gimmick — it threads a warm, slightly roasted quality through an otherwise classically structured London Dry. A thinking person's gin that rewards a simple tonic serve.
Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger Gin
Whitley Neill
Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger succeeds where many flavored gins fail — it integrates its signature botanicals without sacrificing gin identity. The juniper spine holds firm, making this a versatile bottle that works as well in a G&T as it does in more creative builds.