Working in a male-dominated environment at the remote distillery in Girvan, a small village in the southwest corner of Scotland hasn’t been a problem for Yorkshire-born Gracie. Her nose is rated as one of the finest around (she sits on the ISC judging panel), which is why she also leads the new liquid development team within the company. However, her heart lies in the ‘Hendrick’s Gin Palace’.
Gracie's fascination with the curious world of botanicals flavours began when at the age of four she began serving her family teas, derived from various plants and twigs. A chemist by trade, she moved to Scotland from Yorkshire to join the company in 1988. The creation of award-winning Hendrick’s Gin has been a highlight in her career and she is only one of four people who know the specific recipe of the 11 different botanicals that go into making the gin.
Hendrick’s is handcrafted in miniscule batches at a time; the smaller the batch, the more control can be exerted by Gracie, allowing her to fine tune the distillation process, ensuring the creation of a high-end gin.
Shaun Stemmett, brand manager for Hendrick’s Gin at The Really Great Brand Company, says, “As we reflect on the unusual yet vital role women play in society, it has been evident throughout the ages that a day without women is a day without creativity and we commend Lesley Gracie’s tremendous work throughout the milestones of Hendrick’s peculiar past.”
