The 2025 release from Hendrick’s Cabinet of Curiosities continues the world travels theme of previous editions. This time, master distiller Lesley Gracie visits a desert oasis. After a game of camel polo— yes a real sport— she becomes inspired by the aromatic herbs and bright fruits. Thus is the flavor inspiration for Hendrick’s Oasium.
As with many of the newer Cabinet of Curiosities, they are a bit shy about the featured botanicals. However, Oases often do play host to a wide range of potentially fruity botanicals, including apricots, dates, figs, olives, and peach (depending on where the oasis is located).
Tasting notes
Aroma: Bright papaya, reminiscent of tropical fruit salad. Very fruit-forward, with juice guava nectar, a hint of pineapple, sugared banana and ruby red grapefruit. A ghostly echo of rose and dusty elderflower calls to mind the family relationship to their flagship Hendrick’s Gin and Midsummer Solstice.
Flavor: Luscious and boldly flavored— Hendrick’s Oasium is near the intensity of their 2024 release Grand Cabaret.
Early notes of sweet peach, orange marmalade and green juniper. This is the moment, on the tip of the tongue where I think the juniper is most evident.
Mid-palate, you’re in the heart of the bold tropical fruit. Papaya stood out most to me on my first sip— repeated sips and the overall impression feels boldly grapefruit-forward.
Prickly pear fruit, dried date, and guava begin to fold into a late palate with considerable complexity. There’s some cubeb and coriander contributing to a white pepper like note with a touch of tarragon.
Finish: Slightly green, with tarragon, lemon, and pink grapefruit notes. Fairly long and moderately pronounced finish.
Cocktails and suggested serves
The bright fruit-forward perspective lends itself nicely to a Gin and Soda or Gin Rickey. In a lot of ways Hendrick’s Oasium is boldly flavored enough to stand at its best with few additional flavoring ingredients.
That being said, I was surprised how well it worked in a Negroni. The pink grapefruit flavors come through most strongly. But it’s a bold and fruit forward cocktail, with the gin as bold as the Campari and able to hold its own.
Behind the bar, it’s distinct and worth treating like it’s own thing— especially if it appears in cocktail programs. But for fans of contemporary style gins, Hendrick’s Oasium is a great choice for a gin and tonic.
Overall, Hendrick’s Oasium
If you’re a fan of Hendrick’s Cabinet of Curiosities, especially in the post Orbium era— you’ll probably like Oasium. It’s more of the same from the team, with bold jammy, citrus-forward flavors that push the foundations of gin to the edges of the category.
I can see a group of gin drinkers being a bit tired of these releases. While enjoyable, and Hendrick’s Oasium is among their better releases, it does read as “more of the same.” Bold, fruity, and not-exactly-juniper led.
I’d say the Cabinet of Curiosities series has done a lot for making Hendrick’s gin— the original— seem almost traditional London Dry by comparison.
In short, fans of category pushing contemporary style gins will find a lot to like here. If you’re weary of fruit-forward Hendrick’s variations (especially Grand Cabaret or Amazonia), you’re not getting anything new here. It’s a good release, but it’s the same trick, well-executed as last time.
But I do begin to wonder— do they have any new tricks up their sleeve?