When introducing Orbium to Singapore, the folks behind Hendrick’s threw a private occult party—in jest of course—filled with all the bells and whistles you’ll typically find in a cult initiation. There were candles, cloaks, chalices and even a ring to bind us all together (only thing missing was a blood sacrifice). OTT perhaps, but we get what they were getting at once we had a taste of Orbium.
Orbium isn’t your typical gin. Its base may be the same Hendrick’s we know and love, but added to it is quinine, wormwood and blue lotus flower. You might recognise some of these ingredients. Quinine is found in tonic water, and if you’ve ever had a gin and tonic, you’ll find the bitter aftertaste familiar. Wormwood, too, found in vermouth (quintessential in a martini) and absinth, adds to the bitterness and grants it powerful aromas.
Meanwhile, the blue lotus flower (known to induce euphoria, while also adding to the gin’s floral profile) isn’t something you’ll typically find in spirits or cocktails, but apparently helps round out the spirit, making it balanced.
Tale of Ying & Yang, available permanently at Madame Fan
That all translates into a gin that tastes oddly familiar, yet punches in directions not typical of a Hendrick’s gin—or any gin, in fact. The earthy, bitter finish is the most pronounced aspect. Lingering long after you’ve swallowed the liquid, it adds a lot to the complexity and gives it a heavier mouthfeel, elevating what is one of the most recognisable gins around into one that’s better appreciated in small sips (and in cocktails).
Perhaps that’s why they’re launching Orbium only in bars for now, so that expert mixologists can first experiment and present us enjoyable flavour profiles.
You can find it now at top Singapore bars like 28 HongKong Street, Antidote, Atlas, Gibson, IB HQ, Idlewild, Jigger & Pony, Manhattan, Madame Fan, MO Bar, Nutmeg & Clove, Origin, Oxwell & Co, Skai, Tippling Club, and even at the soon-to-open Barbary Coast. And don’t worry—you don’t need to go through an initiation to order one.
More info here.
