Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/80298
and a little bit of pyrotechnics." While for some, dreams as odd as this are best left behind in the morn- ing, Ryan made this bizarre vision a reality, and 11 bartenders from around the world volunteered to work at the Hendrick's bar, excited to be a part of the unusual magic surrounding the brand. "Amazing individuals from Moscow and Mexico and Scandanvia came to me and said, 'I want to work that party. How do I do that?' And their excitement, and the excitement of the industry as a whole, really gives us the chance to show what we can do, because as important as throwing a spectacular event is, it is also critical to get the education across," said Ryan. With his Brand Ambassador hat on even during the most outrageous of parties, Ryan's focus on educating and connecting with the trade has lifted him into the spirit spotlight. As Tales wrapped up, the industry gathered to celebrate the best of the best at the Spirited Awards, where three of the top ten nominees for Best American Brand one else in the room seemed surprised when he was awarded the title of Best American Brand Ambassador. "I was just delighted for him," says Birkitt. Chimes in Voisey, "I cannot say enough how much he deserved that win. He looks after Hendrick's like it's his child or partner in life, and that kind of dedication is just amazing." "I am still extremely grateful," says Ryan, weeks after his return from New Orleans. "Charlotte won the award two years ago, and to have that award back on the William Grant team is really special because it speaks to one of our core values, the freedom to win." While the people of William Grant & Sons are given the freedom to grow their brands through imagination and hard work, for everyone in the Brand Ambassador family, the spirit is always at the heart of the work. "At the end of the day, for all of the brands, it just always comes back to the liquid," says Voisey. Hendrick's, in particular, is liquid magic: "When the liquid is this fantastic, it's pretty easy to get behind it," says COVER STORY Hendrick's: A Very Unusual Gin Made using a copper pot Bennett still and a Carter-Head still at a distillery in Scotland, it's little sur- prise that Hendrick's has garnered a reputation as a peculiar product. "That we had the confidence to even try that is phenomenal," laughs Jo Birkitt, Senior Brand Manager, Hendrick's Gin at William Grant & Sons. "It's all part of our pioneering spirit." Still hand-crafted and mico-batch- distilled, Hendrick's has become an industry darling, with bartenders all over the country falling for its rose petal and cucumber charms. Lovely, light and floral, Hendrick's revels in its peculiarities. Says Charlotte Voisey, Portfolio Ambassador, "The core of Hendrick's is that we surprise and delight, and we always keep people guessing. And that's always the best part." From Jim Ryan's dream to reality, the Hendrick's bar at the William Grant & Sons portfolio party was "the most utterly ridiculous Collins bar in the world." Ambassador came from the William Grant portfolio. "It's a true testament to our values to have three of the top ten from a family-run company in Scotland that's been there since 1886," says Ryan, who was, unsurprisingly, nominated for his work with Hendrick's. Although he had no expectations of winning ("I was convinced I wasn't going to," he says, humble as ever), no Ryan, as if the years of dreaming, sched- uling, cab-hopping, cocktail-batching, and seminar-leading were incidental to the brand's burgeoning success. But while Hendrick's, like the rest of the William Grant & Sons portfolio, is indeed a special spirit, Ryan's humility belies the truth: This is a portfolio built by people, and these people have made William Grant proud. At Brooklyn hotspot Lighthouse, the Hendrick's Southside is a perennial, refreshing favorite. Hendrick's Southside ◗ 2 oz. Hendrick's Gin ◗ 1 oz. fresh lemon juice ◗ 1 oz. simple syrup ◗ Small fistful of mint leaves ◗ Combine ingredients in a mixing tin, add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. september 2012 / the tasting panel / 59 PHOTO: KIRSTEN LUCE PHOTO: FYM PRODUCTIONS