Hernö Gin

The Free Bacchus Story

Jon Hillgren travelled to gin distilleries around the world before he settled in Dala, a village outside Härnösand on Sweden's High Coast, and in 2011 opened the first gin distillery in the country there. Its three hand-hammered copper stills have names: Kierstin, Marit and Yvonne.

London Dry is a way of making gin, not a place. The flavour comes from botanicals distilled together with the spirit, and almost nothing is added afterwards. Hernö's botanicals are juniper, coriander, lemon peel, black pepper, cassia and vanilla, with two Swedish additions: lingonberries and meadowsweet.

Every ingredient is organic, and SMAK certifies Hernö under EU rules to prepare organic products, which is the right description: Hernö does not farm. Since 2020 its base spirit has been distilled by Lantmännen from organic Swedish winter wheat grown around Lidköping, a change the distillery says cut the distance its alcohol travels from 12,272 to 2,588 kilometres a year. The water comes from the distillery's own well in Dala.

Hernö Dry Gin, at 40.5%, is where the range starts. Navy Strength is the same gin with less water, at 57%. In 2024 the IWSC named Hernö its International Gin Producer of the year, after the distillery won three gold medals there, one of them Gold Outstanding.