Lesley Grace has been at the helm of Hendrick’s Gin for 22 years. With a background in chemistry, she’s always been fascinated with flavours, flora and fauna.

Her fascinating gin journey began when Hendrick’s first launched it’s ‘most unusual’ gin in 1999 –  infused with rose and cucumber, Grace “shook up the gin book,” pushing the boundaries with its piano black apothecary bottle design and unique botanical recipe.

Today, her latest concoction, Hendrick’s first Batch & Bottle Hendrick’s Gin Martini (£25, 35%, 50cl, Master of Malt) is another innovation – and part of a new super premium cocktail range by William Grant & Sons.

“It’s really different. You know, something away from what we’ve worked on before so it was really exciting to do,” she says.

A collaboration between Hendrick’s and five top international bars, Brujas, (Mexico), Maybe Sammy (Australia), Nauticus (Scotland), Nutmeg & Clove (Singapore) and Yaldy (Germany), Grace says she worked closely with each bar to get their impression of what an excellent Hendrick’s martini should taste like.

“And each of those five bars made three cocktails. And we tried them. And basically took the best out of each of them, and then combined it into our gin martini. So you’re getting the best of what everybody thinks is an excellent Hendrick’s martini,” explains Grace.

“So the idea you can have a cocktail in which you get everything in there, as if you’d bought one in a bar, and to be that sort of quality as well. I think it just sets people’s imaginations running, which is good.”

Earlier this year, the 64-year-old was inducted into the Gin Magazine Hall of Fame in honour of her contributions to the gin world and ‘crafting new, innovative expressions that push the boundaries of gin creation.’

“Yes, that was a bit of a surprise. I never expected that to be honest. A big surprise and a big honour as well,” she sys.

Here’s what happened when we quizzed Ms Grace on her drinking habits when she’s not experimenting in her Cabinet of Curiosities at the Hendrick’s Gin Palace in Scotland…

Your desert island drink would be… Mmm. It would probably be beer, because I think the desert island would be hot. Therefore, it would be a beer. But if I had somebody there with me to make it, then it would probably be a gin and tonic.

Soft drink: diet or full fat? Full fat I’m afraid.

If you’re drinking tea it has to be… Well, I very rarely drink tea. It’s not something that I drink very often at all. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I had a cup of tea.

Still, sparkling or tap? Sparkling water.

Is ice important?  Not really, I don’t mind what shape and size it is at all.

When making cocktails for friends, you always serve… Hendrick’s,  elderflower cordial and soda water. Basically,  one measure of Hendrick’s, probably about a teaspoon of elderflower cordial,  and then just top up the glass with soda water and cucumber to garnish.

The booze you cannot stand… I’m really not a fan of red wine you know, some of the deeper red wines, it’s just got a note in there that I really don’t like for some reason.

The beer you love the most is…  Probably a lager because they’re refreshing and it’s always cold. You can sip them away quite merrily and it’s just refreshing, every mouthful. I do like Tennent’s Lager.

The drink you first got drunk on… I think my first ever ‘drunk’ was Bacardi and coke on my 18th birthday. And I don’t think I’ve had one since. Every time I smell it now, it’s one of those things, ‘Oh no, no I can’t do that’.

If money was no option, you would drink… I would still stick with Hendrick’s to be honest. I really like the Orbium. But I don’t drink it with tonic. I just drink it straight with ice. It’s a quininated gin, so it’s already got quinine in. When we first started with Hendrick’s, we basically shook up the gin book and did something different.

Hendrick’s variant Orbium, with the quinine and other bits and pieces in there, really gives it depth and character; and I sip it much the same as I would a single malt whisky because it’s got enough depth in there to be able to do that. And I really like that – just Orbium with a cube of ice in it, and that’s it. And I always throw a slice of cucumber in.