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Hendrick's wants us to swap gin for the gym this 'Dry January'

You read that correctly, it's time to get a sweat on

Hendrick's wants us to swap gin for the gym this 'Dry January'

By Danielle de Wolfe

04 January 2024

Dry January brings with it countless alcohol-free alternatives - and this year, Hendrick's has decided to join the party.

Opting for the "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach, the Scottish brand has instead chosen to help us swap the alcohol sweats for the gym-related variety this New Year.

The concept, entitled Hendrick's GYM, is an attempt to encourage drinkers to "optimise one’s cocktail-concocting style, ease and expression” - or so says the promo which accompanies the launch.

Traditionally a time to steer clear of the alcohol, the concept of Dry January sees drinkers switch out the bottle for alcohol-free spirits and non-alcoholic alternatives.

It's a trend which has increasingly gained traction in recent years, set against the backdrop of Gen Z - a demographic who already have a notably reduced alcohol intake.

With the brand serving up five truly unique exercises to up your cocktail-making game this January (call it pre-season training, if you will), Hendrick's has also served up some sporty new merchandise to ensure you look the part.

Available through their online Tiny Shop, the gear includes an on-brand cucumber-themed sweatband, as well as a wristband.

Not to mention a Hendrick's water bottle that's sure to demand a few stares, given it looks remarkably similar to a full size bottle of the brand's iconic gym.

As if we needed an excuse to jump aboard the January gin - erm, GYM train.

Accompanied by a clip which asks 'have your cocktail making skills gone flabby?', the launch introduces gin saveurs to the world of the Hendrick's gym.

“Hendrick’s GYM is here to help gin enthusiasts improve their cocktail-making flair and form, so we all may be at our finest for the 11-month 2024 cocktail season," explains the brand.

“To do so, Hendrick’s GYM has developed five exercises to optimize one’s cocktail-concocting style, ease and expression.”

According to the brand, five exercises are all that's required to up your gin game during dry January in preparation for the next 11 months of responsible drinking.

Weighted Cocktail Shaking: “This method of adding resistance to cocktail shaking enables an elevation of form and poise for shaking all manner of cocktails.”

High Repetition Garnishing: “You’ll be amazed how this action of slicing and positioning an otherworldly amount of garnishes on a single glass, will improve your ability to place one or two garnishes with effortless panache and elegance.”

Pinky Curls: “Whilst relatively unimportant in normal life, the pinky is a star performer in the world of cocktails. The stronger this little digit is, the more it will extend it with grace and elan.”

Resistance Cheersing: “This straightforward yet challenging exercise will help you cheers with spontaneity and confidence at the drop of a hat.”

Host Congeniality Drills: “Just a few sessions of this surprisingly demanding exercise will noticeably boost your capacity to handle even the most ill-mannered situation with warmth and generosity.”

Now, if you're ready to take on the Hendrick's GYM and up your cocktail making game, you can hop on over to the brand's Tiny Shop to nab yourself some merch.

Go on, it's basically the 2K24 version of the Love Island water bottle.