Hell and Heaven

For many it’s a distant dream and for others a crazy idea. But for Serge Hannecart, it is something he can cross off his bucket list. A while ago, he created his own gin. Because to him, life is a chain of contrasts and opposites, he immediately produced two: Heaven and Hell!

How did you decide to make your own gin?

Mainly because I like to drink gin myself. So it was largely just for fun. But it was also a challenge, of course. I wanted to bring together three important facets: concept, aesthetics and taste, all of impeccable quality.

Who was involved in the collaboration?

I chose the flavour myself and I worked with Bernard Filliers for further development.

How did the name come about?

Life itself consists of a whole bunch of opposites that attract and repel each other. Man and woman, water and fire, good and evil, yin and yang, and so also ‘Heaven and Hell’.

How would you describe the gin by taste?

‘Heaven’ is a soft, feminine gin with floral tones based on almond and marzipan with orange blossom. This gin is a nice aperitif and can be drunk throughout the evening. The ‘Hell’ is a stronger, spicy gin based on cloves and black pepper. It also has a higher alcohol content than ‘Heaven’. It is also an excellent accompaniment to a meal, something that has not been done very much up ’til now. The bottle design with butterflies and bats symbolises the opposites.

What spices go best with it?

With ‘Heaven’, it is fresh mandarin and with ‘Hell’ I recommend ginger.

Why gin and not another drink?

Obviously, there is the great hype that gin is currently experiencing. This drink has been undervalued for a long time. There has also been a tsunami of new types of gin and tonic on the market in recent years. Certainly also the tonic evolved to a less sweet taste. This has taken the combination to a higher level. A whole culture has developed around it with different types of spices, which only makes the story more interesting.

Do you also have ambitions to market the gin or is it just for ‘your own use’

It is mainly for my personal use. I see it as a nice business gift. I do work in exclusivity with a few restaurants.

Do you have ambitions to produce other brews or distillates in the future?

Not at the moment, but you never know. A new whim comes up quicker than you think!