Although it traces its origins to Holland, gin is usually considered a veddy, veddy English libation. Beefeater. Bombay Sapphire. Tanqueray. All are light but bracing buoys for bibulous Blighty bluebloods.

Conversely, Scotland — Albion’s rugged and ruddy neighbor to the north — does Scotch: peaty, pungent, potent. That’s just how things are. Or were. Now here comes Hendrick’s Gin, a dainty distillation from Girvan, Ayrshire, in the Scottish Lowlands.

Whereas most gins strive to convey a sleek, airy aura, Hendrick’s is presented in a squat brown bottle (not unlike one that might hold the most darkly alluring Highland malt) encased in a whimsically regal pea-green cylinder. But its provenance and packaging aren’t the only thing that makes Hendrick’s " a most peculiar gin. "

For one thing, it’s handcrafted in small batches — something none of the aforementioned can claim. (Hendrick’s jokes that it’s " preferred by one out of 1000 gin drinkers, " a fact that suits its limited production capabilities just fine.)

Second, while most gins infuse their colorless concoctions with whiffs of juniper berries, coriander, citrus essence, and various other aromatics, Hendricks goes a wee bit further, tossing in tangs of rose petals and ... cucumber.

Cucumber?! Aye! The iconoclastic bottle may resemble a relic from a dusty old apothecary, but Hendrick’s Gin tastes anything but medicinal. Instead, the barely discernable presence of this cylindrical fruit slightly offsets the vibrant interplay among the other flavors to make for a smooth sapor that’s complex but balanced. It’ll soon have you garnishing your martinis and G&Ts not with olives or onions or limes, but with glistening circles of green-ringed white.

Available for $25.99–$31.99 for a 750-milliliter bottle at local Kappy’s, Marty’s and Blanchard’s stores.