THE fifth instalment of The Gin and Tonic Festival is set to take place at Neighbourgoods Market in Braamfontein on 26 November.
Over 20 local and international gin brands will gather to showcase spirits such as Bloedlemoen, Ginifer and Inverroche.
Ginifer Gin is fast becoming one of the most desirable gins, locally and internationally.
It recently won three awards in the American Distilling Institute’s Craft Spirits international competition.
The founder of Angel Heart Beverages and the manufacturer of the award-winning spirit, Jacqueline Grobler, said ahead of the recent Whisky and Spirits Live that distilling gin is like making perfume.
“It is a pure, magical art. The complexity of working with live botanicals and manipulating the oils, to create the taste you are after, is quite an experience and one that is incredibly rewarding.
“These international awards are proof that we are getting it right.”
Grobler said they use 13 gin botanicals, most of which come from Europe, combined with African varieties, which are used in traditional healing.
“A few of the local types are sold at the Faraday Muthi Market in Eloff Street in the Joburg CBD. The local botanicals give our gin a distinctive taste and smell and with a strong presence, it can handle heavy flavours without getting lost. Spices, fruit and good quality tonic water complement this gin beautifully – it is a quality the judges liked.”
Some of the fun activities of the day include live music, DJs and a host of Neighbourgoods delicious food vendors.
Other gins that will be showcased include: The General’s Gin, Time Anchor Distillery, Red Stone Craft, Distillery 031, Pienaar and Son Distilling Co, Westcliff Gin, Step 5 Dry Gin, Socks Tonic,Tincture Gin, Qualito Craft Distillery’s Grey Hawk Gin, Ginologist, Flowstone Gin, De Vry Distillery, Geometric Gin and Symmetry Botanical Tonics, Trouvaille and the Cape Town Gin and Spirits Co.
Each gin vendor hosts a stall on the day, offering tasters for the inclined spirit connoisseurs, as well as a menu of signature cocktails.
- Tickets are sold from R200 each on www.quicket.co.za
