A Gin-tastic Experience
When I first visited South Africa in November 2020, I was floored by how popular Gin was. Restaurants and bars had Gin menus, Gin and Tonic on tap, and we even went for a Gin tasting at a place that had over 200 types of Gin.
To say Gin is as much a way of life in South Africa as wine is clearly stating the obvious.
For Kim’s birthday, I booked us a Gin crafting class at Distillers & Union. She had mentioned doing something like that when we were on the Wine Tram and I was bound and determined to find someplace to do it.
We arrived for our class and were taken upstairs to the classroom. Imagine my surprise when there were a dozen of mini stills on the tables. Now, I had no idea what to expect, but I did not expect that we’d be distilling our own Gin!
The class package included:
Snacks
Class on the history of Gin
Class on crafting Gin (flavor profiles, etc)
A Gin tasting
A 500ml bottle of the Gin we crafted to take home.
Not a bad deal for R600 (~$40) per person.
I will say, it was a bit overwhelming with all of the different additives and trying to figure out how to build a Gin that didn’t taste like gasoline and dead leaves.
Kim opted for a floral Gin and named it 44,, while I opted for a citrus Gin with a hint of spice and named it Expat Gin. From the pictures above, you can clearly see which one of us has artistic inclinations and who, well, doesn’t.
They turned out AH-MAY-ZING!
The tasting was great too. We had a dry Gin, a pink Gin colored with pinot grapes (Kim’s favorite), a blue Gin colored with some sort of flower, and, my favorite, a Gin aged in an American Oak barrel that looked and tasted like whiskey.
The staff at Distillers & Union were amazing. They answered all of our questions, helped us figure things out, and they did it all on the hottest day of the year so far.
We also met Alex, one of the owners, and he made sure we felt at home and were well taken care of.
He also told me they sell the stills, the alcohol, and the condiments and if I wanted to get set up, he’d hook me up. Tempting, but I might save that for winter.
All in all it was an amazing experience and one we’ll definitely repeat with friends and family.
If you do ever want or get a chance to visit South Africa, I highly recommend you do. It’s a wonderful country full of wonderful people, beautiful scenery, and some of the best food and wine on Earth.
If you do come visit, do consider staying at Highcliffe House in Gordon’s Bay. It’s a beautiful guesthouse with a stunning view of the bay. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
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