Are You Gin?

It's pretty safe to say that gin has very much become "a thing" recently in Cape Town. From what was thought to be an old person;s drink to one of the trendiest cocktail ingredients known to man.I ain't complaining, it's probably one of the most refreshing drinks to have on a hot summer's day. Gin and tonic garnished with cucumber you - can't get much more fresh than that even if you're Will Smith.

I was invited to join Gordon's Gin #GordonsLegend winner Andrew Mphore at Mother's Ruin Gin Bar on the first of his many adventures in the week to come.
Andrew won Gordon's Gin's Legends competition, the prize consisted of 50 000 SA Ront and a week in Cape Town with a whole list of incredible activities and gin included. How rad?
Now Andrew is a police man from Johannesburg so that already is something to high five him for. He also donated 10% of his winnings to charity out of his own will. The world needs more people like this. So well deserved, man!

Upon arrival we were treating to a fresh gin and tonic with a choice of awesome garnish from cucumber to lime to mango and mint. I went for the grapefruit* which brings out the dryness of the tonic and gin and adds that oh-so-lovely grapefruit tang. I then proceeded to eat the left over orange slices... I don't know why.
We got chatting about the difference of life in Joburg vs Cape Town and discovered that Andrew served at a police station that I lived near to for a few years. We're basically best friends now.
*Fact: Grapefruit is in fact not related to grapes at all. 

Now "London dry gin" does not mean it was distilled in London as the name may suggest. It is purely the way in which it's distilled that gives it that name. Traditionally twice distilled and made with juniper berries to give it that ginny taste. It's basically vodka distilled with something to give it an awesome flavour – it could be fynbos which gives local gin Inverroche its taste a dark, coppery colour even rosemary and black olives in the case of Gin Mare out of Spain.
Mother's Ruin manager, Mark, gave us the low down on all these things. Now, I wish the Gin Mare bottle wasn't empty because the rosemary/black olive small just leaves you wondering how great it tastes. Apparently Mark took the last bit home from the bar because it was just too good to sell.

Mark giving the lesson

I've worked with quite a few distilleries of all kinds but there's something about gin that just gets me all tingly. It's versatile, fresh and just a great all-round drink.
To end off the night I was treated to the James Bond Martini, AKA Vesper, as published in the 1953 Ian Fleming James Bonf book, Casino Royale. I thought it was pretty rad how Mr Bond asked for the gin in his drink by name. Maybe that was when blegging started?

"A dry martini," [Bond] said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet."

"Oui, monsieur."

"Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?"

"Certainly, monsieur." The barman seemed pleased with the idea.

"Gosh, that's certainly a drink," said Leiter.

Bond laughed. "When I'm...er...concentrating," he explained, "I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink's my own invention. I'm going to patent it when I can think of a good name."

—Ian Fleming, Casino Royale, Chapter 7, "Rouge et Noir'

It's a drink that'll put hair on your chest, and a great way to end a night. Big love to Gordon's Gin for letting me in on this experience. If you've never given gin a go, try it once at least. Gin, tonic and a slice or two of cucumber will not leave you disappointed.
If you find yourself in Cape Town, visit Mother's Ruin Gin Bar in Bree street for a world of gin. They have it all!
Until next time.