Four international awards for local gin manufacturer

The annual ADI event is one of the largest judging competitions devoted to craft spirits globally and both US and international entries compete for the accolades.

The panel of experts who evaluated the South African gin brands in a blind tasting, included a mix of distillers, journalists, bar owners, bartenders, retailers, wholesalers, distributors and importers. The decision was unanimous and Ginifer was awarded the Silver Medal: International Contemporary Grain-to-Glass Gin. Ginifer Chilli Infused Gin walked away with two awards - The Best of Category Award - International Signature Botanical/Flavoured Gin and the Silver Medal: International Signature Botanical/Flavoured Gin.

Westcliff was awarded a Bronze Medal in the category best International Contemporary Gin.

Making magic

According to Jacqueline Grobler, founder of Angel Heart Beverages and manufacturer of the award-winning spirits, gin is like making perfume – it is alchemical magic. “The complexity of working with a live botanical, manipulating the oils to create the taste you are after, is quite a heady experience and rewarding. These international awards are proof that we are getting it right.

Ginifer is copper distilled and takes four days to make. The ageing process takes a further two months. Everything is done in-house and the Groblers distil, blend and bottle on site at their distillery in Gauteng.

“We use 13 gin botanicals, the bulk of which are sourced from across Europe, combined with African botanicals used in traditional healing. A few of these unique botanicals are sourced from the Faraday Muthi Market in Eloff Street in the Joburg CBD. The inclusion of these local botanicals gives our gin a distinctive taste and smell and, with a heavy botanical load, it can handle stronger flavours without getting lost. Strong spices, fruit and good quality tonic water complement this gin beautifully - a quality the judges liked. The measure of a good gin is that it can be enjoyed neat and Ginifer is good served neat over ice – another strong point for the judges.

“The local gin scene is still in its infancy, there are currently just 35 local gins on the market in South Africa. Small breweries and distilleries locally are slowly and steadily gaining momentum as demand grows.

“A good gin can easily be distinguished from the next – each has a particular taste profile and a unique scent. This makes gin cocktails interesting. Gin is also easy to serve and easy to drink.”

Adding to its awards

Other awards received include Best Newcomer at the Good Food & Wine show July/Aug 2016 and the Best Shell Scheme Stand at the Good Food & Wine Show July/Aug 2016.