#FreshOnTheShelf: New from Copeland Distillery, Boland Cellar and An Dúlamán Gin

Copeland Tiki Gin

From the creators of Copeland Rum comes Copeland Tiki Gin, handcrafted by owner and distiller James Copeland at Copeland Distillery in Kommetjie, Cape Town. James Copeland wanted to "take gin to the beach", and the result is a gin inspired by the tropical exotica of 1950s’ island-style cocktail bars.

Copeland Tiki Gin features a rummy molasses base that's distilled with real pineapple, tonka bean and a host of tropical spices. Classic London Dry ingredients such as juniper, lemon peel, coriander and angelica root make sure it is very much a gin, but the exotic spice mix of cloves, cassia and ginger often associated with spiced rums creates a connection to the rum world. Tonka bean bridges the gap between the pineapple and spice, adding sweet aromas of vanilla, almond and cherry.

The flavours are reminiscent of Tiki cocktails such as the Mai Tai and others that use orgeat syrup, which is made from almonds and spices. Strong London Dry components mean Copeland Tiki Gin can be mixed with tonic and a signature pineapple garnish, dried or fresh pineapple wheel, but other exotic pairings are encouraged such as fresh juice blends or ginger ale to encourage the spice and botanicals.

The RRP of the Copeland Tiki Gin is R395 incl and the trade price R265 excl. It is available at Woodstock Liquors, NGF, Distriliq and Picardi as well as Liquor City Claremont, Kloofnek Liquor, Barkeeper, Wine Concepts, Woodstock Liquors and Roeland Liquors.

Cause-related Melita wine from Boland Cellar

Boland Cellar has introduced a cause-related low-alcohol wine range, called Melita, which will directly support the planting of trees that provide food and habitat for honey bees in South Africa. The new brand is being launched in collaboration with The Bee Effect to raise and sustain awareness for the Cape and African honey bee species.

The Boland Trees for Bees Programme, which will be implemented through the Greenpop Foundation’s Forests for Life reforestation project, has a specific focus on trees that are bee-foraging friendly to support nectar and pollen resources for honey bees. The collaboration also includes the launch of the Boland Trees for Bees Pledge Fund which will raise funds for the planting of bee-friendly trees.

The new Melita range will include a low alcohol Chenin Blanc (8% alc. vol.) as well as a Pinotage (8% alc. vol.). The collaboration with The Bee Effect gives Boland Cellar the opportunity of having the range endorsed by the organisation – the logo of which will also appear on the label. This makes Melita easily distinguishable for consumers to know that their purchase directly supports a worthy cause.

Honey bees are a critical cog in the sustainability of ecosystems worldwide. Bees face a number of complex threats leading to their global decline, including habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation, climate change and changes to weather patterns, as well as pesticides and environmental pollution. The lack of forage available to honey bees is one of the major reasons for the decline in numbers and health.

In addition to a percentage of local and international sales of the Melita range contributing towards funds for the Boland Trees for Bees Programme, Boland Cellar commits to a minimum of 830 trees to be planted in 2020. Boland Cellar’s initial pledge as well as funds derived from sales, will only be used to plant trees that are of value to honey bees.

Melita wines will be available in-store from April 2020.

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Lauren Hartzenberg  11 Dec 2019

An Dúlamán Irish Maritime Gin

South African drinks company Truman & Orange has introduced the award-winning An Dúlamán Irish Maritime Gin to South Africa. This super-premium gin is produced on the Donegal coast at The Sliabh Liag Distillery, which is the first distilling company in Ireland for over 175 years and has been established with the purpose of reclaiming the distilling heritage of Donegal.

An Dúlamán is produced by combining five locally harvested seaweeds, Sweet Kombu, Dulse, Pepper Dulse, Dulaman and superfood Carrageen Moss. It's then mixed with six botanicals – juniper, coriander, angelica, sweet orange, lemon and cassia – and after a precise distillation process, the end result is a spirit with a taste that captures fresh juniper, an umami richness and the dry tang of sea breeze.

An Dúlamán is perfect for classic gin cocktails, and it works well with any premium tonic water, especially with lemon tonic or bitter lemon. A dash of elderflower cordial and An Dúlamán topped up with soda water is a tasty alternative.

The black glossy bottles are wax sealed with Celtic lettering on the front and colours that are reminiscent of the mountains found along the Donegal coast. Each bottle has a batch number that is also linked to the lunar phases. An Dúlamán is sold at a RRP of R299.