Even though we don’t need a good reason to pour ourselves a G&T,  the 12^th of June is World Gin Day, and another perfect excuse to celebrate all things gin!

Founding owner of premium drinks company, Truman & Orange Rowan Leibbrandt, believes that the gin craze in South Africa is far from over: “We’re finding that the gin category is moving so quickly and our job is to simplify the selection process for retailers by helping them to offer a range of ‘discovery brands’ for educated, discerning South African drinkers.”

The Truman & Orange team has put together a few of their favourite gin cocktails, including non-alcoholic options for those who still want to raise their glass and celebrate the ever-growing ginnaisance!

BLOEDLEMOEN SAGRONI

25ml Bloedlemoen Gin

25ml Campari

25ml full cream sherry

1 orange twist/peel garnish (pro tip: use a potato peeler)

Stir all the ingredients together and strain into a tumbler glass with a big block of ice. Take the orange twist and squeeze the oil over the drink.
Pro tip:  Run the peel on the outside of the glass …  it gives you a multisensory experience with the orange oil on your fingertips.

POMPELMO GIMLET

50ml Ginato Pompelmo

5ml Pink Grapefruit Juice

5ml Lemon Juice

5ml Sugar Syrup

5ml Lime Cordial

Add ice to rocks glass with all ingredients. Stir and garnish with pink grapefruit wedge.

SEEDLIP GARDEN BOOCH (non-alcoholic)

50 ml Seedlip Garden

Ice chunks or cubes

Passionfruit kombucha

Mint leaves

Pour Seedlip over ice and top up with kombucha and garnish with mint.

AVIATION RASBERRY FIZZ

50ml Aviation Gin

25ml raspberry shrub

15ml beetroot juice

20ml lemon juice

20ml egg white

Top with Fever-Tree tonic. Hard dry-shake, wet-shake and strain.

BROOKLYN BEES KNEES

50ml Brooklyn Gin

20ml Lemon Juice

20ml Honey Syrup

Shake gin, lemon juice and honey syrup with ice and serve in a rocks glass with a slice of lemon.