Brand new beverages

INTRODUCING IRISH DRUMSHANBO GUNPOWDER GIN BRAND NEW BEVERAGES NEW LIQUOR PRODUCTS

In the province of Connacht in the West of Ireland, on the shores of Lough Allen, at the foothills of Sliabh an Iarainn, lies the tiny rural village of Drumshanbo. There you will find PJ Rigney’s The Shed Distillery where medieval copper pot stills are used to fuse oriental botanicals with the local Irish ones. As it turns out, they get on very well indeed. The result of this passionate exploration is Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin – unique, extraordinary and remarkable. In fact, it’s been voted best gin by the Irish! Says Rowan Leibbrandt, founding owner of Truman & Orange (and the liquor distributor bringing South Africa this delightful new premium gin import), “South Africa is now the fifth-largest gin market globally and South Africans are thirsty for unique, premium gins that tell a story. The story behind Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin is like an adult fairytale for curious gin-lovers looking to take the path less travelled when it comes to what they choose to put into their tonic water. It’s the answer for those seeking to be invigorated by new, interesting drinks that are so much more than just a drink; they are experiences in and of themselves.”

If you’re looking for a story, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin is the real deal: the curious mind of PJ Rigney assembles 12 botanicals from across Asia and Ireland and slow-distils them by hand in a medieval copper pot gin still with a unique botanical vapour basket. Eight botanicals are added to the medieval copper pot still, including star anise from China, coriander seed from Romania, angelica root from Germany, caraway seed and cardamom from India, orris root from Morocco, juniper berries from Macedonia and meadowsweet from Ireland. A further four botanicals are then added to the vapour basket: gunpowder tea and Chinese lemon from China; oriental grapefruit from Indonesia and makrut lime from Cambodia. This unlikely concoction is left to rest and mature. Then it’s bottled, labelled and box-packed by hand in the remote Shed Distillery – the first distillery in the West of Ireland in over 101 years – in the wild and rugged Drumshanbo.

Available at most good bottle stores, including Norman Goodfellows, Makro and Pick n Pay Liquor.

Visit: www.trumanandorange.com

TRUMAN & ORANGE LAUNCHES HAYMAN’S OF LONDON GIN

Truman & Orange, the premium drinks company that has grown by 400% since 2016, has launched Hayman’s Gin in South Africa.

Touted as "a gin for people who understand gin", Hayman’s is a true English London dry gin, made in England using a 150-year-old family recipe of just ten botanicals steeped in English wheat spirit for a full day before distillation. It is a fresh, bright and classically balanced gin with crisp citrus, subtle notes of exotic spice and the remarkable depth and complexity traditionally associated with the London dry style. It’s also unquestionably premium. The family ethos behind Hayman’s Gin permeates everything. Fourth generation master distiller Christopher Hayman’s great-grandfather pioneered the classically balanced, traditional style of English gin that inspires Hayman’s Gin when he developed what we know today as Beefeater Gin. When the business was sold in 1987, Christopher took the opportunity to buy back part of the business – renaming it Hayman Distillers and starting a process that would see him realise a long-held ambition to bring back the classically balanced styles of English gin pioneered by his great-grandfather. This year, celebrating 50 years in the gin industry, Christopher Hayman has passed on the hands-on approach of his 49 years of working in English gin to his children, who have taken over the business.

Aside from Hayman’s True English London Dry Gin, a second variant will launch in SA simultaneously: Hayman’s of London’s True English Old Tom Gin. Dating back to a period when gin was more richly flavoured, the generous quantities of botanicals used in the family recipe create a bold citrus and juniper pine character that is rich and rounded on the palate with a beautifully delicate finish. The subtle, underlying sweetness keeps it true to the original style of Victorian gin first enjoyed in 19th-century England. Both variants of Hayman’s of London are available nationwide in all good bottle stores, including Makro, Norman Goodfellows and Pick n Pay Liquor.

Visit: www.trumanandorange.com

AWARD-WINNING AMERICAN "FARM TO GLASS" CRAFT RUM LAUNCHES IN SA

America's only single-estate, single-barrel rum is now available in South Africa.

Richland Rum, a family-owned, awardwinning rum from Georgia, stays true to traditional rum-making standards, with the purest ingredients and a no-rush approach to producing quality products. The brand has been making rum for the past 20 years, using two varietals of sugar cane grown in the sandy soils of the Richland Estate, distilling in copper pots and using oak barrels for maturation.

Because Richland Estate produces sugar cane for use in rum rather than molasses, the agricultural practices are focused on developing the potential flavours of the rum. The sugar cane is processed into cane syrup, then fermented and distilled before being aged in virgin white oak barrels for a minimum of 40 months.

The terroir at Richland — sundrenched skies and summer rains — creates the optimal growing environment for the raw ingredients, “the stage on which the Richland orchestra will compose its masterpiece”, according to Ludgero da Cruz and Douglas Oberwortmann, owners of Covert Distributions, who are responsible for bringing the brand to South Africa. “Richland Rum is a family-run business, where years of tradition have created authenticity, and this was recognised by Forbes, who awarded the title of Best American Rum for 2018 to the Richland Rum Cask Strength,” Da Cruz says. Today almost all commercial rum is made from molasses, a byproduct of sugar refining, rather than the cane syrup used during the 18th and 19th centuries. Richland Rum practices ultra-high sustainability farming methods as part of its farming practice, which comes not as a cost-saving exercise but with a desire to protect the available resources. Four expressions of Richland Rum are now available in South Africa – Virgin Coastal Georgia Rum, Old South Georgia Rum, Chateau Elan Port Cask Exchange and Old South Georgia Rum Terrapin Double IPA Cask Exchange. The rums can be enjoyed at Cause|Effect and the Athletic Social Club in Cape Town and are sold by selected retail outlets including Norman Goodfellows and Bar Keeper.

Visit: www.richlandrum.com

NEW HEINEKEN 0.0: GREAT TASTING, ALCOHOL-FREE BEER

Heineken presents its latest innovation, Heineken 0.0, an alcohol-free lager brewed with a unique recipe for a distinct balanced taste – and only 69 calories per 330ml bottle. The brand’s iconic green label has been turned blue – the colour associated with the alcohol-free category. The integrated launch campaign includes a TV commercial, digital media, out-ofhome and experiential activations plus on- and off-trade promotions. Master brewers of Heineken’s beer created the new alcohol-free beer using only natural ingredients, resulting in a beer brewed for beer lovers by beer lovers. Willem van Waesberghe, the global craft and brewmaster at Heineken, said; “Removing alcohol from regular 5% Heineken beer would have been easy, but it wouldn’t deliver the best-tasting non-alcoholic beer. Heineken 0.0 beer is brewed from scratch and has a perfectly balanced taste with refreshing fruity notes and soft malty body.” “Heineken 0.0 opens up new occasions for beer lovers or those making healthier lifestyle choices without having to compromise on taste. Now you can enjoy the unique and refreshing taste of Heineken 0.0 any time of the day, whether after exercise or while watching an early morning game,” said Heineken marketing manager Lauren Muller. Heineken is committed to introducing new and innovative products to meet consumer needs. Heineken has seen strong growth in the alcohol-free segment and expects this to continue, driven by the global cultural trend of living a balanced, healthy lifestyle. Heineken 0.0 gives consumers a choice for all their drinking occasions, without compromising on quality. Available in 16 markets around the world, Heineken 0.0 is available in South Africa in a 330ml bottle and a 330ml can.