Capetonians are still nurturing our gin habits. What’s not to love about gin? Its crisp, sharp and has a wonderfully unique taste. You can enjoy it sweet or not, always stirred – never shaken.
Many gin distilleries have popped up in Cape Town, which made way for the Mother City’s very own Gin Route. While there are many ways to drink gin, which one is the right way?
Here’s the quintessential way to enjoy Cape Town’s favourite tipple:
USE A CURVED GLASS
A curved glass, such as a whiskey glass, is recommended when having gin neat. The shape is designed for tasting neat spirits specifically. A small bowl is also recommended as it allows you to swirl the spirit and unleash more of the aromas.
SNIFF COFFEE BETWEEN SIPS
Sniffing coffee beans between sips will help reset your senses. If you do not have any coffee beans on hand, try sniffing the back of your hand – apparently this resets your senses.
SWIRL YOUR GLASS
Hold the glass to your nose and take a brief sniff – be careful not to inhale too deeply as this can cause the gin’s bouquet to overpower your nose.
SMELL GIN ON YOUR HANDS TOO
To get a better whiff of your gin, cover the top of your glass with your hand, tip it over and allow the gin to wet the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together, cup them and then take a sniff; this will better reveal the complexity of the spirit.
HOW TO DRINK GIN AFTER NOSING IT
– Take a sip and see whether you pick up the same flavours you did when nosing the gin.
– Allow the spirit to settle onto your tongue before swirling it around in your mouth – this will help you detect other aromas.
– Swallow your gin, but pause to detect which flavours linger on your palate.
Test out your new gin-tasting skills at one of the Gin Route’s distilleries, or swing by the The Gin Bar on Wale Street.
Picture: Johnathan Miksanek/Pexels