Behold Monks Mary Jane. Shrouded in secrecy, enrobed in the ethereal and infused with a potion of hemp, slangbos and renosterbos, it’s a taste of the decidedly divine.
So reads the blurb on the back of the rather gorgeous Monks Mary Jane pack. If that doesn’t strike you as unorthodox, the intriguing selection of ingredients in Monks’ multi award-winning gins surely will.
For over a decade, serial entrepreneurs and self-confessed adventurers Nic and Di Davis have shared a farm with fifth-generation Breede Valley wine farmers Coenie and Edelgard Lategan. In 2017 the friends turned their attention to the business of gin, and they haven’t looked back. Crowd favourite, Mary Jane, the latest in the line of Monks gins and the first ever hemp-infused gin in South Africa, launched hot on the heels of Mysterium, the firstborn, and Medella, the middle child.
Getting into the details, Monks is a London dry gin, handcrafted and double-distilled in small batches using a hybrid artisanal still called ‘Jennifer’, named after Nic’s mother and of Nic’s own design. Expect intensely flavour-forward botanicals, nine of them hand-picked and many endemic to the area.
Combine with crystal-clear mountain waters and the result is a rewarding one, featuring ripples of citrus, berries and Cape Buchu. In addition to numerous South African awards, the Medella was named Best SA Classic Gin at the World Gin Awards held in London in 2019 while the Mary Jane walked away with Best SA Contemporary gin. A true endorsement of their magical qualities.
While Monks makes no claims whatsoever as to the health benefits of their gins, the key ingredients in each make for interesting reading. Mysterium is infused with, among other things, the herb Sceletium, a natural mood enhancer sometimes referred to as the ‘pathway to the gods’. Medella features blueberries, farmed by the Lategans and well known as a vitamin-rich superfood high in antioxidants; while Mary Jane is endowed with hemp, widely accepted as a miracle plant.
Make Monks the magic ingredient in your next cocktail. Add a dash of their CBD Indian Tonic Water or a splash of their Grapefruit, Basil and star anise cocktail syrup and experience a taste of something gratifyingly glorious.
Visitors to the distillery tasting room in the beautiful Breede Valley are welcome. For more information and best serves visit www.monksgin.co.za
Picture/s: supplied