When the sun is out and the days are hot, an ice cold GnT is a gift from the gods. Gin is officially a thing in Cape Town.
Between dedicated gin bars, local distilleries and interesting gin cocktails, finding something new and interesting in the gin-o-sphere is tough. That was until Fitch & Leedes released their newest creation – Rose and cucumber flavoured pink tonic.
Fitch & Leedes is one of the leading mixer brands on the market. It is the first choice of mixer at most places in Cape Town. The secret to their success? The drinks are specifically made to complement and enhance the tastes of the spirits they are mixed with, rather than drown them out. That’s why when they started developing their new flavoured pink tonic they worked a bit with Hope on Hopkins gin to perfect their recipe. This was to make sure the pink tonic worked well with fine gins – and their hard work paid off.
The pink colour is beautiful and light. It looks so good when you pour it into a clear glass – almost luminous. The subtle notes of rose and cucumber add a hint of flavour to your drink, without over powering the spirit. We got to try the tonic with Hope on Hopkins’ Esperanza, London Dry, Salt River and Mediterranean gins. The gin helped highlight certain tones in the different drinks. This allows you to have some fun when making your GnT.
While at a tasting of the pink tonic with Hope on Hopkins gin, we were given a challenge to find the perfect accompaniment. We were given a whole host of ingredients to add to our GnT to find the best combination. There was everything from chilli and cinnamon to basil and berries. We were one of the wining GnTs, with our star aniseed, cinnamon and clove addition to the Lucy’s Last of the Summer gin and pink tonic. Even if you don’t want to get fancy, the pink tonic is more than enough to make for an awesome GnT.