Cape Town
(a small-leafed succulent indigenous to South Africa), she jokes, “I for one don’t have a palate so sophisticated I can taste 42 botanicals at a time.” I laugh. It’s just gone noon and I’m fairly drunk. I sway smilingly into Hope on Hopkins in the
neighboring industrial suburb of Salt River. Run by partners and former lawyers Lucy Beard and Leigh Lisk, the distillery draws inspiration from the many years the two spent living overseas. With its open tasting room overlooking the production floor, and its two huge, gleaming stills (named Mildred and Maude), it’s also very, very big compared to the other two inner city gin producers. Apart from producing three of its own flagship gins, Hope on Hopkins creates gin for various clients and crafts limited-release runs — such as Lucy’s Winter Warmer, which is infused with juniper, orange, cinnamon, nutmeg and sour figs. Tey’re also catering to a much bigger fanbase than
ever before. “In the two years that we’ve been going, we’ve seen people go from drinking gin but not being that interested in it, to wanting to know all about it and being keen to learn,” says Lucy. “It’s amazing to sit at a bar listening to people talking about gin in the same way that you’d talk about coffee or wine.” Booking in advance is recommended for Hope on Hopkins’ gin tastings — which take place every Saturday afternoon — and while you probably won’t arrive drunk, I can’t promise you’ll be sober when you leave.
Boutique bars Te next bar is hard to miss, situated on trendy Bree
Street, the road to trawl for all things artisanal and bespoke — from locally made designer handbags to a restaurant dedicated exclusively to bacon. Sundowners turn to nightcaps here in Mother’s Ruin, as the city’s beautiful people spill out onto the sidewalk. Tis updated colonial house is the place where you can try more than 90 types of local and international gin, overhear intimate details of the Cape Town dating scene in the crush for the bar and drink your gin with juice without worrying that you’re offending the purists. Te cocktail list offers a mix of ‘Olden Day Classics’
and what they call ‘Gin Re-invented’, an imaginative selection of drinks that prove that tonic isn’t the only mixer in the world. At the charming barman’s recommendation, I go for the Klein Slaaitjie (literally, ‘small salad’), a hefty glass of gin, elderflower cordial, tonic, fresh mint and fresh cucumber. It’s so good that I dig my fingers between the ice cubes to eat the garnish (just lining my stomach for later, of course). Te creatively named Gin Bar is a sanctuary compared
to Mother’s Ruin — locals call it the ‘secret’ gin bar. Just down Wale Street from the historic Bo-Kaap district, the colorful center of Cape Malay culture, this speakeasy-style bar is modeled on a vintage apothecary. Its enchanting fairy light-decked courtyard is accessed through artisanal store Honest Chocolate, and it hurts to tear myself away from the piles of brownies and truffles. Gin Bar’s four signature drinks — variations on the classic G&T, each with a different tonic, gin and ▶
Exploring Cape Town and beyond
Bushwhisper offers a 17-day tour of South Africa, starting in Johannesburg and ending in Cape Town. Experiences in the Cape include the Winelands, Cape Point, Table Mountain, Hout Bay and the city itself. Attractions along the way include the wondrous Kruger National Park, the vibrant township of Soweto, Durban’s buzzing beaches, the natural beauty of Swaziland and the majestic Drakensburg mountains. This thrilling and comprehensive tour covers virtually all of South Africa’s must-see attractions. Includes accomodation, transfers, game drives and activities as per the itinerary, meals where indicated, tea/coffees, services of a professional guide, and transport in specialized safari vehicles. International flights not included. From $3281 per person.
bushwhisper.co.za
From top: Hope on Hopkins distillery; jigger pour
Africa Travel Inc offers a 10-day tour of Cape Town and Kruger National Park. Highlights include a helicopter flight across the Atlantic Seaboard in Cape Town, a cable car up Table Mountain and a visit to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. The city itself is yours to explore, from the glorious V&A Waterfront to the white-sand beaches of Camps Bay. Kruger National Park offers close encounters with the Big Five through twice-daily game drives. Includes all flights, accomodation, fuel surcharges, government taxes, departure taxes. From $4,895 per person.
africantravelinc.com
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