Marula trees grow wild across southern Africa, and their yellow, plum-sized fruit is so loved by elephants that legend credits it with making them tipsy. DESOLATE Gins - Marula is infused with marula harvested in the Outjo region of north-central Namibia, and the brand describes a tangy, refreshing gin in which marula is the star while juniper stays distinctive without being overpowering.

The gin comes from Copper & Coal Distillery, founded in Walvis Bay in 2017 and now based in Windhoek, which crafts small-batch spirits with native ingredients. The marula gin is pot distilled, and every batch is raw and unfiltered, so small differences from one batch to the next are part of its artisanal character. A German retailer lists it at 43% ABV in 0.5 litre bottles and names Andries van Schalkwyk as master distiller.

Marula has a sweet-sour, tropical flavour that can recall guava, pineapple and citrus, with a fragrant skin. It is best known in Amarula, the cream liqueur made from the fruit, but here it meets the dry, resinous edge of juniper, which keeps the tangy fruit bright rather than creamy and gives the gin a clean, refreshing finish.

The DESOLATE range also includes Classic 7, Crystal Clear and a gin made with Namibian devil's claw, another native plant, so each bottle draws on the landscape of the country. Topped with a gentle tonic, the tangy fruit comes through, and a thin lemon wheel underlines its acidity. The gin is also worth tasting neat before adding any mixer, to find the marula on its own.