The Twelve Botanical Gin

Twelve hand-selected botanicals are infusedInfusionFruit or plants are steeped in the spirit to release their flavour. Done after distillation, infusion often adds colour too, and the gin can no longer be called London Dry.Glossary by vapour in The Twelve Botanical Gin. Johannesburg Distilling Company makes it in small batchesSmall batchProduction in small quantities per distillation run, often in a small still. The term has no legal definition.Glossary and bottles it at 43% ABV. Juniper is among the twelve botanicals of this South African gin.

Citrus · Spicy

The palate is smooth, leading to a warm, spicy finish accompanied by gentle citrus notes. JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary sets a dry, resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary tone at the start, and the texture stays soft before the spice builds. That warmth grows gradually rather than all at once, and the citrus keeps the end of each sip fresh.

Johannesburg Distilling Company was founded by Brett Haggard in 2016 and began formal research and development in 2020. His business partner Lionel Lurie is an industrial designer and stainless-steel specialist. The company makes spirits in a microdistillery on Corlett Drive, and for most of them it ferments molasses with water and French yeast before distilling. The Twelve Botanical Gin, offered in a 750 ml bottle, won silver with 88 points at the 2024 London Spirits Competition.

For a Grapefruit Ginloma, salt the rim of a highballHighballA long drink served in a tall, straight glass with plenty of ice: a spirit topped with soda or tonic. The word also names the glass.Glossary glass. Shake 7 cl gin, 6 cl fresh grapefruit juice, 3 cl fresh lime juice, a generous splash of agave and 6 cl soda water with ice. Pour into the glass and garnish with a grapefruit wedge. The fresh juices complement the gin's citrus notes, while agave balances the drink's tartness. The salted rim sharpens the grapefruit and lime, and soda water keeps the long drink light. The producer also suggests the gin neat, in a dry martiniDry MartiniGin and a little dry vermouth, stirred over ice and served in a well-chilled stemmed glass, with an olive or a twist.Glossary or simply with tonic.