15 Best South African Gins (2020)

Bloedlemoen is a small-batch craft gin produced with a range of 10 botanicals. This gin is distilled in the heart of Woodstock at the Hope on Hopkins distillery.

The label features a refreshing design created by local painter Lorraine Loots.

A Mari Atlantic Ocean Gin draws it’s flavours from the West Coast of Cape Town.

This premium, award-winning craft gin is infused with indigenous Cape Coastal Fynbos and is made using distilled water sourced from the Atlantic Ocean!

A harmonious collection of Cape Floral Kingdom botanical is what makes Autograph Gin stand out.

This handcrafted craft gin has a deep flavour profile and a warmth contrasted by refreshing citrus notes.

It’s a delicious African dry gin with fragrant and flavourful botanicals. There is also a good chance that your bottle was distilled by the youngest gin distiller in the country, Matt Beech a 21-year-old trained mixologist, mentored by the godfather of craft gin.

This craft gin deserves it’s own section, for its savoury, spicy taste and unique origins.

Hope On Hopkins Mediterranean is distilled using grape spirit, as opposed to the more common grain spirit bases.

Infused with flavours from the Mediterranean such as olive, fresh herbs, cardamom and orange. Hope On Hopkins Mediterranean has a unique, fresh, and clean taste.

This craft gin gets its name from the medicinal botanicals used in the distillation process. Muti comes from the Zulu word “umuthi” which translated loosely means medicine.

These medicinal botanicals are collected from two Cape coastlines, the Sunshine Coast and the West Coast.

Their logo is inspired by these two coasts and the the sand upon which the medicinal botanicals are found.  Coincidentally a sandy beach on the South African coast happens to be the best spot to enjoy a G&T as the sun sets!

Pienaar & Son pride themselves on the beautiful balance that Empire Gin brings to the palate as well as the deliciously fruity tasting experience it provides.

Empire Gin is a London Dry style gin with carefully selected botanicals from the shores of Cape Town.

Made from a neutral grain spirit, Empire Gin has signature cucumber undertones and deliciously fruit yet complex palate. It’s brimming with flavour!

Clemengold gin, like Bloedlemoen, is produced by Hope on Hopkins in Woodstock.

Inspired by South Africa’s favourite mandarin – the clemengold!

Clemengold is a refreshing craft gin with lovely citrus notes to excite your palate.

Finery handcrafted gin incorporates botanicals from the Cape, with a refreshing grapefruit infusion.

This craft gin was created by South African media personality Jeannie D, and is produced in small batches.

The label design is unique featuring fine hand illustration of a grapefruit and intriguing typography. A beautiful bottle that stands out in any drinks cabinet!

Cape Fynbos Gin is infused with the best the Cape Floral Kingdom has to offer, featuring a wide range of 33 botanicals!

It showcases the rich Cape Floral Kingdom, with a deep flavour profile of smooth floral notes and citrus undertones.

Six Dogs Blue is is named after the smallest dog in the distillers pack of 6.

It’s blue colour is derived from the Blue Pea flower and includes no artificial colours. If you are looking for a great party trick, this gin turns a beautiful pink colour when combined with tonic water due to the change in pH.

The Blue Pea flower has been used in ancient medicine to provide relief from depression, toxicity in the body, and stress while slowing the ageing process and improving skin.

We’re not saying that drinking enough Six Dogs Blue will magically make you 30 years younger – but it’s an excuse to have an extra tot for sure!

Blind Tiger is another example of gin distilled in small batches using the traditional pot still technique.

It features a range of 5 main botanicals that lend themselves to creating this delicious craft gin with a fresh crisp and exciting aroma.

Combining it’s range of 11 signature botanicals, Musgrave created it’s Pink variation, with a stunning colour and intriguing floral flavour profile.

Rosehips and the infusion of rosewater provide this craft gin with a subtle exciting perfume, and enticing flavour.

Inverroche Amber craft gin is produced in small batch distillations, with each batch consisting of only 250 bottles.

It’s the best seller out of their 3 flavours – Verdant, infused with fynbos from the mountains of the Cape Floral Kingdom, Classic, infused with limestone-rich soils of the lowlands of the Cape Floral Kingdom, and Amber hails from the coastal region and dunes of the Cape Floral Kingdom.

Infused with Périgord Truffles, Graphite Truffle gin is dark and mysterious.

It’s bold dark hue remains unchanged by tonic water and garnishes – making it a very visually intriguing craft gin.

Under the right light, the mixture can mesmerise with its deep purple red hue.

With a smooth bodied texture, and a range of deep, earthy flavours Indlovu’s Elephant Dung Gin is rich and aromatic.

The core ingredients, as you can probably guess by now, are derived from (thoroughly washed and cleaned) elephant dung!

Elephants can only digest around half of what they consume, which leaves plenty of room to harvest rich botanicals consumed in their diet.

Once extracted, these botanicals are infused during the distillation process to provide a unique set of flavours paying homage to Africa.

15% of the profits made from the sale of Indlovu are donated to Africa Foundation to support their work in wildlife conservation at Phinda Game Reserve!