GIN
Cardinal gin
Raise your glass to Pienaar & Son, Cape Town’s newest craft distillery
“Start a tradition,” exhorts a sign at Cape Town’s newest craft distillery tucked down a little alley close to Parliament in Cape Town. After tasting Pienaar & Son’s two gins, that’s something I fully intend on doing.
The first, Empire, is an instant classic – with fresh, clean notes of pine, lemon, lime and cucumber. Great for fans of London Dry-style gins, it’s perfect with tonic and slices of fresh cucumber on a hot afternoon. The second, Orient, is a feistier option, with eastern spices, orange peel, ginger and vanilla hints. Pair with tonic or ginger ale and orange slices as a pre-dinner drink on windswept evenings.
“Every single bottle is slightly different to the next which I really like,” Pienaar says: they’re all screen printed by hand, and signed by him. All in all, he believes the design (by Cassandra Leigh Studio) conveys “an image that is ‘fresh’ but not ‘trendy’ and ‘new’ but not ‘intimidating’.”
What’s up next? A vodka, of course! Waskis, an extra neutral spirit, will be launched this February once Pienaar is satisfied that his tweaking has brought about the quality he wants.
Book a tasting (by appointment only) at pienaarandson.co.za