If there are two things that get my subscribers going, they are dogs and recipes. From Colorado to France to Sydney, my readers react, which is a great sign. Well, here we have six dogs– Six Dogs Gin. Now if that isn’t a name which intrigues you, I don’t know what will. If, like me, you look at these products and say –Is it Gin or some kind of wine? Well no, it’s definitely gin made with juniper, gin with a difference, quirky, off beat, interesting, delicious.
Six Dogs Distillery is a South African craft distillery that was dreamed into being by distiller Charles Bryant, his brother Glenn (the marketing bloke), and their friend Luigi Marucchi, in 2016. It is located in a completely idyllic nook of the Hex River Valley, called De Wet, right on the cusp of the Winelands and the Karoo.
It’s complete magic. It’s where the wild things grow.
This terroir simply had to be celebrated.
And so they set to work creating a distillery in the shed that used to house their 6 much-loved dogs (hence the name), featuring a custom-designed copper still that used to be a geyser. From these humble beginnings, it quickly grew into a world-renowned gin company that remained true to its authentic roots even as it sprouted wings both locally, and beyond the pond.
It is here that they passionately crafted a range of award-winning gins, including Six Dogs Karoo Gin, the first ever to include botanicals from the Karoo; Six Dogs Blue Gin, the first of its kind in Africa; and Six Dogs Honey Lime Gin, which also flouted convention by including honey, which was also a major game-changer in itself.
Like the wine variant, Six Dogs Pinotage Stained Gin is deep in colour and bold in flavour with notes of black cherry, plum, black currant, and some tasty tannin. While each year’s grapes bring unique (albeit subtle) variants in taste, the juniper-forward flavour is consistent.
This singular spirit really pushes the boundaries between liquor categories and is often likened to grappa, Cognac, or smoky whiskey. Plus, like a good red wine, its flavours develop in the glass, with each sip getting more complex and intriguing.
Visit www.sixdogs.com and join their community @sixdogsdistillery