Kindred Spirits adds to festive cheer with new glitter gin

FROM the team responsible for Sugarbird gin, brandy and rum, and the lockdown-inspired set of Kindred Spirits brands, has come up with another exciting new product just in time for Christmas – Lean on Me Glitter Gin.

Having already bagged two gold medals this year, at the SA Women’s Wine and Spirit Awards and at VitisVinifera, Lean On Me now has a festive season twist, with the addition of edible glitter that floats within the snowy Christmas scene.

“Shake it up and watch it sparkle. For this wonderful time of the year we decided to give this special gin a little twist,” says Sugarbird managing director Matt Bresler, of the perfectly rounded Cape Dry gin, which has refreshing undertones of citrus peel, Cape fynbos and juniper. Top notes of hibiscus, rose geranium and a hint of buchu make this floral-driven gin, uniquely South African.

Besides two brandies, Kindred Spirits produces Howler, an aged Rum spirit aperitif; Año de los Muertos, made from Karoo agave hearts; and Granny’s Bear sipping Vodka, using melted snow from the Cape’s Matroosberg mountains to create the perfect Afro-Russian drinking experience. 

Kindred Spirits is also behind the popular Sugarbird Gin Advent Calendar, which makes the perfect stocking filler and Christmas gift. The Sugarbird Festive Gin Crackers will bring excitement to the table with a beautiful pack of six crackers each containing a mini of a different gin variants, including the team’s newest gin flavour – Sugarbird Cape Holly and Wild Plum, inspired by both the season and Cape trees.

“We pride ourselves on imparting a taste of Africa into each of our brands, using locally grown, and where possible, indigenous ingredients, like Cape fynbos, Cape honey, Karoo agave and fruits from indigenous trees,” says Bresler. “Although unique, each brand shares the same unwavering commitment to bringing our consumers the highest calibre ingredients and distilling techniques, which makes them, as a collective, Kindred Spirits.”

Bresler says the pandemic had seen buyers increasingly looking for value for money. “The consumers’ appetite for price point has changed and we are proud to have created a quality, award-winning gin at a retail price of R199. Kindred Spirits has always aimed to offer value for money, and we have also put our money where our mouth is with our flagship brand, by increasing the size of our 500ml Sugarbird gins to a 750ml bottle, for the same price.”

The new year will see the launch of an online store for all Kindred Spirits products, including the recently launched Sugarbird and Ja Nee Fok brandies. Until then, all products are available at Takealot.com, Smous Online, Quench.mobi and other online and physical retail outlets.

Lean on Me Glitter gin (RSP R229.95), Gin Crackers (RSP R249.95) and GinVent Calendars (RSP R349.95) are available on Takealot, Smous Online, Quench.Mobi and selected independent liquor stores.