Cape Town is famous for their delicious wine, gorgeous beaches, and beautiful weather, but many people don’t realize it’s also a hub for award-winning gin. Numerous distilleries throughout the city have earned international acclaim, so I think it’s safe to say, Cape Town has mastered the art of gin-making.
This post will give you some of the BEST distilleries to visit in Cape Town. You will be able to try the gin, tour the facilities, and learn all there is to know about gin and various other spirits from the makers themselves.
Pienaar & Son Distilling Co. had one of my favorite gin experiences in Cape Town, which is why I am adding them first! Not only do they offer tastings, but they also offer a chance to craft your very own bottle of gin. You get to choose your botanicals, watch the distillation process in real time, bottle your finished product, and even name it!
André, our gin master, showed us how to select botanicals that complement each other, so our gin would actually taste good. I went with a blend of rose, cardamom, and thyme. Once our bottle was ready, we got to taste a tiny bit, and it turned out great!
How to Book
Gin school happens every Sunday and you just need to book it online. It costs 950 rand for one person which is approximately $51 or 1700 rand for two which is $92. If you don’t want to do gin school, you can also just walk in and do a tasting, but the tasting is included with this experience.
Hope Distillery
Hope Distillery is recognized as the first small-batch distillery in the city and among the first to produce gin entirely from scratch. Their signature range includes a classic London Dry, a bright and herbaceous Mediterranean Gin, and a Cape-inspired Salt River Gin infused with local botanicals. They also produce a range of rums you can sample.
How to Book
to make a tasting appointment, you just have to email office@hopedistillery.co.za. Their cocktail lounge Strangelove has very limited hours and only open certain months, so it’s worth asking, but they offer tastings year round.
Cape of Storms Distilling
Cape of Storms Distilling is an award-winning rum distillery and one of the few in South Africa. They draw inspiration from the region’s diverse landscapes by incorporating local botanicals such as fynbos, and they use African blackstrap molasses as the base for their rum.
They currently have 3 rums available, as well as a gingerbread infused tequila that I tried and in the end bought. It was so good! I got a tour of the facilities, and then I ended the experience with a tasting of all 3 rums. If I had room in my suitcase, I would have bought all 3!
How to Book
You can book a tasting by WhatsApp. The numbers are on this page.
Innocent Spirits
Innocent Spirits is a small distillery that produces a range of 6 rums and gins. They use top-quality base spirits alongside an innovative, patented technology to drastically speed up the traditional aging process.
By combining pressure changes, oxidation, energy, and select extracts, they naturally preserve flavors and reduce maturation time to just 24 hours. This approach significantly cuts down on spirit loss in the barrel and quickly brings their product to market.
They have a unique selection you will be able to try, including a cold brew rum (my personal favorite)! During a tasting, you will try all 6 spirits as well as have a tour of the facility.
How to Book
You can book a tasting on WhatsApp. The numbers are on this page. The tasting costs 140 rand ($7.55)
Hout Bay Harbor Distillery
Hout Bay Distillery is a bit of a trek from Cape Town, but worth it! It’s a small family run distillery and South Africa’s only Double World Award Winning Distillery. They offer a meet the maker experience that was a lot of fun!
This is where I learned that Tonic is the worst mixer for gin because it dilutes the flavor, so still water with a bit of lemon is a great replacement. I have been drinking my gin like that ever since.
The gins they have available are pretty unique. They have a chili infused gin which I was told goes great in a bloody mary, so obviously I had to buy a bottle, since the bloody is my favorite cocktail. They also have lavender, hibiscus, and elderflower gin as well as two award-winning gins: a London dry and a navy gin.
How to Book
You can book the meet your maker experience online for 150 rand ($8.03)
Two Gingers
I had a blast at Two Gingers Craft Gin. Simon, the founder and CEO was my tour guide and honestly, the moment I walked in, it felt like we were instant friends. He poured me a drink, and we chatted for what felt like hours. He gave me a tour of the distillery, and then we sat down for the tasting.
They produce 4 gins, each one representing one of the 4 seasons.
- La Primavera (Spring)
- Soul Flame (Autumn, and my personal favorite)
- Spice Route (Winter)
- Pink Pomela (Summer)
He gave me a taste of each one and after the tasting we had a couple more G&T’s.
How to Book
Tastings take place on Fridays from 14:00 to 16:00 and Saturdays from 11:30 to 14:30 by reservation only and costs 140 rand ($7.50).
Cape Craft Distillery
Cape Craft Distillery is located about 20 minutes from the center of Cape Town in Muizenburg. Matty, the owner and distiller, was kind enough to let me come in for a tasting even though they were closed for the holidays.
We started off with a G&T, and then he proceeded to tell me about the distillery. He brought up jars with all the botanicals they use for distilling, so I could smell them, and then we had the gin tasting. Their signature African dry gin incorporates local botanicals like buchu and wormwood, along with ingredients sourced from Zanzibar and Kenya.
After the tasting I stayed a bit longer and Matty made me a delicious Negroni and gave me so many recommendations for Cape Town.
How to Book
You can book a tasting by messaging through WhatsApp. You can find the number at the very bottom of their website. A tasting costs 145 rand ($7.77). You can also purchase a tasting voucher here.
Where to Stay in Cape Town
Distilleries in Cape Town: FAQ
Do you need to drink to enjoy a distillery tour?
You definitely don’t need to drink to enjoy a distillery tour. If you are interested in the process of how they make the alcohol, then it could be very interesting. I would let the distillery know in advance that you don’t drink so that they can maybe prepare some non-alcoholic drinks for you.
How do you get around Cape Town?
Uber is the best way! When I was there, I didn’t walk much because of safety and Uber was fast, cheap and very convenient.
How long does a typical tour or tasting last?
Typically, you will spend 1 1/2 hours – 3 hours at the distillery.
Are the distilleries family friendly?
You can bring kids to the distilleries, but make sure you bring something for them to do, so you can enjoy your tasting!
Are tours wheelchair-accessible or suitable for those with mobility challenges?
Unfortunately, Cape Town is not the most accessible city, so it’s best to ask ahead of time and make sure it’s accessible before trekking all the way to the distillery.
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