Want to know your dirty from your dry? Or how James Bond forever changed the way the world saw the classic cocktail? Pull up a barstool and get ready to enjoy an evening of shaking, stirring and sipping at Hope on Hopkins, an artisanal distillery in Cape Town.
Highlights
- Learn your dirty from your dry, your perfect from your sweet
- History and basics of the world’s most classic cocktail
- Tasters of five different martinis
- Notes to take away
- Hands on, glasses charged
- An informative learning experience in a distillery environment
- Bringing cocktail culture to your home
Duration
18h00 – 20h00 (+/- 2 hours)
Schedule
- any day by booking request (see book now)
Price
R250 per person
Book any date on request (minimum 12 people)
Overview
Of all the gin-cocktail masterclasses that craft distillers Leigh Lisk and Lucy Beard could have chosen to give, why focus on the martini? Well, partly because it was a huge inspiration behind the first style of gin they crafted – a London Dry. Secondly, because a martini can also be made with vodka, another one of the spirits they’ve created at Hope on Hopkins. Thirdly? Because they’re totally besotted with the classic cocktail and want you to be too.
When arriving at the masterclass, you jump right into the gin-appreciation with a welcome drink made with whichever limited edition gin Hope on Hopkins happen to have at the time – it can be anything from a summery-style gin infused with berries, pink peppercorns, grapefruit zest and pomegranate, to a more wintery infusion of juniper, orange, cinnamon, nutmeg and sour figs.
Next, it’s off to the tasting room on the mezzanine level of the distillery, which offers a bird’s eye view of the distillery floor – and perhaps a sighting of Mimo the distillery cat. After Leigh and Lucy have given you a better idea of what happens in a distillery and how they craft their four artisan spirits, it’s time to get on a first name basis with the martini.
You’ll learn more about its origins, its different styles, how James Bond changed the world’s perception of the drink and, of course, how to make it in all its incarnations. For the perfect martini, you’ll use Hope on Hopkins’ London Dry gin; for a vodka Martini, their small-batch vodka; for a sweet martini, their Salt River gin, and the dirty martini, complete with olive and herbs, their Mediterranean gin. Keeping your stomachs lined will be a platter of bread, cheese and cold meats. You’ll even get a set of crib notes at the end, ensuring that henceforth you’ll be ordering and making martinis like a pro.
What’s included
- The masterclass
- 2 martinis and tasters of a further 3 martinis
- Light snacks
What’s not included
- A meal (light snacks will be provided)
- Transportation – we recommend taking taxis
Important Information
- Booking of minimum 12 people for the experience to go ahead
- Minimum age requirement of 18 years
- No wheelchair access
- Taxis are recommended as this is an alcohol experience
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Photography: Kleinjan Groenewald
2 comments
I have been back twice and told everyone I know! Leigh and Lucy are fantastic hosts and definitely turned me into a genuine Martini fan! HIGHLY recommended experience!
This was a fantastic experience. We received a delicious G&T on arrival, five martini cocktail “tasters” that were quite substantial and more than enough snacks.
Leigh and Lucy are awesome, humble hosts that tell an interesting story about their own distillery, the history of gin and the development of craft gin in SA.