It has been over 400 days of living with this new normal – a life of chaos and unpredictability – but we won’t allow this to get us down! Having a good sense of humour is important so if we can’t enjoy the outdoor events, we’ll create our own indoor social vibes and stay safe while having fun!

Nothing releases the pressure like a beautifully ornate cocktail glass filled with a refreshing G&T. A gin and tonic is the perfect pick me up to beat the winter blues and making one at home empowers you to learn a new skill that is bound to infuse new flavour into your dinner nights once we can get back to our “normal” social lives.

There are a few things in life to enjoy quite like a perfectly blended G&T, yet not many of us have taken the time to craft our skills in mixing the perfect cocktail. We’ve gotten used to adding key ingredients and accepting it as is, but there is a real way to enjoy this beverage if you master the basics. So, let’s get practising making the perfect gin cocktail.

Your very own homemade G&T

Making the perfect G&T cocktail at home is easy. The 1st Principles Team has put together an easy one-two-three gin cocktail recipe  that you can enjoy in the safety of your home.

Complete this delicious mix with a passionate stir (why would you want to do it any other way?) and top it off by adding ice to your liking. Now stand back, admire your new craft and Voilà! You’ve now got the means to create the perfect blues buster.

All you need to make a perfectly refreshing gin cocktail is the right, organic ingredients and a touch of love. Based in Vredendal, South Africa, who is perhaps best known for its beautiful display of wild flowers, 1st Principles Distillery uses fresh, locally grown as well as imported botanicals to distill only the best artisanal gin.

Beat the lockdown fatigue by making a refreshing Gin Cocktail at home. This DIY Gin Cocktail Kit comes with easy one-two-three instructions and all the G&T ingredients you need to get started. It is the perfect pick-me-up to enjoy in the safety of your home.

From Sauvignon Blancto a sparkling Chenin Blanc, we’ve got you covered with some of the best local wines to choose from. Their Sauvignon Blanc originated from Koekenaap, this area is known for its cold winds, which was perfect for the production of this refreshing wine. What makes this wine extra special is the fact that it is made from organic grapes and after the intense process of formulating this you’re left with a unique end product filled with tropical tones and a natural sour taste, exactly the way an authentic Sauvignon Blanc should taste.

Moving on we get to Heaven On Earth, this product, also from Koekenaap, is made with grapes when they are at their best to produce a natural sweetness and it is also made with organic production in mind. With its natural sweetness from the syrup, it is as the name leads on, surely heavenly!

For the more adventurous wine lovers, we have the sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir and the sparkling Chenin Blanc. Both these products are produced using the best organic methods and ingredients, carbon dioxide is added to give it its sparkling magic, the sparkling Chenin Blanc is filled with stunning fruity tones. These two options are the perfect accessory for a celebration.

Lastly, we have the no sulphur added options, these are made where the wine sulphur level is equal to or smaller than 10 parts, this is the perfect option for wine lovers who are sensitive to sulphur, now you can enjoy your favourite wine of choice without the punishment.

The quality products used by the Stellar team and their impeccable record for using organic methods are what makes them transcendent and the perfect option to add to the diverse 1st Principles range of exquisite alcoholic products for you to enjoy.

As a little girl, I remember us visiting this family friend, think fabulous with a capital F, and I can remember walking into her house and seeing these tall strange looking drinks standing on the marble countertops, at first I thought, who drinks soup in a glass? Fast forward a few years and I now know what these were, a delicious Bloody Mary and she, this capital letter F aunt, flaunted them like an extra fabulous accessory.

The ingredients for a Bloody Mary is simple and easy to come by, Vodka, Lemon Juice, Tomato Juice, Pepper, Salt, Tobasco (optional) and Worcester sauce, but the key to creating an exceptional drink is using high-quality ingredients and not just any that are available to you. Think, a top-quality one-of-a-kind tomato vodka processed with solar energy, tomatoes fresh from the farm next door and a proud Worcester sauce locally sourced and put together by 1st Principles, and there you have it, the “mother of all Bloody Marys”.

Arriving at 1st Principles you are greeted by the beautiful sights of a grape farm and a large bamboo plantation blooming just outside the distillery doors. The whole atmosphere radiates hard work and passion, I feel like a kid in a Willy Wonka factory, only it is something more bitter brewing around me.

The warm welcome from 1st Principles owner, Joubert Roux and his daughter Anya is nothing short of 5-star courtesy and you immediately feel at home. The tasting is kicked off with a tour of the equipment, distilling process, different types of methods used for each spirit and a quick smell here and there of what is cooking. Joubert takes pride in providing detailed oversight of the entire operation and it shows his enthusiasm for his business.

A quick tasting follows next, guests will get an overview and quick taste of each product available at 1st Principles and especially how each of these change by simply adding water, you taste with a quick dip of the tongue a few times, flavour usually catches up with you after the third drop. I know a few brave souls who will forgo the dipping technique and down it like a university student, to you, I simply say, good luck.

Lastly, you are taken to a beautiful outdoor area in front of the distillery, where you’ll be surrounded by the enchanting bamboo landscape and greeted to the next part of your tasting.

Different shapes and sizes of branded glassware are stacked all over the long wooden table and a variety of condiments are displayed nearby. Joubert starts by making his tonic, yes his very own blend from scratch, and carefully mixes a variety of different drinks – each with its unique flavour. A quick explanation of each flavour and a guide to making their delicious cocktails and you’re on your way to becoming a spirit queen or king.

The day ends with a few laughs, good conversation and a refreshing drink in hand – this is an experience worth having!

Book your own distillery visit or tasting at 1st Principles.

The word is out – Rooibos is now a “superfood” and 1st Principles have got the means for you to stay on top of your monthly super fix!

For years we’ve seen health gurus try and make Khale appealing, but let’s face it, this superfood was difficult to deal with. Along comes the news of Rooibos now considered a must-have in your daily life and we have the means to make this one easy to deal with and accessible.

Two words, Rooibos Gin, so sit back and listen as I explain the health benefits of this “super drink”. We can all agree that taking at least one evening out of our busy schedules a week to relax and unwind is necessary for a healthy balance in life, why not do this with a 1st Principles Rooibos Gin and kickstart your Rooibos quota for the month.

Rooibos Gin from 1st Principles combines freshly brewed local Rooibos, claims a grain-spirit base and parades itself as a classic dominant dry style gin must-have. Why turn to traditional options when you can enjoy a refreshing option and make your doctor proud, a bottle a day right?

As I sit back and start sipping on my Rooibos fix I start to think, will Honeybush be the next superfood? Two words, Honeybush Gin!

The 1st Principles team encourages healthy drinking habits.

You are the real deal – a true brandy lover. You buy organic products, because of fairness in agricultural markets, you support local artists because you love your culture and you enjoy meat-free Mondays because you love the planet. So why change your real habits when it comes to drinking?

1st Principle brandy – the real McCoy, made by and alongside Nature. The team did not bother with extra ingredients like sugar or alternative sweeteners (100% unsweetened goodness in a glass) and they definitely went for all organic products, so it seems you’ve found your drink! The products are not all organic though – the VS and VSOP are but single barrel. That one has a story all of its own – rescued from the obscurity of a blend!

Their brandy’s ingredients are locally produced and sourced, each item hand-picked by the team to ensure only the best. They pride themselves on creating a brandy option that is entirely unadulterated, complete & absolute, what you see is what you get, that real tasting brandy!

When I started out as a writer for this amazing brand I am ashamed to admit I had little knowledge of how wine/grapes formed part of the process, sure the name should have given it away and yes my home language, Afrikaans, made it even more clear “brandewyn” – clearly wine is involved. Being a wine drinker at heart – made me love and appreciate it so much more.

So I set out to research what is needed for a good brandy, not an easy task I might add, especially if you’re dealing with a product this raw and pure.

Firstly I stumble upon an iTunes playlist – this had me sidetracked for at least 5 minutes and then the information started rolling in!

Let’s take a look at a summary of the brandy process; in this case the single barrel 1st Principles option. Quality local products are scouted alongside the winemaker who plays a paramount role in the harvest of the ingredients used, after this the product is slowly matured in high-quality oak barrels and you’re left with a one-of-a-kind drink.

Spoonuniversity (appreciate the name!) talks about many aspects of brandy, especially that it should be appreciated, they also mention how strong it is, so drink with caution or a buddy. Brandy is usually well-aged, which means it was well looked after, made to perfection, and not rushed, precision is key. In the case of 1st Principles, they kept it real and authentic for a long time and created an outstanding quality product you get to brag with at a braai!