SALM TEAM 
Exploring gin’s roots and recipes this World Gin Day
It’s undeniable that gin has certainly had its time in the limelight over the last few years, with bottle store shelves packed full of different flavours and variations. However, gin hasn’t always enjoyed its current trendy status. Initially, this Dutch spirit, then called jenever from the Dutch word for juniper, was crafted for medicinal purposes. Gin lovers the world over can thank 17th-century professor Franciscus Sylvius for creating the spirit we know and love today, which first gained popularity when it was introduced to English soldiers in the 18th century.
Fast forward over three hundred years, and today we observe a special occasion (World Gin Day) to honour the spirit’s rich heritage, while the global gin market is projected to yield revenue exceeding 300 billion Rand this year alone.
What was the first gin cocktail ever made?
It can be tricky to officially specify the first-ever gin cocktail, particularly because pinpointing when cocktails first arose is not so clear. Nonetheless, it’s said that the first recorded mention of the word “cocktail” was in 1806, and detailed a mixture of gin and ginger – sounds delightful, doesn’t it?
Supposedly, two different drinks are in competition for the esteemed spot of “first gin cocktail.” They are:
Gin and Angostura bitters: Originating from a captain and surgeon aboard the HMS Hercules in the early 1800s, this beautifully uncomplicated concoction aligns with the medicinal roots of cocktails and gin itself.
Gin and citrus blends: Initially sipped on to combat scurvy, a combination of gin and lime juice was popular with sailors in the 1800s. Scurvy aside, and with a splash of tonic water, the cocktail would still be a hit today.
Celebrate World Gin Day with a homemade cocktail
Bayab Buck cocktail
All this cocktail talk is probably making you thirsty, and World Gin Day should not come and go without a mouth-watering homemade recipe courtesy of Bayab Gin:
The Bayab Gin range is straightforward and versatile, boasting the perfect balance of botanicals. Baobab fruit takes centre stage in the distillery’s range, with its delightful sweet and tangy citrus flavour. The Bayab Gin range is further enhanced with juniper berries, coriander, rosemary, cinnamon, coarse salt, lemon and orange peel, sourced in six African countries: Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa.
The Bayab Buck
Ingredients
60ml of Bayab African Classic Dry Gin
15ml Mango Monin
15ml Supasawa or lime juice
Top it with Ginger beer
Method
Add all the ingredients to a highball filled with ice. Garnish with a slice of lime and enjoy.
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