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Nairobi embraced World Gin Day this year by mixing up traditional gin recipes with bold local flavours, proving that the best cocktail innovations happen when global spirits meet local creativity.
World Gin Day began in 2009, thanks to Neil Houston from the UK, who wanted to encourage more people to enjoy gin. What began as a small event has exploded into a movement that reaches over 200 million people across social media and has events in more than 30 countries.
This year’s celebrations in Nairobi highlighted how brands are giving gin a fresh twist. At the Holiday Inn Two Rivers, mixologists showed off some creative ways to mix gin with Kenya’s tea culture.
They served up drinks like the Simple & Zesty, which combines gin with hibiscus tea and simple syrup and the Ginger Amber, which is a combination of gin, honey syrup and lemon-ginger tea.
“We know Kenyans have a rich tea-drinking culture embedded in our identity,” explained Elizabeth Otieno, Brand Manager, Gordon’s gin, highlighting how these innovations make gin more locally relevant.
At Geco Café, Gilbeys gin set up a special pop-up gin room where they hosted a master class that focused on creating “Real Moments.” Attendees got to learn how to mix various cocktails, like the Roxy which is a combination of gin with raspberry pink peppercorn syrup, and the Uncle Tommy, which includes crème de cassis for a richer taste.
These innovative drinks show just how much Nairobi’s gin scene has moved beyond the classic gin and tonic.
World Gin Day invites people to gather, celebrate and enjoy, and this year, Nairobi embraced that spirit with a great mix of local and global flavours.
