Sugarbird
Est. 2017
Sugarbird was founded in 2017 with the goal of creating a gin with a perfect balance between floral and citrus notes combining traditional gin ingredients with unique, flavourful and diverse “fynbos” plant species. These local ingredients bring something unique and special creating a gin like no other. The “Sugarbird” is one of 6 bird species that occurs only in this tiny part of the world where fynbos grow.
Original Cape Fynbos
Founder, scientist, and fynbos junkie, Matthew Bresser crafted the Original Cape Fynbos gin aiming to showcase the unique citrus and floral notes the fynbos botanicals offer. Using local ingredients including traditional citrus, Matthew used honeybush and leaves from a fynbos plant Pelargonium graveolens (local rose geranium). This gin’s most distinctive fynbos hero is Agathosma betulina whose leaves are carefully harvested at a particular time of year to assure the minty camphor freshness (that juniper normally brings), while still allowing it to enhance fruitiness with black currant, tropical guava and peach notes.
Juniper Unfiltered
The Juniper Unfiltered Gin throws a nod to traditional London Dry roots by celebrating Juniper cones (called berries because of their shape and rich purple color).
Sugarbird Juniper Unfiltered is Africa’s first unfiltered gin with its purposefully deep purple color coming from a combination of five fynbos species’ leaves and flowers, as well as blueberry skins. It looks spectacular in glass once mixed with tonic. Here, the overarching taste character comes from the fynbos species Cape May and Cape Chamomile (which turns a deep blue in distillation from azuline compounds).
Cape Town
South Africa
The base spirit used in our gins is cane, derived from the distillation of fermented sugar and water. South Africa has a large sugar cane industry, the majority of sugar cane production is done in Kwa-Zulu Natal, a subtropical area in the North East of the country.
Fynbos Botanicals: Honeybush, Buchu, Rooibos, Rose, Geranium, Cape May
Other botanicals: Juniper cones, Grains of paradise, Coriander, Grapefruit peel, Lemon peel, Orange peel, Hibiscus, Cardamom & Angelica root
As the name suggests, this fl avor is a true expression of the botanical diversity of fynbos. Apart from the lovely floral flavor you’d expect from a quality gin, there’s also a rare, uniquely Sugarbird citrus twang along with the hint of Cape fynbos, for which Sugarbird is now famous.
Watermelon & Lavender G & T
• Sugarbird Original Fynbos Gin
• A handful of ice
• 1 cup watermelon pieces
• 150ml tonic water
• 1g lavender flowers
Add all the ingredients to your blender, blend on high speed for 1-2 minutes.
• Cinnamon stick
• Sliced strawberries
• Grapefruit peel
• Lavender
Cape Town
South Africa
The base spirit used in our gins is cane, derived from the distillation of fermented sugar and water. South Africa has a large sugar cane industry, the majority of sugar cane production is done in Kwa-Zulu Natal, a subtropical area in the North East of the country.
Fynbos Botanicals: Cape Chamomile, Burgundy Sunset, Conebush, South African Geranium, Scarlet Erica, Rose Geranium , Cape May
Other botanicals: Crimson-eyed hibiscus, Pink Grapefruit peel, Blueberry skins, Namibian myrrh and Grains of paradise
This is Africa’s first unfiltered gin and celebrates the vibrant purple of ripe female juniper cones. We’ve always added signature fynbos botanicals to augment the juniper, cape chamomile and cape may, which add to the balance and enhance the deep color hues.
Thyme and Guava G & T
• Sugarbird Unfiltered Gin
• Fresh thyme
• Tonic water
• Guava
Cut two small guavas into thick discs, skewer a stick of thyme through three or two discs. Pour Sugarbird Juniper Unfiltered Gin over some ice in a tall glass. Place your guava and thyme skewer in the glass.
Top with tonic water.
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Squeezed lime
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