The brand-new Hobbs gin range is refreshingly unpretentious
For cocktail lovers looking for an affordably priced, but high quality gin, there hasn’t been a huge amount of variety on store shelves. Until now. Enter Hobbs, an exciting new player on the South African gin scene.
As pioneers in the gin industry, Hobbs founders Lucy Beard and Leigh Lisk know their craft. Not only do they intimately understand the technical process of distilling, infusing and bottling, but also, more importantly now than ever, they have a deep understanding of the market and what gin drinkers want.
This wealth of experience and expertise prompted the development of Hobbs, a brand-new range aimed at a younger, aspirational audience looking for a quality product without the higher price tag. Although South Africa has a plethora of artisanal gins on the market, not many are accessibly priced. Hobbs thus responds cleverly to a previously neglected segment of the gin-enjoying market. ‘We felt that there was a gap in the market for a craft gin, that, while still good quality, wasn’t in the super premium space,’ explains Beard on Hobbs’ unique positioning.
While priced much more affordably than premium gins on the market, Hobbs doesn’t skimp on depth of flavour and attention to detail – and this commitment to quality remains paramount. The brand offers two flavour profiles using exciting botanical combinations: Hobbs Cape Dry Gin and Hobbs Pink Pepper Gin.
The Cape Dry is a fresh interpretation of a classic-style dry gin. Spicy and fragrant on the nose, the fresh citrus and lemongrass flavours are rounded off with gentle spices. The Pink Pepper features lots of pink peppercorns, cardamom and grapefruit peel. The pink peppercorn develops beautifully on the palate and holds up well with tonic and in cocktails. Naturally, both also feature the classic core gin ingredients – juniper, coriander seed and angelica root.
So how has Hobbs managed to keep the price so accessible without compromising on taste? This comes down to process. By using cane rather than grain as its base spirit, Hobbs’ recipe paved the way for a more economic production model.
Additionally, the founders were savvy with their bottling to allow further room for price reduction – the gin is contained in 500ml rather than the standard 750ml bottles. But the reason this allows for a more accessible price point is not as obvious as just the smaller vessel. ‘The excise duty reduces by a third by doing it this way,’ explains Beard.
Process and ingredients aside, the Hobbs gins are also intended as an easygoing product, in addition to being easy on the pocket. ‘They’re a little playful – I’d describe them as contemporary gins. A new-world take on an old-world classic!’ says Beard.
It’s also in this spirit that they’ve approached the packaging. The graphic design communicates the brand’s premise as well as conveys both the contemporary and historical facets of the product. With branding inspired by the 1920s – a decade famous for Prohibition (when alcohol sales and consumption were outlawed and consequently went underground in the US), as well as the rise of the Art Deco movement in design – the bottles feature patterns that are at once nostalgic and refreshingly modern. ‘It’s a pared-back and contemporary take on Art Deco, just as the gins are a contemporary take on an old-world drink,’ says Beard.
This all makes sense, but where does the name Hobbs come from? ‘Hobbs is inspired by a story told to us by the original founders of the Fitch & Leedes mixers brand, the Hobbs brothers,’ says Beard.
The story goes that Ross Hobbs, then head of marketing at Chill Beverages, was looking to launch a premium mixer brand and took a proposal to his brother (who was the Financial Director at the time) for a brand called ‘Hobbs & Hobbs’. His brother, worried that their team would feel they were unbelievably vain to launch an eponymous brand opted for a different name, and Fitch & Leedes was born. ‘We loved the story, and the name Hobbs, so thought we’d use it for our brand in honour of the Hobbs brother whose original plan was scuppered – so at least he’d have a gin named after him, if not a tonic,’ laughs Lisk.
Be inspired by this unpretentious and irreverent spirit when you enjoy it for yourself – Beard recommends an unfussy and timeless approach to serving both variants of Hobbs at home. There are a number of cocktail recipes on https://hobbs-spirits.co.za/ to get you going.
For the Cape Dry, try it in a G&T paired with a slice of orange, a Negroni or lemony Cape 75. When enjoying the Pink Pepper Gin, muddle your G&T with berries or pomegranate; or, serve a refreshing Gin & Sonic, which is part soda, part tonic; or, get adventurous with a Spicy Strawberry G&T. Cheers!
To find out more about Hobbs, visit https://hobbs-spirits.co.za/ or follow Hobbs on Instagram and Facebook:
