UNKNOWN Lands - Gin Devil's Peak

A coffee gin with the freshness of Cape Gooseberry. The coffee beans are freshly roasted especially for our gin. These beans are macerated with fine wheat alcohol over several weeks to create an intense, yet subtle coffee flavour. Afterwards, the remaining botanicals such as Cape Gooseberries, blueberries, raspberries and others are added to release the flavours again over several days. The macerate is then distilled three times in a copper still and stored for several weeks before being bottled by hand.

Nosing

A sweet smell of berries and physalis awaits you on the nose, paired with a light, not overloaded juniper note. The coffee gradually pushes its way forward without being artificial, but elegant and slightly nutty.

Tasting

A mild, balanced and round London Dry Gin, in which the juniper is more present than on the nose. The fruitiness of the berries and physalis is permanently perceptible. The finish is characterised by a slight coriander spiciness as well as pleasantly earthy coffee nuances.

In the lively port city of Cape Town, at a time when pirates and explorers ruled the seven seas, lived a Dutch pirate named Jan Van Hunks. Notorious for his endless taste for tobacco and adventure, Van Hunks was a man who exuded rebellion and a rough charm that shone through his wild facade.

Despite his boisterous habits and lawless stories, Jan had a gentle side that he only showed to his beloved wife. But her patience was often tested by his rampant pipe-smoking passion. Whenever Jan lit his pipe in the comfort of their shared home, the thick, sweetly bitter smoke filled the room, much to the displeasure of his better half.

To comply with his wife's insistent requests, Jan sought a new venue for his beloved pipe-smoking sessions. He turned to the majestic Table Mountain that towered proudly above the city. Day after day he climbed the mountain to smoke his pipe in peace, enjoying the view of the shimmering sea and the ever-growing city.

One day, while Jan was sitting in his usual spot on the mountain, smoking his pipe with relish, he was approached by an elegantly dressed stranger. The man, whose eyes wore a strange darkness, introduced himself as an avid pipe smoker and challenged Jan to a friendly competition. Jan, always up for a challenge, happily accepted the stranger's invitation.

The two men smoked for hours, and with each hour an increasingly dense cloud formed over Table Mountain. Eventually the stranger began to cough and wheeze, but Jan remained steadfast. In an act of generosity, he offered the stranger a sip from his flask.

The stranger's coughing subsided and he finally revealed his true identity: he was the devil himself! The devil, defeated and unmasked, disappeared along with Jan in a great bang and flash.

To this day, a thick blanket of cloud occasionally appears over Table Mountain, the

"Table Mountain Cloth", and the people of Cape Town say it is the smoke from Jan's pipe, still in competition with the devil.

Our Devil's Peak Gin is inspired by the vivid story and intrepid spirit of Jan Van Hunks. It reminds us to enjoy life with every fibre and seek our own adventures, just as Jan did, and invites us to taste the true essence of freedom and courage with every sip.

In early 2020, I was lucky enough to spend a few months in enchanting Cape Town. Every morning was a new chance to admire the grandiose panorama of the city and its natural beauty. Sitting on my terrace with a cup of steaming coffee in my hands, my gaze wandered to the majestic Table Mountain and the ever-cloudy Devil's Peak .

Like Jan Van Hunks in the legend, I often felt drawn to this impressive peak and hiked there. My path was lined with wild Cape Gooseberries, also known as Physalis, growing at the foot of the mountain. This unique fruit, with its sweet and sour taste and striking pod-like husk, is a symbol of South Africa's rich biodiversity and an important ingredient in our gin.

The narrow path I walked was overgrown with lush South African vegetation. The scent of the indigenous plants mingled with the salty sea air, creating a sensory experience that filled my heart with deep tranquillity every time.

Once at the top, the panorama was breathtaking. The view of Lionshead, Cape Town and the vast Atlantic Ocean as far as the eye could see was incomparable. I let my eyes wander over the landscape and enjoyed the silence, broken only by the sound of the wind and the distant cries of the seagulls.

These morning hikes were more than just a physical experience. They were a connection to the incomparable nature and culture of South Africa, and they inspired the creation of our unique Devil's Peak Gin. Every sip of this gin is an invitation to join me on these trails and experience the heart and soul of Cape Town.

The careful selection and preparation of the ingredients is crucial to the quality of our gin. At the centre is the 100% Arabica coffee, freshly roasted by our partner, Coffee Sergeant, in Falkensee. The green coffee comes from the Brazilian growing region Campo das Vertentes, which is located in the heart of the state of Minas Gerais. Thanks to the high altitude and constant rainfall, this area offers the perfect growing conditions for Arabica beans. The coffee farmers harvest the beans by hand and send the green coffee directly from Brazil to us in Germany. The coffee from this region is characterised by an intense chocolate aroma, a distinctive body and excellent purity.

The carefully selected coffee beans are macerated in fine wheat alcohol for several weeks for our gin to create an intense but subtle coffee flavour. This base forms the heart of our gin and gives it its unique character.

Then other botanicals are added, including Cape Gooseberries (physalis peruviana) and blueberries, which I got to know and love during my time in South Africa.These fruits macerate in the coffee-alcohol mixture for several days to release their aromas optimally.

After this phase, the macerate is triple distilled in a copper still to refine and concentrate the flavour. The gin is then aged for several weeks before being bottled by hand.

This meticulous process ensures that every sip of our Devil's Peak gin captures the stories, flavours and atmosphere of my time in South Africa.

UNKNOWN Lands Devil's Peak is a smooth, triple distilled London Dry Gin, made from eight botanicals.Juniper, Cape Gooseberries (physalis which also grow at the foot of Devil's Peak), blueberries, fruity notes of wild raspberries, a hint of liquorice and of course coffee.