Sponsored: the search for SA’s “Wildest Cocktail” with The Botanist gin

In 2016, The Botanist gin hosted a number of pop up events taking place in unconventional, secret urban spaces.

This year, THE FORAGER is on the hunt for the SA's "Wildest Cocktail". Their search will take them to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, where nine of SA's leading bartenders will compete to create the wildest cocktail in their city - and the country. The tools at their disposal? The Botanist gin and their own locally-foraged botanicals, of course. The bartenders will take part in bespoke foraging experiences in their region, led by local foraging experts, including Roushanna Gray.

Over the course of the three weeks, each cocktail will be available at the respective bars for members of the public to experience for themselves.

A judging panel will take part in a THE FORAGER pub crawl, visiting each competitors' bar. Judges will vote based on the the cocktail that each felt was the most inspired, and the winner will be announced at the last venue of each evening. Judging will take place at the following venues:

Cape Town - 13 September
Venues: The Stack, The Gin Bar, Orphanage Cocktail Emporium
Time: 6pm - 10pm

Johannesburg - 20 September 2017
Venues: The Artisan, Sin + Tax, Marble
Time: 7pm – 11pm

Durban - 27 September 2017
Venues: The Chef’s Table, Lucky Shaker, The Chairman
Time: 6pm – 10pm

At the end of THE FORAGER series, the bartender with the most votes and highest score throughout all three cities will be announced as THE FORAGER champion. The champion will win a bespoke foraging master class with Roushanna Gray, two days with industry expert and previous winner of THE FORAGER, Gareth Wainwright and a personalized forager’s bartending kit bag.

Get involved in THE FORAGER

Keep an eye on our website: from 1 September, we'll be giving away THE FORAGER hampers which include a bottle of The Botanist Gin and two tickets to be a part of the official Urban Forage in your city. Visit www.taste.co.za/win to stand a chance to win.

Follow THE FORAGER on Facebook at @TheForagerSA and on Instagram.

The Botanist Gin is available at selected retailers from R499.