All Roads Lead To… The Gin Room

Attention all gin enthusiasts! We have another bar that caters to our needs.

Situated in Hosea Kutako Drive near the Riverport apartments in Windhoek, I visited the Gin Room after work on a Monday. Walking in, it wasn’t busy; only two tables were occupied. My kind of vibe after a tough day at the office.

I approach the bar and I am greeted by what I would like to call gin heaven – assorted gins ranging in origin from Scotland, Italy, South Africa and Namibia, all beautifully organised on wooden shelves.

Happy to see only women behind the bar, I am warmly welcomed by the staff and Liezl Traupe, one half of the brains behind The Gin Room.

Having been friends with her business partner Tania Maritz for four years, they were looking to go into business for some time but struggled to find something they were both passionate about. After having dinner at an Indian eatery right next to The Gin Room, they clicked on their love for gin and the rest, as they say, is history.

After hearing mixed reviews about their recent opening, I decided to visit the establishment. The most intriguing part was the fact that there were two local gins I have not yet tried.

After a light chat, I tried a cocktail followed by a mini tasting. The bar women and Traupe made beautiful cocktails for their customers and I was impressed by how hygienic they were while mixing their drinks as well as their focus on presentation.

I was given the choice between two cocktails and I chose the Pink Lady, a deliciously pink cocktail served with freeze-dried raspberries and roses. I never knew Gordon’s Dry Gin could taste so good!

Traupe then took me through the different gins and garnishes on display and their plans to launch more to the public. I’m excited.

After being served a few bar snacks, it was time to move on to the mini tasting – I tried two local gins as well as a sweeter variant, a craft gin.

Desolate was up first, a gin I had heard about but was yet to try. This particular gin comes from Walvis Bay and was served with some Indian tonic, garnished with little bit of lemon rind and star anise. In my honest opinion, it should have ‘smooth’ as its middle name.

Second on the list was a gin hailing from Swakopmund, Stillhouse. This gin combines traditional botanicals with the Namibian !Nara fruit and something I wasn’t expecting – seaweed. This was served with a pink tonic and pomegranate kernels. It has a much sharper taste, but the addition of the pomegranate and tonic make for a lovely medley on your tongue and is definitely one to add to your shelf next to Desolate.

Lastly, I tried the Boplaas Craft Gin, a sweet gin which is port-infused and served on the rocks. This I found bit intimidating, but it was necessary to savour the sweetness.

Since leaving the The Gin Room, all I’ve been thinking about are all the new cocktails I plan to try on my next visit. Their motto is to provide “a holiday in a glass” and I’m in need of several vacations.

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