Cape Town - Vodka, gin, brandy, liqueur, beer, wine, even real absinthe made to its true recipe with wormwood – not the nasty fake stuff with colouring and flavourants which is fobbed off on us in bottle stores.
Is there anything Roger Jorgensen doesn’t make?
“Champagne,” he answered. Surely just an oversight, which I’m sure will eventually be remedied.
Even more remarkable is that Jorgensen grows many of the ingredients for his spirits on the 12ha farm Versailles in the heart of Wellington and all the botanicals for his gin are from Africa, making it the only true local gin.
I took the beautiful drive out into the countryside to visit Jorgensen, who has been distilling since 1994 and is the man to whom most wannabe distillers turn to learn the craft; he has had a hand in almost every local gin on the market. I was there to find out more about what he does, taste some of the results and bask in the peace and calm of the farm and its 200-year-old homestead.
We began in Jorgensen’s workshop, which resembles an apothecary’s sanctuary, full of dried plants and herbs, and towers of containers holding seeds and spices. He allowed me to touch and smell, and even invited me to taste some. Outside in the nursery Jorgensen showed me plants he is cultivating while the boisterous dogs gamboled through the pots. We took a little walk on the farm to see more plants and rub their leaves between our fingers. This is where Jorgensen grows the magical wormwood, among other things.
Later we adjourned to the deep veranda of the farmhouse where Jorgensen set out the gins, the Primitiv vodka for which he reverse-engineered an old Russian recipe, and of course the Field Of Dreams absinthe.
Among the gins was one that is infused with hibiscus, which gives it a delicate pink hue; a pale yellow saffron-infused one; even one with rooibos. This new addition to the range is quite incredible – too sweet for me to drink much of, but it’s astonishing how this simple infusion produces something which is sweet like honey, almost like a liqueur in taste but without the stickiness and thick mouth feel of added sugar. Instead it has the smooth cleanness of the spirit which it is.
For the absinthe, Jorgensen brought out his absinthe fountain, a replica of those used in Paris in the early 20th century. It contains a vessel filled with ice water mounted on an art deco stand and has four tiny spigots which drip the water over the sugar cube. Drinking absinthe is a ritual; a glass of a certain shape should be used, on top of which is placed a special spoon designed for its purpose. One measure of the green fairy is placed in the glass, and the cold water dripped or poured slowly over the sugar cube. As it mixes with the absinthe it turns milky from the bottom up, a process known as louching. When this is complete it is ready to drink.
It was a wonderful visit as Jorgensen is a fascinating host who knows so much about his topic, and is full of excellent stories. It was with great reluctance that I left, softened only by the fact that I was clutching a precious bottle of Field Of Dreams.
Now I just have to source that spoon…
l Find the farm and distillery at Regent Street in Wellington, off the main road. Phone 021 864 1777 or go to www.jd7.co.za for more information. There is no charge for the tour and tasting unless it’s a big group. Call ahead to book your visit, but not from outside the front gate. Yes, it happens.
Weekend Argus