Cruxland Gin is a South African gin from wine and spirits producer KWV and it contains a very unusual and hard to source botanical. The Kalahari Desert stretches itself across Botswana, Namibia and parts of South Africa and is an inhospitable place at the best of times. It's the home of the Kalahari truffle, a rare and hard to find truffle that lies buried beneath the scorched desert earth. It can only be foraged in the dry season where cracks in the red soil indicate to seasoned truffle hunters where to look. The Kalahari truffle is Cruxland Gins super rare botanical and it makes this gin unique even today when so many wild and wonderful botanicals are being used in gin.

The truffle is distilled separately and kept to one side before being added to a grape base spirit and the distillate containing the other seven botanicals. These are aniseed, rooibos, lemon, coriander, honeybush, almond, juniper and cardamom with the actual distillation occurring about an hours drive outside Capetown.The truffles are considered a delicacy and have log been prized by the desert dwelling communities who use them to accompany their game meat.

Cruxland gin is well balanced and none of the botanicals overly dominate the rest although the aniseed can be picked out along with the light freshness of juniper and lemon. This is supplemented by lovely earthy notes from the Kalahari truffles and native rooibos.