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South Africans lucky enough to have stored away a few bottles of gin before the lockdown can attest to how it significantly improves an evening out in the yard, or on your balcony.

If you didn’t think ahead, I’m afraid it’s going to be a while before you’ll be able to treat yourself to a G&T again.

For those of you who have the gin, but no quality mixers, you have my condolences, because both gin and tonic taste significantly better together than they do on their own.

No, you aren’t imagining it, and Thrillist went so far as to get science involved to prove it.

What we taste, and more importantly what we smell, arises from molecules inside the drink. In the case of a G&T, these molecules come from botanicals — primarily juniper — infused into the gin (which is drawn out by ethanol during distillation) and from quinine in the tonic, which gives the mixer its unique bitter taste.

These molecules are delivered to our mouths by drinking or to our noses, where most of our flavor receptors actually are, by evaporation. While ice adds a cool crispness to the taste, it also dampens the molecular activity.

This is why extra bubbly tonic helps to deliver more flavor – by transporting the chemicals up the liquid and into our mouths.

This would also explain why a superb gin like Cape Town Gin, mixed with a fine craft tonic, makes for a superior G&T, while the mass-produced stuff doesn’t quite cut it.

Molecules in gin and tonic water naturally attract and form aggregates, and these aggregates – along with some individual molecules – float up into the receptors within your nose and mouth. From here, things can get a bit more complicated.

Gin molecules can fit into certain proteins while tonic molecules can fit into some of these same proteins. The same goes for the aggregate molecules, which can fit into some receptors that work with each ingredient and also some new proteins. All of these interactions send different signals to the brain.

Size and shape aren’t the only things that matter. The length of the molecules, and how tightly they bind in the flavour receptor, affects the signal that is sent to your brain. It’s also not a simple ’round peg, round hole’ situation. These molecules are fighting it out to fit into a flavour receptor in a “battle royale”.

In short, there’s a lot going on in a G&T. Molecules are sacrificing themselves for your drinking pleasure.

To honour them, you should really only drink the good stuff.

That’s especially true for special occasions like weddings, many of which have had to be postponed due to physical distancing regulations and the lockdown.

Cape Town Gin feels your pain, and wants to lend a little helping hand.

That’s why they’re giving you the chance to win six 750 ml bottles of gin, if you tag Cape Town Gin in a Facebook post, complete with a picture of you and your partner, and a description of your wedding plans.

You can find out more about the competition here. You’ll also find the terms and conditions here. 

Act fast – the competition closes today (April 20, 2020) and time is running out to get an entry in.

For those of you who just want to share a drink with a friend when the dust settles, Cape Town Gin wants to celebrate those connections as well.

We’ve all got that special friend that we chill with. Discarded shoes. Loud laughs. Unashamed tears. Scandalous skinder. Secrets shared.

You and your mate can plan the ultimate get together with a hamper of three Cape Town Gin bottles, including Classic Dry, Rooibos Red, and The Pink Lady.

All you have to do is comment on this Facebook post, and tag your bestie for automatic entry.

Competition closes April 27, 2020.

[source:thrillist]