If provided with an opportunity to collect elephant dung to distill your own bottle of gin, would you do it enthusiastically? I would!
Les and Paula Ansley, two scientists and partners, have created an award-winning gin from the dung of African Elephants. The idea was conceptualised by Paula when she was enjoying a serving of gin on a safari trip. The tour guide informed her about the majestic elephants’ extremely selective diet of the botanicals, of which less than a third is digested.
What was just an idea that popped into her head then, they’ve made reality today.
Indlovu Gin packs the core essence of Africa in a bottle. The term ‘indlovu’ comes from Zulu languages; it translates to ‘elephant’ in English. Since the elephants do the hardest part of the work involved in the gin’s production process, i.e. collecting the ingredients for the spirit, it was only fair to name the liquor after the gentle giants.
And there is something really intriguing about this gin – no two bottles of Indlovu gin, which are manufactured in different seasons, will taste the same. This makes each bottle a vintage in its own way. It is so because elephants change their diets with seasons, making the botanicals collected from the dung different each season.
Before the dung botanicals can be used to produce the gin, they are washed, sterilised, rinsed and dried, and then infused into the gin. Owing to its origins, the gin has a strong earthy flavour and herbal aroma to it. It is recommended to enjoy the spirit neat, with strong coffee and dark chocolate-flavours complementing the session. But one is more than encouraged to have it as a classic G&T, and in original gin cocktails as well.
To thank wildlife for their part in the production, the creators of the gin donate 15% of the profits to African Foundation, which supports wildlife conservation projects in the continent of Africa. The brand Ibhu, under which Indlovu gin is marketed, also practices philanthropy by providing cooking gas to a Soup Kitchen that offers nutritious meals to children on weekends.
All in all, the gin has become popular among tourists and the label plans to expand overseas. Till then, you can get your hands on a bottle if and when you visit Africa.
