Portion Ocean; A Midnight Party By The Shores

The first kenyan originals product that I ever tasted was their pineapple mint cider and I remember thinking wow, this is a very familiar taste. I told my friend about it and they pointed out that it tasted like Muratina, a locally fermented alcoholic brew but with a modern twist to it.

Founded in 2018, Kenyan Originals indeed pride themselves in having being influenced by the local Muratina in making their fruit ciders. After moving to a bigger site in Baba Dongo Nairobi due to an increase in demand, they now process over 15 Tonnes of pineapple, real mango, lime and passion fruit monthly.

I have been in love with the pineapple mint cider ever since.

The idea of naming themselves Kenyan originals (famously shortened to KO) is perfect to a fault; a patriotic name that is easy to remember and which is intended to inspire any original creatives, artists and what have you in the country.

Fast forward to a couple of days ago when I chanced upon a kenyan originals gin. First of all, I didn’t even know they were producing gin, so you can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to see that bottle – seeing as I have recently acquired a taste for gin cocktails. If you’ve read my previous articles then you know exactly what I am talking about.

If you’ve read my previous articles you also know that I have been having the time of my life in Lamu, where I had solo traveled but met some old friends at the airport, who happened to be staying at Manda Homes, the same place I was staying at.

What were the odds? No seriously, what were the odds? I was prepared of having a great time, but I did not expect my stay there to be that good. Vacationing in Lamu can be tricky at times because alcohol there isn’t as readily available, while the only place that sells it will make you pay for it through the nose.

As a typical Kenyan that has solutions to almost everything pertaining alcohol (hehe) everyone on that trip had carried two or more bottles of their poison of choice.

I now have a soft spot for the KO gin because of how the 3rd night in Lamu paned out; the night we had set aside to review this gin. Everyone was abit skeptical at first but who can blame them? Generally, human beings tend to lean on that which is familiar with them – and this is a relatively new untested brand.

Playing around with our creative side for this mini shoot in Manda Island. Lest you forget, we are the Kenyan originals 😁

As expected, the first sip of an alcoholic drink determines alot. First impressions matter here more than anywhere else.

That Kenyan originals classic gin did not disappoint. I personally would have felt highly let down if it did because I am a huge supporter of locally manufactured products – and KO fits perfectly in this category. As the slogan goes – Buy Kenya, build Kenya.

It doesn’t stop there. One of the things you immediately notice is the calligraphy on the paper on top of the glass bottle. Bold and colourful is the only way to describe it. A quick run to their website tells a story of using Kenyan designers, including matatu graffiti designers to design their products and merchandise. KO makes you proud of being Kenyan and even prouder for purchasing any of their products.

Their classic gin is made from locally sourced produce; real Kenyan botanicals that include
1. Bitter orange leaves from Kilifi
2. Lemon grass from kabati
3. Bay leaves from kinangop
4. Roses from mount kenya region.

Let me tell you Maina, I cannot remember the last time I had such an epic night. Suddenly, everyone was happy go lucky and ready to have fun. The stories were endless, the gin and tonic was flowing and I’m almost sure the laughter could be heard miles on end on that beautiful Lamu night. I could be wrong, but that KO gin brought out the inner child in each and everyone of us. The thing is you see, we had a different drink for every night, but what was different on that day? Why was that night charged and lit? Even the camaraderie felt different and the new friends I made on that night felt as if I had known them forever.

Where all the magic was happening, thanks to our bottle of KO

This image gives me nothing but fond memories.

Beach please

Gin-gle Bells (hehe forgive my silly wordplay….but to be honest I’m almost sad this isn’t tequila, so I could caption that photo with something like Tequila Mockingbird (To Kill A Mockingbird)

We danced by the shores of the ocean until the speaker ran out of charge…and then we went back to the gazebo to recharge it and dance some more. An epic night by all means and one to remember for a long time.

Let’s talk abit about this gin, how it tastes and if it is worth the hype.

Let us start with that first sip, because like i said up there, that first sip is everything.

44ml – that’s the quantity of a shot glass. 44ml of intense stuff hiting your throat all at once. 44ml of a drink that is 40% ABV. The initial taste is not too complex and can be taken neat, on the rocks or with a diluter of your choice. Keep in mind that the choice of gin defines the cocktail and this one in particular is up there when it comes to good quality gin.

It’s taste isn’t too assertive, it leaves a smooth almost delightful after taste. The smell is pleasant as the lemon and orange scents drift to you the moment you first open the bottle. Also, I got a whiff of cardamon and some Juniper.

I’m not even exaggerating when I say this is a great drink that can be accepted by almost everyone including the people that believe themselves not to be huge fans of gin.

Something else that stood out for me is the fact that you can visit their Craft Room and channel your inner mixologist. Everyone has a level of creativity unique to them and the KO have a craft room that create the perfect environment for bringing this creativity out

In their craft room you can custom make a drink to your liking. Like the bottle we were having was custom made by Femme Hub and she added her own botanicals that included cardamon, pink pepper, cloves, lemon grass, Juniper and lemon peels. Check out the details on the image below.

The craft room is an interesting way to spend an evening with friends, tasting KO’s different gins and even their limited editions. As if that is not enough, you can make your own small batch gin, get to learn and understand the process of gin making and while at it make your own “bespoke gin” that you can carry home with you in a 750ml bottle.

I love my drink simple. Maybe that influences some of my decisions, like a simple gin and tonic being the first choice of how I would like to consume my KO GIN. This….this a the perfect gin with the perfect harmony between classic and contemporary.