It’s Earth Day 2021! Can we shock you? We’re big fans of the earth. This is why today we’re celebrating a drink that aims to make a difference. A delightful, exotic treat that aids the conservation of the Amazon rainforest: Canaïma Small Batch Gin.
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We’re not sure if you’ve noticed, but there’s a fair amount of gins around at the moment. Which means that producers are always looking for ways to stand out from the crowd.
Some use an interesting and unique botanical selection. Or have a compelling brand story. Or create a strong look and use a cool name. Or even support an important cause.
Or, you could be like Canaïma Small Batch Gin and tick all those boxes.
The brand is dedicated to protecting and preserving its environment and the local communities within it. Named after Canaïma National Park, 10% of the profit from each bottle of the gin goes towards the reforestation of the Amazon as well as preserving the culture and heritage of the indigenous people.
And as part of this commitment to sustainability, Canaïma is marking this Earth Day by replanting over 1,000 trees in the Amazon rainforest. Furthermore, the gin makers are committing to replanting 2,500 trees by the end of 2021.
Hey, look. It’s the Canaïma Small Batch Gin. Note, traditional woven baskets and coasters
The concept of using a spirit brand to aid conservation began with bartending legend, Simone Caporale. His trip to the Peruvian Amazon gave him a troubling insight into the destruction of the rainforest’s fragile ecology.
Resolving to take action, he met the founder of Diplomático Rum for dinner and together they began to plan a new self-funded project that could support and sustain Amazonian communities. What they decided on was a Venezulan gin. A tasty solution we approve of.
This beauty features a huge 19 nineteen different botanicals
An exotic tipple
Canaïma Small Batch Gin uses a whopping 19 different botanicals in its recipe. Of those, 10 are sustainably sourced Amazonian botanicals harvested by experienced indigenous people. This includes açaí berries (a purple fruit known for its regenerative qualities), uve de palma (red fruit harvested from a palm tree), copoazú (related to the cacao tree), túpiro (an orange fruit known for its pleasant taste), merey (a kidney-shaped fruit that produces just one cashew nut), seje (a palm fruit that has oily flesh and a very delicate, chocolate-like flavour) and semeruco (a fruit foraged from the Andean foothills where Canaïma’s distillery is based).
Alongside these hand-picked native botanicals, a series of traditional gin ingredients are also used, including grapefruit, orange, passion fruit and juniper. Every botanical is individually treated, macerated and separately distilled in small batches in 500-litre copper pot stills. The distillates are then blended together by the Diplomático team to create the final gin.
It’s not just what’s in the bottle that’s progressive, but what’s on it too. The labels are made from previously recycled, fully biodegradable paper. The Tierra Viva Foundation also helped Canaïma to commission hundreds of traditional woven baskets and coasters used by the brand and its followers, each handcrafted by indigenous women.
Canaïma supports the production of traditional woven goods
The noble cause
Speaking of foundations, let’s talk about Canaïma’s sustainability mission. Not only does it provide over 250 jobs for indigenous Amazonian people at its distillery, but it also donates 10% of its sales to NGOs to the Saving the Amazon charity and the aforementioned Terra Viva.
The former combines technology, mobile applications and the potential of indigenous communities to combat the destruction of the Amazon. Canaïma is part of the organisation’s reforestation programme, where each tree planted is photographed and georeferenced. The photo is uploaded to the website to create a virtual forest and give visual proof of replanting. Indigenous people take care of the trees for 36 months, after which time another picture is uploaded to the website to continue the traceability of the forest’s growth.
Fundación Tierra Viva, meanwhile, is a Venezuelan foundation that strives to improve the quality of life for indigenous tribes. Canaïma works in conjunction with the foundation to develop the brand’s marketing materials. Through the joint design and the purchase of handcrafted products, the band supports the creation of sustainable jobs throughout the region.
The perfect serve for a delicious drink
Suggested serve: Amazonian G&G
While you’re no doubt admiring Canaïma’s social conscience, there is one question that will remain on your mind. How should I drink it?
Well, you can never go wrong with a good G&T. Caporale also put his bartending skills to good use by making a range of cocktails including the Amazonian G&G. It perfectly complements the gin’s passion fruit, orange and acai berry notes while also looking just gorgeous. A true spring refresher. Happy Earth Day, folks!
How to make an Amazonian G&G
40ml Canaïma Gin
150ml grapefruit soda
2 lime wedges
Assemble in a highball glass with cubed ice. Garnish with grapefruit zest or slice.
