Thirsty tales

With the non-alcoholic spirit Selati, you can make an amazing Daiquiri or Old Fashioned

Daiquiri Sunset

Are you, like me, a huge cocktail lover but unable to solve a kindergarten maths problem after two glasses? I feel you. That’s why I’m always very happy when I discover a new non-alcoholic spirit – Selati is the name – that lets you make genuinely delicious cocktails while still remembering that 1 + 5 is six. 

Foto van culinair journalist Sharon van Lokhorst

Selati is named after the Selati River, which runs right through South Africa’s Kruger Park, the ‘home’ of founder Nic Jooste. Captivated by the colours, flavours and aromas of the flora, he came up with the idea of capturing them in a drink. Nic took cocktail experts Tess Posthumus, Lennart Deddens and Nik Noordermeer to the park to create a non-alcoholic distillate with local ingredients. And they did a pretty good job.

Lennart Deddens shaking things up.

Three different varieties

Selati immediately comes with three distinct varieties: African Summer, Selati Sunset and African Savannah. All three are made with ingredients ‘fresh from (the region of) Kruger Park’, and each has a very different flavour.

Selati African Sunrise with hibiscus, watermelon and pomegranate is fresh and lightly sweet. This is summer in South Africa: one of those warm days that can’t start early enough or end late enough. Perfect in a mix (with 3 parts tonic or soda water to 1 part Selati).
Selati African Sunset with marula, rooibos and pink pepper is tropically warm. Marula grows on beautiful trees in Kruger Park and adds plenty of fruitiness. It is beautifully balanced by the warmth of rooibos and lightly perfumed with pink pepper. This variety is ideal ‘in the mix’. For example, make a Daiquiri Sunset with pineapple.
Selati African Savannah with rosemary, oregano, thyme and African corn has a spicy, grassy flavour. The soft base of Selati African Savannah is distilled from local grain. Something that is almost impossible to achieve in a non-alcoholic drink (because of its complexity) has worked particularly well in this variety. Delicious: make an Old Fashioned Savannah with it.

Protecting Kruger Park

What I really love is that with Selati, it’s not just about the flavour. The drink is inextricably linked to protecting Kruger Park. By buying Selati, you help combat the poaching of endangered rhinos, fund the construction of small libraries in care centres and enable hospitality workers from the park, as well as unemployed people wanting to start a career in hospitality, to train as bartenders. Nice!

Selati African Sunset, Selati African Summer and Selati African Savannah are now available from Cocktailbox and Kuierkos. The retail price is € 22.50.

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