Cape Town-based startup, Sugarbird Gin, has smashed South Africa’s crowdfunding record, previously held by hard rockers Fokofpolisiekar, to raise over R1,086 million on Thundafund for the launch of their debut gin offering.

The craft gin brand is pitched as a quality local product, but at an accessible price point; and is premised on the painfully simple principle of offering the gin connoisseur nothing more than #justgoodgin.

Last month we attended the super slick launch party of the brand on the Media24 rooftop, which kicked off the campaign in grand, classy style.

What does Sugarbird Gin taste like?

With an infusion of locally sourced floral fynbos this gin is distilled as a gentle bodied gin, reminiscent of a London Dry, easy but with more floral flavour.

Sugarbird Gin includes extracts of juniper berries, rose geranium, orange peel, lemon peel, grapefruit peel, honey bush, Angelica root, rooibos, cardamom, Cape May (which is sourced by botanists of the slopes of Table Mountain), coriander and a tiny dash of cinnamon.

A new era of crowdfunding in South Africa?

Unlike many other parts of the world, crowdfunding has enjoyed mixed success in South Africa as a tactic to fund an entrepreneurial venture. But what the successful funding of Sugarbird Gin does indicate, is that a completely unknown entity can successfully go from nowhere, to a significant financial stretch target, off the back of a decent value proposition, some passionate multidisciplinary collaboration and lots of energy by the drivers of the business.