Ibhu launches gin made with elephant dung

by Owen Bellwood

A new gin made with botanicals sourced from elephant dung has launched in South Africa, called Ibhu Indlovu Gin.

The new gin, said to be designed for fans of “the spirit of Africa”, uses essential ingredients sourced from elephant dung that have been washed and dried. To create the gin, Ibhu collects fresh dung from naturally foraging elephants, which is then dried, crumbled and sterilised. Once processed, the botanicals extracted from the dung are infused into the gin, giving it “unique African flavours”. Ibhu Indlovu Gin is said to be “smooth, complex with earthy flavours” and is suggested served over ice. According to Ibhu, each batch of Indlovu Gin will have slight variations in flavour due to the location and season during which the dung was collected. For its first batch of spirit, the brand collected dung from the elephants of Botlierskop Game Reserve, South Africa. Created by Les and Paula Ansley, Indlovu Gin is currently available from specialist retailers in South Africa, carrying a recommended retail price of R659 (US$46) per 750ml bottle. Ibhu will donate 15% of the profits from sales of Indlovu Gin to the Africa Foundation to support its work in wildlife conservation at Phinda Game Reserve.