By Molly Wyatt
Calling all Gin Lovers: A Gin Festival is coming to Cardiff!
We can hear the chime of gingle belles
Calling all gin drinkers, gin fantatics, and general gincredible Cardiffians  The Great British Gin Festival is coming to Cardiff in July and weve got the lowdown on all you need to know
I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview of what Cardiff can expect when I attended The Great British Gin Festival in London Town. As a gin lover myself, (who isnt these days?!) I was not disappointed. It was a gin lovers haven, with all youd expect and more!
With live music, endless amounts of different gins to sample and drink demonstrations, itÔÇÖs safe to say that this event was bouncing. On arrival, your greeted by your host who gives you a little talk of what to expect and most importantly, youÔÇÖre then given your very own gin glass and sacred gin Bible!
Even after eight glasses of gin, you can still easily navigate your way around all the different gin stalls and bars; the Gin Bible list their best A-Z of gins which is, helpfully, the order of which the gins are set up in the venue. Think of it as a library but for gin.
Speaking to Ollie Hooper, the event manager of The Great British Gin Festival, he told me how it started in Plymouth and then expanded to around 5 different festivals a year. Now, a few years later, The Great British Gin Festival will be visiting over thirty cities across the UK, Cardiff included. Ollie explained how the growing popularity of the festival has sparked interest with many different gin companies, all eager to showcase their finest of tipple.
Particular favourites of mine were the Sovereign No.1 (full of elderflower flavour), the Baked Apple & Salted Caramel, and the 6 OClock Gin (which is served nakedthe drink not the barman); with over fifty different brands and flavours of gin for you to try yourself, you are more than likely to discover a new favourite of your own. With different tonics and mixers, you can change things up a bit and experiment on how you prefer your gin drunk  or you could just be hardcore and drink it straight!
Fear not if you are worried about falling flat on your face or spewing in the toilet, thereÔÇÖs plenty of scrummy food to keep you (somewhat) level-headed. On a practical side, the fancy gin glass youÔÇÖre given is yours to use for the entire evening. The festival works on a token basis (┬ú5 per token which isnÔÇÖt too bad!), and all drinks are just one token, so you donÔÇÖt need to worry about scouring the festival for the cheapest drink. Important reminder: donÔÇÖt forget to pace yourselves, have a boogie, and enjoy the delicious array of gins they on offer.
Raise a glass to the Great British Gin Festival, and I shall see you there on the 28th July.
Tickets available here: http://thegreatbritishginfestival.eventbrite.com/