Lowveld - Dec 2019

Mother of two gorgeous boys, Carter and
Sloan, and wife to Hylton, she is also the
founder and owner of Dollie Gin Company,
a local brand of infused gin that is taking the
Lowveld by storm. Dollie first came about
because Tanya was asked to serve drinks at
a cricket match, the perfect place, obviously,
for G&Ts. This got her to thinking about the
endless possibilities gin presents, and she
started making Dollie, infused with a variety
of flavours, as a treat for thirsty friends and
family. Along with this, came the iconic
Dollie caravan, which Tanya later sold to
make way for a sleeker travelling companion - her well-stocked and expertly
renovated Land Rover, a well-known (and well-supported) fixture at many a
local event.
It doesn’t end there. The Landie went the way of the caravan, making way
for something far more glam and Tanya’s newest adventure, Gin & Co, which
recently opened its doors at Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre in White River. If ever
there was a place to while away the long and lazy Lowveld afternoons, this
is it. Gin & Co’s crisp and sleek lines have you thinking you are in an exclusive,
high-class club, until you sink into the plush slate-grey sofa and take your first
sip of an ice-cold gin, a Dollie perhaps, rooibos-infused, with a sprig of rosemary
and slice of grapefruit. The world and its troubles slip away in the aftermath of
fluorescent tonic bubbles, as they fizz and pop merrily, refreshing and relaxing
in turns. This is the life.
At the moment, Dollie Gin is infused
with flavour, not distilled, which is
partly why Gin & Co came about.
“While Gin & Co means the start of
actually fermenting the gin, along
with a few other tasty tipples, it’s
not only about just Dollie anymore,
that’s what the ‘& Co’ is all about,”
Tanya smiles.
A few months ago, she decided to
take over Rottcher Wineries after the
sad and untimely passing of Frank
Theron, her friend and mentor, and
the prospect, while frightening, is
also exhilarating. “Frank was the one
who initially helped me get started,”
she muses. “Initially, I worked in
conjunction with him, learning the
ways of the distillery. The dream
was to grow it, and expand the gin
side. After his death, I gave it much
thought and decided to carry on
alone, bring the vision to life. I spoke
to Frank’s family and they agreed that
I buy Rottcher Wineries and carry on
Carter, Tanya and Sloan Cruse
December 2019 Get It Lowveld 15