![The International Gin Festival is coming to Canberra. Picture supplied The International Gin Festival is coming to Canberra. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/hU74HdTxzzWB78D7znDAb9/402923f5-1059-42f2-9733-fdf9bf107de5.jpg/r0_478_6144_3946_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
When was the last time you went out for drinks with friends and someone didn't order a gin-based beverage?
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There's no denying we're a city of gin lovers, so it comes the as good news that the International Gin Festival has announced it's coming to the capital later this year.
The event will take over the University of Canberra's Refectory from June 30 to July 1, bringing with it 40 companies from across the world, showcasing a total of 120 different gins.
As well as showcasing some of Australia's finest gins, there will be a selection from Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Spain, England, France and Scotland, giving enthusiasts a chance to extend their knowledge and discover new brands.
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"They've all got some really interesting botanicals in these gins, so it will be a great experience," Australian Gin Distillers Association founder Judith Kennedy says.
"It's amazing to talk with some of the Aussies and the botanicals that they're putting in their gin now, are quite amazing. It's not just a bit of orange and a bit of lime and a bit of gum leaf.
"They're getting very experimental and they're all keen to come. We filled our 18 slots for Aussie distillers in 45 minutes. We want to see how many we get from overseas before opening up any more."
![The Ki No Bi gin range. Picture supplied The Ki No Bi gin range. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/hU74HdTxzzWB78D7znDAb9/72a9bae4-ab60-4446-a643-536e0749503d.jpg/r0_153_3000_1846_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
One of the many highlights of the festival will be a masterclass featuring three unique Japanese craft gins: Ki No Bi Dry, Ki No Bi Sei Dry and Ki No Tea, hosted by alcohol company Pernod Ricard.
The three gins bring three different flavour profiles to the table. While the Ki No Bi has a fresh aroma of yuzu, and a thread of sansho that lingers on the palate, the Ki No Tea has a gentle sweetness similar to white chocolate. Rounding out the trio is the Ki No Bi Sei, which is quite punchy in its initial flavour.
There will also be three other masterclasses, featuring gin from Germany, London and France.
"Each masterclass will explain what goes into making it, what's contained in the gin, as well as giving you a taste of the gin with tonic," Kennedy says.
"But you'll also walk away from the class knowing a lot more about gin in general."
Tickets to the International Gin Festival ate $70, and $160 if you want to attend a masterclass as well. For more information and tickets go to ginevents.com.au.
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