For over a decade, Nic and Di Davis have shared a farm with fifth generation Breede Valley wine farmers, Coenie and Edelgard Lategan. In late 2017 the friends decided to bring their vast and varied skills and experience to the realm of independent gin distilling.

Driven by their love of their picturesque valley and their passion for African botanicals, Nic and Di began the MONKS journey by building South Africa’s first off-grid distillery late in 2018. Inspired by 11th century Benedictine monks, who were the first to distil in copper alembic pot stills, the couple have woven history and authenticity into the design and production of their premium elixirs.

Home to a range of endemic botanicals and fed by crystal-clear mountain water, the farm is where the alchemy of gin happens. It is here where they turn simple into sublime and base into bliss. It’s an obsession that has seen the MONKS gins being praised and awarded both locally and internationally and means that every sip is a taste of the truly miraculous.