Shake, stir and pour: When art meets gin

You know Procera gin, don’t you? It’s founded by a guy called Guy, which is your first cue that you’re onto something interesting here. You’ve probably drunk it or at least seen it on shelves. Very handsome bottle.

If bottles could dress up, a Procera bottle would be the guy in designer loafers—or a lady with a sharp chin, sunglasses, and a silk headscarf, flattering in the wind. You don’t throw away a bottle like that. That’s art.

Procera recently held their second cocktail competition at the distillery in Industrial Area. A cocktail competition is basically bartenders under pressure—shaking, mixing, juggling bottles. Fast hands, sharp eyes, creative flair. Taste matters. Showmanship counts. There was also music.

Benjamin Thiong’o took the day. He works at Jekyll & Hyde (I’ve never been). Moves fast. Talks little. Tattoo. He beat 42 bartenders from places like Ole Sereni, Cultiva, Hemingway’s Eden, Craft Chameleon, and Muthaiga Country Club.

Part of the final challenge was five cocktails in 10 minutes. Watching it felt like watching a man defuse a bomb made of ice cubes. I never imagined I would use the words “tension” and “cocktails” in the same sentence. But here we are.

After the dust and citrus settled, and Thiong’o’s back had been patted adequately, Procera announced something called the Procera Cocktail Passport. It’s basically a booklet with the top 17 finalists and their signature drinks. You take it around different bars, order the drink, get a stamp. A bar crawl but with documentation—your mother would approve.

If you manage to fill the whole passport by 30 January 2026, Procera will give you a bottle of gin, some merch, and a guided tour of the distillery, where they’ll explain things you’ll pretend to understand.

You can pick up the passport at any of the participating bars. Or just ask your bartender. If they shrug, that’s your sign to find a better bar. Either way, drink slowly. There’s art in the glass, and life is short—even for gin lovers.

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