Drinksbiz June July 2019

JUNE / JULY 2019 DRINKSBIZ.CO.NZ

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FROM THE EDITOR

Victoria Wells

Editor – Drinksbiz victoria@drinksbiz.co.nz

That winning feeling THERE’S A lot of good news in this issue.

(Which, frankly, is a very welcome change from the doom and gloom of international politics and for those of us still reeling from the mediocrity of the final episode of Game of Thrones.)

New Zealand brewers, winemakers and distillers have done a damn fine job in a number of recent competitions – local and international – and it’s a wonderful thing.

Kiwi breweries, for example, gave a great showing at the Australian International Beer Awards, taking the three international brewery Trophies (for McLeod’s, Deep Creek and DB) and a host of other trophies and medal wins. That's no mean feat when you consider AIBA attracts more than 2400 entries from 402 breweries in 26 countries.

At the International Wine Challenge, New Zealand won the Trophies for Best Sauvignon Blanc and Best Syrah in the world (Syrah for the fourth year running), and our local spirit makers had the chance to pit themselves against some of

the biggest distillers in the world at the inaugural NZ Spirits Awards and showed just how far this local industry has come in recent years. You’ll find more on these competition results and several others in our news sections this issue.

Also celebrating is the Hawke’s Bay

for the story ‘One to watch’ on page 26.

This issue also features our annual Scotch Report (page 56), the biggest yet, and with a diverse array of styles across the price spectrum.

It seems this category is enjoying a real growth period as a wider group of consumers discover Scotch and its wide-ranging expressions.

One man who knows more about Scotch than most is Michael Fraser Milne, who has just been named a Master by the international society Keepers of the Quaich. It’s a significant career achievement and one he reflects on in Last Orders on page 78.

So, get ready to add to your Scotch collection and don't forget to clear some space in the cellar and on the shelves for those Hawke's Bay 2019 wines.

There’s real excitement in Hawke’s Bay over what many are describing as one of the best vintages the region has ever seen. wine industry – but over wines that are still being made. That’s because there's real excitement about what many are describing as one of the best vintages the region has ever seen.

I talked to several Hawke’s Bay winemakers for their take on vintage 2019 and the anticipation over what's to come

Enjoy the issue, Victoria

My picks 2015 Forrest Tatty Bogler Bannockburn Pinot Noir Bright and fruity but with developed savoury characters from its four years ageing.

This Bannockburn wine has a long finish to savour on a winter’s night.

Tuatara Roughneck Hazy IPA Everything about this beer is big: big fruit, big hops and big bitterness. It's a delicious combination and I love the new label style on this Tuatara beer too.

The Arran Malt Sherry Cask Finish I'm a sherry fan from way back, so this take on Scotch was always going to be a winner for me. Sultanas, figs, spice and dark chocolate characters from the Oloroso sherry cask finishing are all in the mix with this Scotch made on the Isle of Arran.

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CONTENTS

JUNE / JULY 2019 REGULARS

BEER & CIDER

Diary Dates 8 Out & About 9 Cover story 10 Industry News 12 International News 22 Non-Alcoholic News 23 Feature: One to watch 26

Beer & Cider Report 46 Opinion: Michael Donaldson 51 Beer & Cider News 52

WINE

Wine Report: Pinot Noir Opinion: Joelle Thomson Top Picks Wine News

28 36 38 43

PUBLISHER

Karen Boult karen@boult.co.nz +64 21 320 663

SPIRITS

Spirits Report: Scotch Whisky 56 Spirits News 70 Opinion: Dominic Roskrow 74 Cocktails 75

EDITOR

Victoria Wells victoria@drinksbiz.co.nz +64 27 575 9021 DESIGNER

LAST ORDERS

Distributors Last Orders: Michael Fraser Milne

76 78

Lewis Hurst lewis@hurstmedia.nz +64 21 146 6404 hurstmedia.nz A DV E R TI S I N G

Roger Pierce advertising@drinksbiz.co.nz +64 9 361 2347 +64 274 335 354

drinksbiz.co.nz

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Please address all editorial, subscription and advertising enquiries to Trade Media

56 6 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

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WHAT'S ON

Diary Dates JUNE Friday 7 – Sunday 30 June

Winter F.A.W.C – Hawke’s Bay The Food and Wine Classic is three weeks of beer, wine and food experiences around Hawke’s Bay with some of the country’s leading chefs and winemakers. fawc.co.nz Thursday 13 – Sunday 23 June

Auckland Wine Week The inaugural Auckland Wine Week is a region-wide event involving the city’s Waiheke, West Auckland and Matakana winemaking regions. A range of tastings and special events at wineries, retailers, restaurants and bars. It also includes Winetopia (June 14-15) on Queen’s Wharf. aucklandwineweek.co.nz Friday 14 – Saturday 15 June

JULY

AUGUST

Friday 12 – Saturday 13 July

Thursday 1 – Saturday 31 August

Winetopia – Wellington

Visa Wellington on a Plate

Two days of everything wine, with 50 of the country’s top wineries. There will be tutored tastings and talks from the likes of Master of Wine Stephen Wong and head sommelier from the iconic Iceberg restaurant in Sydney, Gabrielle Webster. winetopia.co.nz

The capital’s biggest culinary festival has been extended to a full month for 2019.

The first two weeks are dedicated to ‘Dine Wellington’, which heroes regional ingredients and producers, followed by two weeks of ‘Garage Project presents Burger Wellington’, and festival events and ‘Cocktail Wellington’ all month long.

It also includes Beervana (9-10 August). visawoap.com

Winetopia – Auckland Two days of everything wine, with 60 of the country’s top wineries. Featuring tutored tastings, talks and masterclasses

by New Zealand Master of Wine Bob Campbell and renowned Australian wine writer Nick Stock. winetopia.co.nz

Monday 22 – Wednesday 24 July

Negociants Fine Wine Tour 2019 A showcase of Negociants’ premium wines on a roadshow through Auckland (22 July), Christchurch (23 July) and Wellington (24 July). Trade registrations are now open. negociantsfinewinetour.com

Friday 28 June

Brewers Guild AGM – Auckland

Thursday 25 – Sunday 28 July

The AGM for the Brewers Guild will take place in Auckland at Behemoth’s new brewery followed by an industry reception celebrating the brewery’s opening. Registration essential. brewersguild.org.nz

The Food Show – Auckland

Saturday 29 June

The country’s biggest consumer culinary event comes to Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds. Craft breweries and wineries join food exhibitors over the four day event. For exhibitor inquiries contact North Port Events. foodshow.co.nz

GABS Festival – Auckland A showcase of some of the best beers and ciders from New Zealand and Australia, created especially for the event. The festival is held over two sessions at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland. gabsfestival.com Saturday 29 – Sunday 30 June

Seriously Good Food Show – Mt Maunganui More than 130 food and beverage exhibitors under one roof at the Trustpower Baypark Arena over two days.

For exhibitor inquiries contact Bay Events. seriouslygoodfoodshow.co.nz 8 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

Friday 26 – Sunday 28 July

Court of Master Sommeliers Programme – Akld The Court of Master Sommeliers offers the first two levels of its internationally recognised Sommelier programme. The Introductory Sommelier Certificate (Fri 26th – Sun 28th July) and the Certified Sommelier Examination (Sun 28th July, 2019). To be held at Villa Maria Estate in Auckland.

For details email info@courtofmastersommeliers.com.au or visit courtofmastersommeliers.org/ upcoming-courses/oceania-courses

Friday 9 – Saturday 10 August

Beervana – Wellington More than 50 breweries will be at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium for the two days of Beervana, featuring local and international brewers. The event is held over two sessions per day. For exhibitor inquiries see the website. beervana.co.nz

OCTOBER Thursday 17 – Sunday 19 October

BREWNZ 2019 – Wellington The theme for this years Brewers Guild Conference is ‘A Sustainable Future: caring for our people and our planet.’ It will cover a range of industry topics around the path to a more sustainable future, from water disposal to recycling to mental health. The Conference will also include brewery tours and the popular Mashing In industry-only night. brewersguild.org.nz

SOCIAL SHOTS Kane and Twigs from Otautahi Tattoo

Out & About Exclusive Glenfiddich Tasting Federal Merchants and Liquorland held an exclusive black tie tasting of a range of Glenfiddich whisky in Auckland in mid-May. The selection included the incredibly rare Glenfiddich 50YO, of which there are only 30 bottles worldwide.

Guests enjoyed a traditional Highland banquet at the evening, which was hosted by Liquorland CEO and Keeper of the Quaich Brendan Lawry, with Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador Tom Fastier.

The rare Glenfiddich 50YO

Bridget Owen, Jeroen Schoorel and Fiona Marston

Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador Tom Fastier

Lance Savali and backup dancers

Soraya LaPread

Liquorland CEO Brendan Lawry

Tiger ROARs into life DB launched Tiger ROAR in New Zealand in late March – a global platform that brings together undiscovered talent and entrepreneurs across arts, music, food and dance industries. The inaugural event was held at Flying Fish Studios in Auckland’s Ponsonby. Emerging DJ and professional dancer Lance Savali hosted a line-up of local DJs while more than 500 partygoers were transported to the streets of Singapore through an immersive light projection experience.

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COVER STORY – BROWN BROTHERS PROSECCO

Perfect Prosecco As leaders in Australian Prosecco, Brown Brothers continues to innovate with its range of the delicate sparkling wine style that is growing fast across the globe...

WHEN AUSTRALIAN winery Brown Brothers planted Prosecco cuttings in the King Valley in north east Victoria more than a decade ago, it marked the beginning of what would become a popular new category for the familyowned wine company and a consumer love affair with the fresh, delicate, easy-drinking wine style in Australia and New Zealand.

“Right from the beginning people got really excited about these light, bubbly wines that can be enjoyed anytime,” says Brown Brothers winemaker and ambassador, Katherine Brown. “It’s that idea of being able to have a glass of Prosecco sitting outside in the sunshine, or with friends after work. Champagne is for a special occasion but Prosecco can just be celebrating that you survived till Wednesday!”

Brown Brothers began exploring the potential of Prosecco after seeing its growing popularity in the UK in the early 2000s. “We were travelling quite a lot and saw that in London people kept ordering Prosecco and Prosecco Spritz and Bellinis and there was this real groundswell,” says Katherine.

“They were drinking this sparkling wine casually. Seeing our climate was perfect for Prosecco it was something that we jumped onto and thought this could be something for us.”

What is Prosecco?

• Prosecco is a sparkling wine with Italian origins. It is delicate and fresh with apple and citrus notes.

• An easy drinking sparkling wine that is ideal any time – for brunch, served with Mediterranean platters, or as an aperitif to start an evening.

• Prosecco is the name of an appellation in north-east Italy as well as being the name of an historically recognised grape variety, used to produce sparkling wine in many countries across the world.

• Italy has registered Prosecco as a Geographical Indication (GI) in the EU, however this does not apply in Australia, where winemakers have defended their use of Prosecco as a grape variety domestically and internationally.

• The best examples of Prosecco come from cooler regions, like Brown Brothers’ Banksdale vineyard in the upper King Valley in the north east of Victoria.

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After trials in Brown Brothers ‘Kindergarten’ experimental winery, the first commercial release came out in 2008 and it soon became clear the hunch had paid off, with the winery’s Prosecco range cementing itself as a firm favourite with Australian and, more recently, New Zealand consumers.

The rise of King Valley Prosecco North east Victoria has a strong Italian connection dating back to the 1920s, when immigrants arrived to farm tobacco in the area. The Dal Zotto family planted the first Prosecco in 1974 and Australia’s first Prosecco was released in 2004.

Retail sales of Australian Prosecco now make up nearly two thirds of total Prosecco sales in Australia at AUD$60M, with the King Valley region accounting for the majority of that at AUD$37M1.

In fact, King Valley Prosecco retail sales have surpassed those of Italian Prosecco in Australia for the past two years, indicating a consumer desire for a premium local product and connection to the growers and producers.

Buoyed by the early success of its own Prosecco in Australia, Brown Brothers

COVER STORY – BROWN BROTHERS PROSECCO

launched its Prosecco NV in the New Zealand market in 2012, followed by the Prosecco Rosé in 2015. The wines have proven hugely popular with Kiwi consumers too, who enjoy the light, fresh style and relaxed everyday celebration that Prosecco offers.

Prosecco is now the fourth most popular type of sparkling wine in New Zealand and one of the fastest growing.

Brown Brothers is #2 of the three main players that represent over half of the Prosecco consumed in New Zealand.

New Zealand’s love of Prosecco follows international trends - it is the fastest growing sparkling wine category in the USA, while in the UK Prosecco now outsells French Champagne2 (within the sparkling category), consumed by three-quarters of the sparkling wine drinking population.

From grape to glass Winemaker Geoff Alexander has been involved with Prosecco at Brown Brothers since those first cuttings were planted and says the King Valley is key to its success: its cool climate is ideal for retaining the acid and freshness needed for sparkling wine, yet it’s warm enough to ripen the relatively high cropping Prosecco vines. In the winery, Geoff uses the Charmat method of sparkling wine production (secondary fermentation in tank), which he says is crucial. “It creates a delicate, young, fresh wine but with premium cues like beautiful mousse and really long acid. What I look for in our Prosecco is very delicate aromatics: floral notes with citrus and apple on the nose.

The palate needs to be quite light, fresh and crisp and a little bit of residual sugar for balance.”

Katherine and Caroline Brown of Brown Brothers

Tasting notes Brown Brothers Prosecco NV

A refreshing sparkling made to drink now while light and fresh. It has a straw colour with subtle green hues, a delicate nose displaying apple and pear characters and a palate full of crisp citrus notes.

Brown Brothers Prosecco Rosé

A beautiful soft, rose-gold hue, this fresh sparkling has a delicate nose displaying strawberry, watermelon and apple. It retains the freshness and vibrancy that Prosecco is known for and provides a subtle hint of berry on the palate.

Brown Brothers Prosecco Spritz

A fresh twist on the traditional Prosecco style, ideal for pouring over ice with a slice of fresh orange as an aperitif.

A vibrant blood orange, with classic pear aroma of Prosecco and the citrus and bitters flavours creating intrigue.

Brown Brothers Vintage Release Prosecco – available Oct 2019

The premium expression in the Brown Brothers Prosecco range. The colour is bright and vibrant with a youthful green hue. The nose shows lifted Granny Smith apple and pear notes along with a citrus undertone. The wine’s tight natural acidity from the cool climate fruit makes it perfect for drinking young.

Why King Valley Prosecco?

The terroir is ideal for the variety: a cooler climate is vital for the retention of fresh, zesty flavours and fine acidity.

It is recognised as a premium product, from a cool climate region, produced in accordance with traditional methods.

It targets the ‘higher end’ of the Prosecco market while remaining very accessible in the Sparkling wine category.

A Brown Brothers Prosecco for every occasion Brown Brothers added further excitement to its range for Summer 18/19, launching Prosecco Spritz, a blend of Prosecco with orange and aromatic bitters that demonstrated the company’s commitment to quality and innovation.

“We developed our own in-house blend of bitters for the Spritz,” says Katherine. “We wanted a bitters that we saw as unique to our character, so we worked with really beautiful bitter orange and a nice background of spice.”

The Prosecco Spritz was a hit, and the next launch for the New Zealand market will be the Brown Brothers Prosecco Vintage Release in October 2019.

For this, Geoff Alexander selected the best parcels of grapes from the Brown family-owned Banksdale vineyards in the far reaches of the King Valley.

Katherine Brown says it's been hugely popular in Australia on-premise and in high end bottle stores as a step up from everyday Prosecco. “We talk about Prosecco being that ‘casual drink’ - then this is the casual drink you might serve at a wedding or birthday party.”

She says there's excitement about where the Prosecco category is heading and its future is bright at Brown Brothers.

“In Australia and New Zealand the enjoyment of wine is becoming a lot more casual. We're seeing the growing trend for people - and not just women - to kick back and enjoy a daytime sparkling wine, and we think that's going to continue.”

Contact Taylor Brown on 09 447 3801 taylorbrown.co.nz IRI Aztec Scan MAT 06.01.19 (retail sales only, excludes on-premise) 2 Wine Intelligence Sparkling Wine in the UK Market 2018.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

NZ claims world-beating wines at IWC International Varietal Trophies International Sauvignon Blanc Trophy Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, 2018 International Syrah Trophy Trademark Syrah, 2015 (Te Awanga Estate)

National Trophies New Zealand Red Trophy Trademark Syrah, 2015 (Te Awanga Estate) New Zealand White Trophy Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay, 2017

National Varietal Trophies

AFTER TWO weeks of blind tasting by 400 judges from 38 countries, the International Wine Challenge announced in May that New Zealand is home to the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. It is the fourth year in a row that New Zealand has won the coveted International Syrah Trophy, which this year went to Te Awanga Estate for its Trademark Syrah 2015, which also won three other trophies.

Husband and wife team, Neal and Judy Ibbotson of Saint Clair Family Estate were awarded the best Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand, and in the competition, with the Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2018 winning the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Trophy and the International Sauvignon Blanc Trophy.

New Zealand’s winemakers won a total of 23 Gold, 113 Silver and 230 Bronze medals, to finish sixth in the international league table.

Peter McCombie MW, IWC co-chair, commented: “There isn’t much Syrah planted in New Zealand but what there is makes world-class wine. Stylistically closer to Rhone Valley than Barossa Valley, we expect New Zealand Syrah to have abundant fruit and remarkable freshness.

Te Awanga, winner of the New Zealand Red Trophy, is a brilliant example of this style.”

The winners of the Champion Trophy and Winemaker of the Year will be announced at the IWC 2019 Awards Dinner in London on 9 July.

Luxury sub from Champagne Mumm Pernod Ricard’s Champagne Mumm has launched New Zealand’s first ever Champagne subscription service and it sold out in a month.

Dubbed ‘Mumm Rosé Fridays’ the limited edition service includes four bespoke kits delivered across an eight week period. Each luxury kit features a chilled bottle of Mumm Rosé and items to complement the Champagne and the occasion, such as cupcakes, candles, beauty masks and flowers.

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Champagne Mumm offered 100 subscription packages at $299.96, including shipping, and had sold out by the end of May. Sassetta Wielanga, Senior Brand Manager Spirits & Champagne at Pernod Ricard, says the subscription offer was created to provide a reason to enjoy Rosé Champagne all year round and reflects the changing consumer market. “The consumer purchase process is changing and they are looking for

more convenient methods of receiving product. There has been an increase in subscription-based purchase models in other categories, and we saw this as a great opportunity to drive visibility and engagement of Mumm Rosé in what is a New Zealand first. We have limited this service to just 100 subscriptions, but following its success we may look to increase the number of subscriptions available.” mummrosefridays.co.nz

New Zealand Chardonnay Trophy Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay, 2017 New Zealand Pinot Noir Trophy Kelly Washington Gibbston Pinot Noir, 2017 New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Trophy Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, 2018 New Zealand Syrah Trophy Trademark Syrah, 2015 (Te Awanga Estate)

Regional Trophies Marlborough Pinot Noir Trophy Delta Hatter’s Hill Pinot Noir, 2017 Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay Trophy Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay, 2017 Marlborough Chardonnay Trophy Kelly Washington Organic Chardonnay, 2017 Hawke’s Bay Red Blend Trophy Pask Small Batch Trilliant, 2016 Central Otago Trophy Kelly Washington Gibbston Pinot Noir, 2017 Hawke’s Bay Syrah Trophy Trademark Syrah, 2015 (Te Awanga Estate) internationalwinechallenge.com

Taylor’s Port declare 2017 a Classic Vintage releasing its 8 th Vargellas Vinha Velha, in 326 years.

With spectacular Vintages, comes perfect Vineyards; Vargellas Vinha Velha Vintage Port, is one of these. The declaration of “Vintage Port”, is to some, not only a custom, but a religion, one which Taylor’s Port House, takes seriously.

On 23rd April 2019, this special release was declared a Classic Vintage, encompassing all things rare and dear to Taylor’s.

Taylor’s Vargellas Vinha Velha 2017 will be available to order from Hancocks Wine, Spirit, and Beer Merchants Ltd. from November 2019.

Taylor’s is the archetypal Port House and with that comes a multiple Vintage Selection, available now at www.hancocks.co.nz or through your Hancocks Representative.

INDUSTRY NEWS

New faces at Bragato Research Institute BRAGATO RESEARCH Institute (BRI) has announced the appointment of two new independent Board Members. Dr Dianne McCarthy CRSNZ CNZM, and Dr Bruce Campbell joined the BRI Board on 1 June 2019.

Based in Marlborough, the institute undertakes research to benefit the New Zealand wine industry. It was established as a Regional Research Institute with MBIE funding and is owned by New Zealand Winegrowers.

Dr McCarthy holds a BA BSc MSc (Hons) and PhD from the University of Auckland. The former CEO of the Royal Society of New Zealand, she is now Chair of the Board of the New Zealand

passed, I have broadened my interests to concentrate upon the critical importance of science and research to our nation’s economic success.” said Dr McCarthy.

“I am particularly interested in the development of opportunities for emerging scientists to thrive in the new Bragato Research Institute.”

Dr Campbell has a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in ecology from The University Dr Bruce Campbell Dr Dianne McCarthy CRSNZ CNZM of Sheffield. He is a recipient Institute of Economic Research, a Director of the 2017 Prime Minister’s Science Prize, of the Cawthron Institute, a member 2017 Horticulture New Zealand Industry of the governance boards of the DoddService Award and 2016 Royal Society Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum of New Zealand Thomson Medal for Technologies, the Healthier Lives National outstanding leadership of agricultural and Science Challenge, and is Chair of the horticultural science.

Ageing Well National Science Challenge.

Drs McCarthy and Campbell join She is a Trustee of the Malaghan Institute Mark Gilbert (Independent Chair) as of Medical Research and the Hearing independent members on the Board Research Foundation (NZ). alongside three directors from the “My career has been built around New Zealand Winegrowers Board – science; initially mathematics and James Dicey, Peter Holley and Dominic behavioural science. But as the years have Pecchenino.

SHOWCASE

The Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year competition is an initiative to help grow the New Zealand wine industry’s future leaders. Each year Education Days are held around the country to help prepare contestants for the regional and national finals.

Topics include soil nutrition, vine health, spray certification, selecting the right tractor and many other viticultural topics.

New Zealand Winegrowers’ Biosecurity team have also joined the tour to stress the importance of being a “biosecurity champion” and how vigilance in the vineyards can protect the industry from devastating pests and diseases.

These Education Days not only upskill attendees, but bring the community together and show the support the Young Vits have as they grow themselves and their careers though the initiative.

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NICKY GRANDORGE

Young Vit of the Year and Biosecurity Roadshow The 2019 Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year competition starts with the Auckland/Northern competition on 7 June.

Competition national co-ordinator, Nicky Grandorge, says they’re delighted to be holding it in Northland for the very first time, at Marsden Estate. “It is particularly exciting to hold it in Northland this year as it is the 200th anniversary of the very first vines being planted in New Zealand

by Samuel Marsden in Kerikeri,” she says.

The winners of each regional competition will go on to represent their region in this year’s National Final to be held at the end of August in conjunction with Bragato.

Spectators are welcome to attend the competitions and tickets are available for the awards dinners, which are held the same evening as the competitions.

Key dates for Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year 2019 regional events: Akl/Northern – 7 June, Marsden Estate Hawke’s Bay – 13 June, Te Awa Wairarapa – 20 June, Te Kairanga Marlborough – 4 July, Constellation SI Regional – 12 July, Greystone Central Otago – 18 July, CO Polytechnic For more details visit nzwine.com/ en/about-us/our-communities/ young-viticulturist-of-the-year or contact Nicky Grandorge on nicky.grandorge@nzwine.com or 021 780 948.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Top 30 in New World Beer & Cider Awards

Honour for Kono CEO BUSINESS LEADER Rachel Taulelei has been chosen to receive a Kea World Class New Zealand Award in recognition of her contribution to the sustainable food industry, and her ongoing work promoting New Zealand as a world-class producer of food and beverages.

The WCNZ Awards, which were established in 2003, recognise New Zealanders who have achieved outstanding success in their chosen field, both at home and on the world stage.

Taulelei (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Rārua) is CEO of Māori-owned food and beverage producer Kono, which produces the Kono, Tohu and Aronui wine ranges as well as Tutū Cider.

Prior to her current role, she was the NZ Trade Commissioner in Los Angeles, before founding sustainable seafood business Yellow Brick Road. Last year, she was named the Māori Woman Business Leader of the Year at the University of Auckland Aotearoa Māori Business Leaders Awards, and she presently sits on the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Council.

Rachel Taulelei will join Allbirds entrepreneur Tim Brown, and scientist and entrepreneur Elizabeth Iorns, who are also receiving a Kea World Class NZ Award in June.

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THE RESULTS of the 2019 New World Beer & Cider Awards were released at the end of May and the Top 30 winners are now in New World stores nationwide.

More than 100 brewers and cider-makers from New Zealand and overseas entered over 630 products into the Awards, which were blindjudged by a panel of 24 independent expert judges.

Chair of Judges, Michael Joe Wood, Liberty Brewing Co Donaldson, says the IPA category was particularly diverse, including beers that “break the rules” of classic IPAs which, up until the last few years, have been modelled off the intense West-Coast US style.

“Lately, there’s been all sorts of developments in the IPA world and it’s evident our New Zealand brewers have been busy experimenting and refining their techniques to create these stunning new beers. The winners have served up something for everyone in this category – from traditional full-flavoured beers, to more laid-back session and lowalcohol beers, with sweeter hazy and fruity options in between.”

2019 New World Beer & Cider Awards Top 30 Lager • Epic Lager, Epic Brewing Company • Carlsberg, Independent Liquor • Three Boys Lager, Three Boys Brewery Pilsner • Fork Brewcorp Golden Handshake Pilsner, Fork Brewcorp • Liberty Halo Pilsner, Liberty Brewing Co • Panhead Port Road Pilsner, Panhead Custom Ales • Three Boys Pils, Three Boys Brewery Pale Ale • Bach Brewing BILLFISH APA, Bach Brewing • Behemoth Freedom APA, Behemoth Brewing Company Limited • Boneface Brewing Hoptron APA, Boneface Brewing Co • Duncan’s Pale Ale, Duncan’s Brewing IPA • Croucher Lowrider, Croucher Brewing • Garage Project Fresh IPA, Garage Project Brewery • Liberty Hoptical Illusion Double IPA, Liberty Brewing Co • Pirate Life Mosaic IPA, Pirate Life Brewing • Sawmill Session India Pale Ale, Sawmill Brewery • Sawmill India Pale Ale, Sawmill Brewery Wheat Beer • Emporium Brewing Get to da Choppa, Emporium Brewing • Yeastie Boys White Noise, Yeastie Boys

Stout & Porter • Epic Sparks Imperial Stout, Epic Brewing Company • McLeod’s Pioneer Brown Porter, McLeod’s Brewery • Panhead Blacktop Oatmeal Stout, Panhead Custom Ales Sour, Barrel-Aged & Fruit • 8 Wired Wild Feijoa Sour Ale, 8 Wired Brewing • Behemoth From A Can Peach IPA, Behemoth Brewing Company Limited • Fork Brewcorp Tainted Love Passionfruit & Juniper Sour Ale, Fork Brewcorp Other Ales and Beers • Sprig & Fern Doppelbock, Sprig & Fern Brewery • Sprig & Fern Scotch Ale, Sprig & Fern Brewery Contemporary NZ Cider • Paynter’s Cider The Alchemist, Paynter’s Cider Traditional Cider • Peckham’s Reserve Sweet Frenchie Cider, Peckham’s Cider Cider Blend • Mount Brewing Co. Dark n’ Stormy Cider, Mount Brewing Co. For more on the individual Top 30 beers and ciders visit newworld.co.nz/Top30

INDUSTRY NEWS

Entries open for NW Wine Awards

Clearview boosts sales force Clearview Estate has expanded its sales team with the appointment of new Northern Regions Account Manager, Michelle Trevarton, based in Auckland.

Michelle, who has a background in retail sales management, will cover on-premise and wine stores in Auckland, Northland and Waikato. She joins long-standing account manager Lisa Clarke, who mirrors the sales role in the lower North Island and with the support of sales staff based at the Te Awanga winery in Hawke’s Bay. Clearview Estate says its presence in the Auckland market is increasing, with its popular Black Reef Blush spearheading the growth for the winery as a whole, closely followed by the celebrated range of Chardonnays.

THE NEW World Wine Awards have opened for entries, in the 17th year of the country’s most consumer-focused wine competition. The Top 50 medal-winning wines will receive distribution through more than 135 New World stores across the country, as well as publicity support in-store and out.

The Awards focus on wines that retail for $25 or less. Entrants must have at least 4,000 bottles available to meet consumer demand (2,000 for niche varietals) – a threshold that has been adjusted this year to encourage an even wider spread of styles and producers to enter.

As introduced in 2017, this year’s competition will also include opportunities for selected New Zealand wines that retail for over $25.

Chair of Judges Jim Harré will return for his 12th year to oversee a panel of 16 experts, including wine industry consultant and Master of Wine Nick Bulleid from Australia.

Entries to the New World Wine Awards must be received by Friday 21 June. Judging will take place over three days in Wellington in late July with results announced later in the year.

Entry details are online at newworld.co.nz/topwines

SHOWCASE

GETLCQ makes Duty Manager training simple Managing your liquor licence – whether a suburban bottle store, a café or a fully-fledged bar and restaurant combo – always comes with legal risk.

Since the 2012 Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act was introduced there has been greater emphasis on licensed premises getting it right. Despite the best intentions we still see bars, cafés, sports clubs and off-licences getting pinged

for selling to minors, serving intoxicated patrons and not having food or water readily available.

One of the strongest solutions to this problem is having well trained Duty Managers in place who have a good in-depth understanding of their responsibilities under the Act. The Online Licence Controller Qualification GETLCQ now trains the largest number of

applicants for Managers’ Certificates in New Zealand.

Candidates completing the course are taken through eight in-depth modules that teach the obligations and responsibilities of a Manager on Duty. Along the way, they answer questions based on real life scenarios, meet a Licensing Inspector, Medical Officer of Health and an Alcohol Harm Prevention Officer from the New Zealand Police. By the time they reach their assessment they should understand what it means to successfully manage a licensed premise. 90% of candidates who complete their online LCQ on GETLCQ say they are now confident to manage a licenced premise.

GETLCQ can be done in the candidate’s own time, they can start and finish whenever they like and the course is easy to navigate, user-friendly and costs only $150. This price includes the LCQ Certificate. The low cost also means you can train more people, thus minimising risk to your business even more.

Minimise risk, avoid penalties and get on with running your business with well-trained Duty Managers.

GETLCQ.co.nz

18 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

INDUSTRY NEWS

LION BRAND Speight’s has announced it is partnering with Million Metres, committing $120,000 over three years to support planting efforts in the health of waterways in the Otago region.

An initiative of the Sustainable Business Network (SBN), Million Metres is an online fundraising platform focused on restoring the banks of New Zealand waterways by planting a million metres of native plants and trees along rivers, lakes and streams.

Speight’s will be the first major brand donor for the initiative and its contribution will support planting efforts starting in the Upper Clutha Catchment (Wanaka) down to Speight’s home town of Dunedin.

Geoffrey Kidd, Speight’s Brand Manager says it’s important to the brand to give back to the region it calls home. “Through our Speight’s Fund we have been supporting smaller initiatives across the region for ten years, but this partnership allows us to focus our efforts to grow the fund’s impact.”

Visitors to the Speight’s Brewery in Dunedin will be able to donate to the cause

MATT DOWDLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Speight’s helps Otago waterways

when they go on a brewery tour or use the Speight’s Tap, which dispenses fresh water from the spring under the brewery. The tap is koha-based and over one million litres of water is taken each year, with around $3000 a year in donations.

Prestigious title for NZ whisky educator The man regarded as New Zealand’s foremost authority on Scotch whisky, Michael Fraser Milne, has been awarded the prestigious title of Master of The Quaich, recognising his more than 20 years as a distributor, educator and retailer of Scotland’s most famous export.

The title is bestowed by the Keepers of the Quaich – an international society founded in 1988 to recognise the achievements of those who work in the Scotch whisky industry. A Keeper can be made after seven years in the industry, while the title of Master can only be held after 10 years as a Keeper.

Michael Fraser Milne was inducted at a ceremony at Scotland’s Blair Castle in early April.

The recognition comes 26 years after he first established a whisky importing business to distribute single malt Scotch whisky around New Zealand, later opening the country’s largest speciality whisky store, Whisky Galore, in Christchurch and hosting thousands of tastings and educational events including DramFest, Australasia’s largest whisky festival.

Read more in ‘Last Orders’ on pg 78.

Speight’s will be asking people to up the stakes to 10 cents for every litre they take this year, to try and reach $100,000 in funds for the region’s waterways. speights.co.nz/millionmetres

NZ’s top organic wines revealed THE NEW Zealand Organic Wine Awards were announced in May, marking the sixth year of the event dedicated to recognising the best New Zealand wines produced from 100% certified organic or in-conversion grapes.

Organisers say the 2019 event saw an 8% increase in participating vineyards on last year, with 37 taking part and 183 wines entered. Pinot Noir was again the largest varietal category, while the largest growth was in Pinot Gris.

‘Riedel Wine of the Show’ Domaine Thomson Surveyor Thomson Pinot Noir 2015 ‘Vintec Sustainable Vineyard of the Year’ Carrick ‘Riedel Vineyard of the Year’ The Darling Wines Champion Pinot Noir Domaine Thomson Surveyor Thomson Pinot Noir 2015 Champion Sauvignon Blanc Tapi Sauvignon Blanc 2018 Champion Riesling Amisfield Lowburn Terrace Riesling 2018 Champion Pinot Gris Greystone Pinot Gris 2018 Champion Chardonnay Giesen The Fuder Clayvin Chardonnay 2015 Champion Syrah Stonecroft Gimblett Gravels Reserve Syrah 2016 Champion Rosé Terrace Edge Rosé 2018 organicwineawards.co.nz DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019 19

INDUSTRY NEWS

Hospitality NZ Awards now open ENTRIES ARE now open for Hospitality New Zealand’s annual Awards for Excellence, which recognise the achievements of the food and beverage and accommodation sectors.

The Awards are in their 22nd year and this year offer 19 award categories, including Best Bar, Best Restaurant, Best Neighbourhood Bar and Eatery, and Excellence in Host Responsibility.

Entries are open to all Hospitality New Zealand members until 28 June (non-members are welcome to join before entering) and the Awards for Excellence 2019 will take place in Hawke’s Bay on 17 October, during Hospitality New Zealand’s annual conference (October 15-17).

Chch to host Pinot Noir NZ 2021 NEW ZEALAND’S international celebration of Pinot Noir will head to Christchurch for the first time in 2021.

The three-day Pinot Noir NZ event is held every four years and has grown steadily, from 100 wines at the inaugural event 20 years ago to 117 wineries bringing over 600 wines to 500 international industry influencers in 2017. The 2021 event will run from 23-25 February.

The 2017 event in Wellington was a sell-out, hosting international wine

experts such as Jancis Robinson, Andrea Frost and Elaine Chukan Brown, with Andrea Frost describing New Zealand as “one of the most dynamic and exciting Pinot Noir regions on earth”.

Pinot Noir 2021 Co-Chair Helen Masters, winemaker at Ata Rangi in Martinborough and NZ Winemaker of the Year 2019, says the committee considered a number of venues for the event, but felt Christchurch stood out for its energy and collaborative approach. “It’s a fascinating city and the speed with which it’s evolving makes it an extraordinary destination for our guests to explore.

It’s also a natural mid-point for our Pinot Noir growing regions in the North and South islands. Following the appalling terrorist attack in Christchurch we’re even more committed to showing our support for the city.” pinotnz.co.nz

awards.hospitality.org.nz

SHOWCASE

Who will be NZ’s best young winemaker for 2019?

The 2019 competition to find New Zealand’s top young winemaker is fast approaching. In its fifth year, the Tonnellerie de Mercurey NZ Young Winemaker of the Year Competition aims to develop the future leaders of the wine industry and is a great opportunity for all those working in wine production (including Cellarhand, Laboratory, Assistant Winemaker and Winemaker) and under the age of 30 to upskill, challenge themselves and start forging their path.

Throughout the day-long competition, contestants are tested on a wide range of skills and knowledge related to all aspects of wine production and wine industry knowledge. They must also deliver a speech at the Awards dinner, as public speaking is an important leadership skill.

The annual competition now falls under the New Zealand Winegrowers’ umbrella and this year there will be three

20 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

regional competitions: North Island (held in Hawke’s Bay), Central Otago, and Marlborough. The winner from each of these will go through to represent their region in the National Final, which this year will be held in Marlborough.

Previous contestants have benefited immensely from the competition, as their confidence has grown and they are more widely recognised within the industry. Many are also putting their increased leadership skills to good use, as they now sit on the regional and national Young Winemaker committees helping to organise the competitions.

Key dates for Tonnellerie de Mercurey NZ Young Winemaker of the Year Competition 2019: North Island: 1 August, EIT Marlborough: 7 August, NMIT Central Otago: 15 August, VinPro National Final: 17 September, NMIT

The competition is delighted to be sponsored by: Tonnellerie de Mercurey, Farmlands, Laffort, O-I Glass, Winejobsonline, Riedel NZ, Guala Closures and Crown Sheet Metals.

For entry details or sponsorship inquiries contact Nicky Grandorge on nicky.grandorge@nzwine.com or 021 780 948.

SHOWCASE

Bottles for pirates and outlaws French specialist glass company Saverglass sails the high seas with its range ‘Wanted – the Bandit Craft Line’ – inspired by accounts of swashbuckling pirates hunting

Spanish ships laden with gold, and of outlaws on the plains of the Rio Grande waiting to ambush unsuspecting couriers of precious treasures.

The collection of 13

distinctive bottles is infused with a spirit of independence, strength and character, offering you a canvas on which to write your own legend.

The designs have proved popular with leading makers and artisan producers seeking to create a unique narrative that associates their brand with the bold strength, brazen independence and rebellious spirit of these irrepressible piratical personalities.

This same trend has inspired new bars, saloons and watering holes catering to a clientele on the hunt for their own treasures and which attract Millennials seeking unique and authentic experiences and creative, original and refined cocktails served in a unique atmosphere that distill the essence of the moment.

Find out more – contact Karen at Saverglass NZ Ltd 021 580 104 krb@saverglass.com saverglass.com

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Diageo boosts parental leave DIAGEO HAS announced it will offer a global minimum of 26 weeks fully paid maternity leave to female employees in all markets. The company is also setting a global minimum standard of four weeks paternity leave on full rate of pay in all markets, with a significant number of Diageo’s businesses moving to 26 weeks fully paid paternity leave including North America, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Colombia, Venezuela and Australia, amongst others.

The news follows the announcement in April that all parents employed by

Diageo in the UK are now eligible for the same fully-paid 26 weeks, retaining benefits and bonuses regardless of gender.

The new policy will go live in most countries at the start of Diageo’s new financial year, from the 1st July 2019, with further countries to implement the policy over the course of the year. Diageo says the full details of each countryspecific policy, application to non-wholly owned subsidiaries, and the timing of its roll-out will be shared in due course and is subject to local legal, board, and regulatory requirements.

Wine GB marks vine milestone Around three million vines were planted in Great Britain this year, according to figures released in late May by Wines of Great Britain. It says the planting equates to an additional 690 hectares of vineyards and a 24% increase in the overall land now under vine (just over 3500 hectares).

The 2019 figure is nearly double that planted last year (1.6 million vines) and three times the 1 million vines planted in 2017, which Wines of Great Britain says makes the wine industry one of the fastest-growing agricultural sectors in the UK. There are over 500 commercial vineyards and 165 wineries in the UK today.

Much of the planting has taken place in the counties of South East of England (Kent, Sussex and Hampshire) and the spread of vines includes Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, Devon, Somerset, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Wales – showing the ongoing expansion of wine production right across the UK. “This impressive figure of three million vines represents another milestone in the growth of our fantastic industry,” says Simon Robinson, Chairman of WineGB. “Last year we set out our vision that in the next 20 years, at the rate of current growth, we could be producing some 40 million bottles per year. We’re certainly heading towards that. This is a thriving British industry.” winegb.co.uk 22 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

SAM NEEDHAM

DENBIES WINE ESTATE

Lion buys UK craft brewer Magic Rock

Lion has bought Magic Rock Brewing Company, a UK craft brewer based in Huddersfield, Yorkshire. The purchase was announced in late March, and Lion says it will continue with Magic Rock’s focus to meet rising demand in the domestic market, building growth in pubs and supermarkets. Magic Rock also exports to more than 25 countries and plans to grow further outside the UK with the support of Lion. It was founded in 2011 and co-founder and managing director Richard Burhouse will remain actively involved within the business going forward.

Lion Global Markets managing director, Matt Tapper, says Lion is committed to supporting Magic Rock to fuel its next phase of growth. “Lion is continuing to take a patient, long-term approach to capital investment in international markets to meet the demand for diverse craft beer experiences. The UK continues to be one of the most exciting places in the world to experience craft - and given its cultural similarities to Australia and New Zealand, now is a great time to partner with Magic Rock to invest in building their premium brands and to expand Lion’s presence in that market.”

NON-ALCOHOLIC NEWS

Lion buys Teza Iced Teas

SoL rises in NZ A RANGE of sustainable and reusable brand hand-blown glass and plastic-free cups, bottles and straws by Australian brand SoL is now available for retailers in New Zealand.

Rebecca Veksler launched SoL in 2016, after overcoming an autoimmune disease and health obstacles, with the goal of creating products that were plastic-free and could not impact health adversely. SoL cups are made with hand-blown glass that prevents the absorption of residual tastes, odours and germs while preventing the leach of chemicals that are known to be endocrine disruptors in the body.

Since its launch, the brand has expanded its offering to include 8oz and 16oz coffee cups with customisable lids and sleeves, a drink bottle and accessories including a straw kit, a waterproof pouch to prevent coffee cup spillages in handbags and fabric tote bags.

The logo symbolises the sun (‘sol’ in Spanish) while the signature zigzag pattern reflects the ocean waves of Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

Lion has bought Kiwi drinks brand Teza Iced Teas as the company seeks to grow its non-alcoholic beverage portfolio.

The purchase, announced in late March, will see Teza join Lion’s growing non-alcoholic division, Drinks Collective, which distributes brands such as Chia Sisters, Höpt Sodas and Six Barrel Soda Co. and has also announced a new strategic partnership with flavoured sparking water start-up, Vista.

Teza Iced Teas is part of the Greenstone Drinks Company and was the first real-brewed iced tea in New Zealand. The product is made with batch brewed organic leaf tea, fruit juices and botanicals.

Stefan Gray, General Manager, Drinks Collective says they plan to make the brand more readily available nationwide as part of wider plans for Lion’s non-alcoholic portfolio. “We have big plans to grow the Drinks Collective as part of our commitment to meeting the evolving world of sociability and by 2025 at least 10% of Lion’s sales will come from our non-alcoholic range.”

Drinks Collective will take full control of the Teza brand and associated assets, while Australian-based founders, Joe Gehrke and Daphne Raj, will focus on growing their company, Greenstone Drinks Co. and will still be involved in the brand via an agreement which will see them distribute Teza for Lion in the Australian market through Greenstone Drinks Co. drinkscollective.nz

solcups.co.nz

Premium water Wai Life

Good Buzz’s new look

New water brand WaiLife has launched, positioning itself as “New Zealand’s most pristine bottled water”.

It comprises a range of premium natural New Zealand structured alkaline artesian water, lab tested with an alkalinity of between pH9.6 and pH10 and available in ‘Natural’, ‘Saffron-Infused’ and ‘Rose-Infused’ using only organic ingredients with no artificial processes or preservatives.

WaiLife founder and managing director, Bari Samadi, says the brand was created to show that all waters are not created equal. “WaiLife is living water. This means it interacts with everything in its immediate environment. Unlike other acidic bottled waters or waters pumped with sugars and other artificial ingredients, WaiLife’s fully recyclable BPA free plastic bottle has to be protected by a cardboard cylinder to prevent the sun’s UV rays from altering its chemical structure.”

WaiLife RRP $5.99 - $10.99

KOMBUCHA PRODUCER Good Buzz has launched new branding and two new bottles – in a 328ml and 888ml format. The bottles are from glass bottle manufacturer O-I New Zealand’s ‘The Provider’ series and include a unique heel feature embossed with “Crafted in New Zealand”.

“When we launched, we wanted our beverage to look more like a craft beer,” says Good Buzz founder Alex Campbell. “No one knew about kombucha then and it’s one of the reasons we started out as Good Buzz Brewing Co. (now Good Buzz). We used the word ‘brewing’ for approachability and to start a conversation. These new-look bottles are the next step as they look so much more like a craft beer bottle and we no longer need to use the word ‘brewing’ as the design communicates this visually.”

wailife.co.nz

goodbuzz.nz DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019 23

SHOWCASE

Buffalo Trace – honouring tradition, embracing change

Standing today as the oldest continuously operating distillery in America, Buffalo Trace Distillery has been making whisky for more than 200 years on the banks of the Kentucky River.

Designated as a National Historic Landmark, Buffalo Trace is the most awardwinning distillery in the world, garnering more than 300 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. Buffalo Trace is proudly distributed in New Zealand by Federal Merchants.

The American family-owned company is based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The distillery is fully operational and dedicated to preserving the rich history and rugged authenticity on which it was founded, while always striving to create the world’s most perfect bourbon ever made through innovative experimentation.

Buffalo Trace takes its name from the ancient buffalo that carved paths through the wilderness, known as ‘traces’. These were the paths followed by American pioneers and explorers to new frontiers. One such trail led to the banks of the Kentucky River where Buffalo Trace Distillery stands today.

Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey The signature Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was created in tribute to the mighty buffalo and the rugged, independent spirit of the pioneers who followed them. It has been a consistent award-winner since its launch 20 years ago.

Tasting Notes

A deep amber whiskey with a complex aroma of vanilla, mint and molasses. Pleasantly sweet to the taste with notes of brown sugar and spice that give way to oak, toffee, dark fruit and anise. This whiskey finishes long and smooth with serious depth.

Federal Merchants

24 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

Tracing history Throughout the challenges of floods, fires, tornadoes and even Prohibition, the American family-owned Buffalo Trace Distillery has never compromised. The distllery and its people have been part of the story that shaped America and the spirit industry as well.

1792 - Kentucky becomes the 15th state in the Union 1811 - A three-story stone warehouse is built on the Kentucky River near Riverside to store goods, including many barrels of whiskey, awaiting shipment to as far away as New Orleans 1858 - A small but up-to-date distillery is developed using the warehouse and Riverside site 1870 - Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. purchases the distillery and christens it “O. F. C.” (“Old Fire Copper) – in reference to the belief that the finest whiskey was produced in old-fashioned woodfired copper stills 1872 - E. H. Taylor, Jr. builds a new distillery on the site 1878 - The O.F.C. Distillery is purchased by George T. Stagg along with the adjacent livestock farm; Taylor continues to oversee operations 1881 - Warehouse A and Warehouse B are built – these still stand today 1882 - Lightning strikes and burns the O.F.C. Distillery in “The Great Fire;” it is rebuilt in a yet grander manner 1885 - The Construction of Warehouse C, still standing today 1886 - Steam heating system for the warehouses is installed, making this the first distillery to use steam heat, which is still in use today 1919 - The 18th Amendment establishing Prohibition in Jan. 1920 is ratified. The distillery is one of very few to receive a permit to bottle medicinal whiskey and to produce new whiskey from 1930-33 1933 - Prohibition ends with only four distilleries in Kentucky capable of producing whiskey 1992 - The distillery is returned to a familyowned business, being purchased by the Sazerac Company 1999 - Renovations are completed and the distillery is rechristened as the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Its new flagship brand – Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – is launched 2000 - Buffalo Trace Distillery is awarded Whisky Advocate’s “Distillery of the Year” – the first American Distillery to win this prestigious international award 2013 - Buffalo Trace Distillery is named a National Historic Landmark 2015 - Buffalo Trace Distillery is named “Innovator of the Year” by Whisky Magazine

In Kentucky, buffalo carved a pathway followed by early American pioneers.

On the spot where the buffalo migration route crossed the Kentucky River, this National Historic Landmark has been making legendary bourbon whiskey for over 200 years.

Today Buffalo Trace crafts the best collection of bourbons and whiskies in the world by honouring tradition and embracing change.

THE WORLD’S MOST AWARDED DISTILLERY

Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co | federalmerchants.co.nz | 09 578 1823

FEATURE – HAWKE’S BAY VINTAGE 2019

One to watch Hawke’s Bay winemakers are fizzing over what they say could be one of the region’s best vintages of all time…

“THE BUZZ started when the grapes started, when we were about halfway through vintage I think,” says Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers chairman Michael Henley.

“People were starting to bank some pretty good fruit and the weather was behaving.”

The ‘buzz’ is the excitement in Hawke’s Bay around the 2019 vintage, one which Henley says could very well go down in history as one of the region’s best.

“The winemakers are struggling to find a variety that didn’t perform,” he says.

“And that goes outside of Chardonnay, Syrah and all the blends – the Pinot Gris, everything that came in was just looking fantastic and that’s quite rare.”

With 22 vintages in Hawke’s Bay under his belt, Trinity Hill winemaker Warren Gibson agrees that it was exceptional.

“You could easily say there were seasons that were at least as good, but it would be in the top 20%. In terms of the wine we

Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers chairman Michael Henley

26 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

have, I think it’s certainly one of the best seasons we’ve ever had.”

He says the difference with 2019 was its quality across the board. “I’ve been making wine from quite a range of different sites in Hawke’s Bay; it [2019] would be up with ’14 and ’13 and aspects of ’09 and ’10 – but it almost has the best of them in one vintage.”

Hugh Crichton, Chief Winemaker at Vidal Estate had a similar experience.

“It’s a rarity that all varieties in what is a reasonably diverse winegrowing region really sing, but this year is different. I’ve never seen such a strong group of wines in our cellars at Vidal Estate and we’re not the only producers with this sentiment.”

For Julian Grounds, the newly appointed Chief Winemaker at Craggy Range, 2019 was a wonderful introduction to vintage in Hawke’s Bay: “I can only sum up this vintage in one word: ‘sublime’.”

The region enjoyed a long, hot autumn, a welcome reprieve from the extensive rains before Christmas that had kept vineyards busy. Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers says the hot days and moderate-cool nights allowed for perfect ripening conditions, while preserving fresh acidity. With no rain events on the horizon, individual winemakers could decide exactly when they wanted to pick.

“This was one of those years where you could do whatever you wanted,” says Mat Kirby, winemaker at Clearview Estate.

“You could get it as ripe as you wanted, or pick it at the exact moment that you feel is the best expression of the particular vineyard that you are dealing with at the time and make that dream wine.”

The increasing maturity of the region and expertise of those working in it are also key to the success of a vintage like 2019, points out Pernod Ricard Regional Winemaker Chris Scott. “The vines are just that little bit older, the winemakers are

FEATURE – HAWKE’S BAY VINTAGE 2019

The winemakers on Vintage 2019…

On deciding when to pick Mat Kirby – Clearview Estate “When you’re looking at a weather forecast and there’s no rain at all for the next 10-14 days and you’re almost at that perfect ripeness, then in that next 10-day period you’ve got to decide when is the optimal time, because everyone is having a great year.

It’s a lot more pressure. That was the banter, that sort of ‘Oh hell, we’re going to have to remember how to make a picking decision!’.

The consumers and critics will be able to see exactly what each producer’s about this year because there’s no other reason not to make the exact style of wine that you’re trying to make from your particular vineyard, because this year you had the tools to do it.”

a little bit smarter, the viticulturists have learnt a little bit more. So every time you get a year like this in an industry that’s still relatively young, like ours, I think it sets a new benchmark. It’s pretty exciting, you’ll see some of the best wines that have ever come out of the region I suspect.”

For Warren Gibson, this vintage presents an excellent opportunity to emphasise Hawke’s Bay’s strength as a producer of world-class wines and to widen the international spotlight that is already on New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. “Being the second largest region in New Zealand we really need to tell that story. We’re not just a one-trick or two-trick pony, and some of the other varietals that have been traditionally grown in Hawke’s Bay are very important to the present and the future of our industry, and that’s where the premium end of the market is.”

Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Chairman Michael Henley agrees: “The 2019 vintage will produce wines that will further establish Hawke’s Bay as one of the great wine regions of the world, recognised in particular for its Chardonnay, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blends. These are very good times for our region.”

Warren Gibson – Trinity Hill “Normally I don’t have to think too much – we pick because we have to! We’ve been joking about that. It sounds really easy to pick everything at the right time, but we’re working a limited resource with our labour and handpicking and all these other things.

A good season like this makes things a lot easier – whereas if there’s a cyclone coming and every producer wants to handpick that day then there’s just not the number of people to do it. There are lots of benefits to a good season – not just the wine quality – it makes all of the logistics a lot easier as well.

In some ways, it’s not so much the quality, it’s more the style that your picking decision influences.

So if you pick earlier you might get a little more fresh fruit and less alcohol, then if you pick a bit later you might make more of a robust style.”

Chris Scott – Pernod Ricard “When you get the opportunity just to be out looking at fruit, tasting the fruit, and picking purely based on what you think is going to make the best wine possible then that is a very nice position to be in. It requires a lot of time walking through vineyards eating grapes!”

On the highlights Mat Kirby – Clearview Estate “For me, it was really looking at acidity, particularly for Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

If you get your acid just right, and that’s what you could do this year in Chardonnay, then you’re probably making a wine that is in that upper tier fine wine sort of spectrum.

We had lots of new Chardonnay plantings coming on this year too.

Chardonnay as a first year crop typically does really well so I’m quite excited. We’ve probably ended up with about 10 tonnes of first crop fruit and that’s looking really spectacular.

Our demand still outweighs our supply – this was our biggest harvest so far ever at Clearview.

We’re pretty excited to be having our biggest harvest in such a strong quality year – it means we’ve got lots of exciting wine coming out.”

Warren Gibson – Trinity Hill “For us, it’s the ones that we should really be championing with Hawke’s Bay – so Chardonnay particularly and Syrah were strong. The Bordeaux family was strong. We have two hectares of Tempranillo planted, it’s one of those varieties that rides out the more difficult seasons and doesn’t show the peaks and troughs of the other varieties, and it was very strong too.”

Chris Scott – Pernod Ricard “It was just really good across the board. It’s sort of early days but at this stage I would say Syrah and Chardonnay were absolutely fantastic. Pinot Gris was beautiful and clean and looking really good.

I don’t think we’ll struggle to make TOM this year, so it’ll be TOM in all three: the Chardonnay, Syrah and the Bordeaux red.

I think the signs are there for an all-time great vintage. In those really great vintages you get wines – particularly in the red wines – that you can drink when they’re three weeks old. You can tell that they’re solid wines and going to age very well but there’s a ripeness to the tannin structure that means they’re also very approachable as young wines. In the top end of all those wines we’ve seen that approachability, there’s just a lovely density and concentration and a fine, ripe tannin structure and beautiful fragrance.

Everything looks a million dollars at the moment.”

DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019 27

Pinot perfection Pinot Noir is the most popular red in New Zealand with over 15% of the country’s total wine production and it’s growing in quality, writes Joelle Thomson

WINE REPORT – PINOT NOIR

Under RRP $30 2017 Mud House Sub Region Series The Narrows Pinot Noir RRP $19.99 Hancocks

This high quality, modestly priced wine has great concentration of flavour, which is no mean feat for a wine made in high volumes by one of the biggest producers in Marlborough. The grapes are grown on an interesting sloping, northfacing vineyard in The Narrows, a site in Marlborough’s upper Wairau Valley. It’s a sunny spot thanks to its elevation, which means the grapes gain more flavour more slowly with hot days and cool nights.

Stunning value for money. 18.5/20 2018 Wairau River Pinot Noir RRP $21.99 Federal Merchants

This well-known Marlborough wine brand delivers bright, red fruit aromas and flavours of redcurrants, red cherries and toasty oak. The oak maturation adds spicy aromas and also weight and length to this fresh and fruity little number from the country’s biggest wine region. 17/20 2017 The Last Shepherd Central Otago Pinot Noir RRP $22.99 Pernod Ricard

This wine is made in homage to the early settlers of Central Otago and is a dry, medium-bodied, fresh and youthful Pinot Noir with sweet spice and oak notes and a medium finish. 16.5/20

2018 Tiki Estate Waipara Pinot Noir RRP $22.99 Federal Merchants

2017 Opawa Marlborough Pinot Noir RRP $24 to $26 Negociants

Tiki Pinot Noir from Waipara is a big brand from a small region that punches significantly above its weight thanks to the hot summer days, cool nights and long ripening season in North Canterbury.

This wine was made with a small percent of whole berries during fermentation, adding structure and body to the wine, which was matured in oak. It’s bone dry and medium-bodied at 14.1% ABV. The winemaker was Evan Ward. 17/20

This is the second label of Nautilus Wines in Marlborough and is a good quality Pinot from the country’s biggest wine region. It’s full of red fruit flavours, has a light body and a dry finish. 16.5/20

2016 Apaltagua Reserva San Antonio Valley Chile Pinot Noir RRP $23.95 Sur Wines + Del Mundo

Winemaker Pablo Barros describes Chile’s San Antonio Valley as having a Mediterranean climate, which means it’s a warm, dry place to grow Pinot Noir.

He ages this one in oak to add complexity to its fruit flavours and soften its firm, fresh acidity. 16.5/20

Fact file – Pinot Noir • It is the most planted red grape in New Zealand, with the majority grown in the South Island • It makes up 72% of all red grapes planted here and 15% (7,876 hectares) of all producing vineyards • Pinot Noir is a thin skinned red grape so makes paler coloured wines • It’s originally from Bourgogne (Burgundy) in north-east France • It’s one of the three main ingredients in Champagne (Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier are the others)

2017 Alex Gold Pinot Noir RRP $25.99 CoPilot Distributors

Another great Pinot Noir from edgy Alexandra: the most eastern, the driest and often also the coldest of all subregions in Central Otago. This is a great value Pinot Noir with elegant, silky mouthfeel and a long finish. 18.5/20 2016 Margrain River’s Edge Martinborough Pinot Noir RRP $26 Red+White Cellar

Martinborough Pinot Noirs benefit from warm days, cool nights and the mixed blessing of an extremely windy climate, which reduces the number of grapes but intensifies their flavour, making them concentrated, rich and dark. This is one of the reasons this region was the first to set the benchmark for Pinot Noir in New Zealand. Dark cherry aromas and spicy flavours shine in this three-year-old Pinot Noir, which drinks well now and has another two to three years up its sleeve.

16.5/20

DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019 29

WINE REPORT – PINOT NOIR 2018 Windrush Organic Marlborough Pinot Noir RRP $26 Windrush Organic

2017 Loop Road Central Otago Pinot Noir RRP $29 to $30 Vintners

Certified organic wine must be made from certified organic grapes, which is what Callum and Sarah Linklater produce in their Marlborough vineyards on Conders Bend Road. The vines were planted in 2012 and have been grown organically from day one. 2018 was a challenging season in Marlborough with higher than usual rainfall; the fruit was handpicked and cold soaked for seven days to extract colour then placed in open top fermenters. It was left on skins for five days, post ferment, before going to barrel. The winemaker is Cullen Neal and this wine tastes dark, juicy and earthy. 16.5/20

A great newcomer to the Central Otago Pinot Noir scene from the dab hand of winemaker Rudi Bauer, who has blended grapes from Bendigo and Pisa to make this zingy, vibrant, intensely fresh and fruity Pinot Noir. A Central Otago Pinot that over-delivers massively. 17.5/20

2016 Wither Hills Taylor River Pinot Noir RRP $28 to $30 Lion

Taylor River Pinot Noir is made from a small section of the Wither Hills vineyard on the Wairau Plains. This is clearly a special piece of land because every vintage of this wine tastes like several next levels of ripeness, silky mouthfeel and elegance, all wrapped in a great wine with a relatively affordable price tag. Incredible Pinot Noir. 19/20

RRP $30 to $40 2017 Three Miners Warden’s Court Pinot Noir RRP $34.99 Three Miners

Three Miners Vineyard is in Earnscleugh Valley, halfway between Alexandra and Clyde. The banks of the Clutha river at the foot of the vineyard were mined for gold in the 1860s. This wine is named after the Warden’s Court, which looked after miners’ rights in the gold rush days. It’s a bold, bright, fresh and fruity Pinot Noir; extremely elegant in style. It’s made in tiny quantities and worth tracking down.

18.5/20 2015 Forrest Tatty Bogler Bannockburn Pinot Noir RRP $35 Quench Collective

‘Tatty Bogler’ is Scottish for scarecrow, something many vineyards need to keep birds at bay. The grapes in this wine are grown on a sunny, sloping vineyard in Bannockburn and, at four years old, the wine is developing savoury notes that add complexity to the bright fruity flavours, dry taste and long finish. 18.5/20

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2017 Maude Pinot Noir RRP $37 EuroVintage

“Small but sensational” is how Central Otago winemakers Sarah-Kate and Dan Dineen describe the volume of wines that trickled from the vintage of 2017.

It was a tricky year with cool weather and frosts leading up to vintage, so the overall volume of grapes harvested was less but, on the flip side, the resulting wines are intensely rich, powerfully fruity and seductively silky keepers. This is one of my top 10 2017 Central Otago Pinot Noirs and will age well too. 18.5/20 2015 Archangel Pisa Pinot Noir RRP $37 to $40 Archangel Wines

This winery’s evocative name derives from a dark story with a silver lining about two young girls, Stefania and Halina, who were interned in a Siberian labour camp called Arkhangel’sk in WWII. After being transferred to an RAF base in England they became friends and both married Polish airforce officers. Years later, the friends’ children – a son and daughter – married, and the couple moved to New Zealand to begin this new wine brand at Queensberry, midway between Wanaka and Cromwell. The winemaker is Pete Bartle, who brings out the bright, bold, fruit-driven depth and length of Pinot in this powerful wine. 17.5/20

WINE REPORT – PINOT NOIR 2017 Aurum Organic Pinot Noir RRP $38 Aurum Wines

Elegance and silkiness define all the Aurum Pinots, thanks to winemaker Lucie Lawrence’s French background and wine-making philosophy. The winery uses organically certified wines from Te Wairere vineyard in Lowburn, five minutes’ drive north of Cromwell. 18.5/20 2017 Misha’s Vineyard ‘Cantata’ Pinot Noir RRP $39 Negociants

This is the third vintage of ‘Cantata’ Pinot Noir from Misha’s Vineyard, which was first made in 2015 as a wine to serve by the glass at bars and restaurants and is now also available online to the public.

‘Cantata’ is a barrel selection of Pinot Noirs made at Misha’s Vineyard and while it’s not as structured as the top tier ‘The High Note’ Pinot Noir, ‘Cantata’ has a silkiness and early drinking appeal that massively over-delivers for the price.

It drinks well now and will also age well for seven to eight years in cool, dark cellaring conditions. Production is capped at 700-800 cases. 18.5/20 2015 Nautilus Southern Valleys Pinot Noir RRP $39 Negociants

Marlborough’s southern valleys are home to some of the best Pinot Noir vineyards in the South Island, thanks to north facing slopes, slight elevation (more sun, free draining) and soils that retain moisture on hot, dry days. This is a full-bodied Pinot made from six different clones of Pinot Noir, including the much vaunted Abel

clone. All grapes were hand harvested and about 10 percent of them were whole bunch fermented to add structure, spicy flavours and weight to this superb wine.

It’s three years old, drinking beautifully now but has a long life ahead – up to 10 years and potentially beyond. 18.5/20 2017 Providore Pinot Noir RRP $39 Providore Wines

Winemaker Pete Bartle’s new Pinot Noir brand has 25 years of experience behind it. The wines are stunners and made from grapes grown in Queensberry, Bannockburn, Gibbston Valley and Alexandra. This is a smooth, velvety and powerfully juicy Pinot Noir. 17.5/20 2017 Grasshopper Rock Earnscleugh Pinot Noir RRP $39.99 Grasshopper Rock

This 7.8 hectare vineyard in Earnscleugh, Alexandra, takes its name from the endangered protected species of grasshopper, Sigaus childi, found near the vineyard. Alexandra is one of the edgiest places in New Zealand to grow grapes and wines from here are marked by crisp, refreshing acidity as a result. This gives them their zingy quality and makes silky, savoury, superbly delicious wines with great ageing ability. Grasshopper Rock is one of my favourite Central Otago Pinot Noirs for its silky mouthfeel, fresh vibrant style, excellent consistency every year and accessible price. 19/20

2016 Black Quail Bannockburn Pinot Noir RPP $40 Black Quail

Black Quail Pinot Noir is a small brand in Bannockburn, owned by Rod and Mirani Keillor, and is one of my top Central Otago Pinot Noirs. It has silky, savoury flavours balanced by a medium body, vibrant acidity and a long finish. 18.5/20 2017 Quartz Reef Bendigo Pinot Noir RRP $40 Vintners

One of the best Pinot Noirs every year, thanks to a great vineyard in Bendigo, biodynamically grown grapes and Rudi Bauer’s winemaking. This wine is silky, fruit-forward, drinks well now and will become even more delicious with age.

History shows it begins peaking at seven to eight years old. 18.5/20 2016 Wooing Tree Lowburn Pinot Noir RRP $40 Wooing Tree

Steve Farquharson’s Lowburn vineyard is home to the iconic wooing tree on the label of this wine, which is one of the landmarks in Cromwell. The wine lives up to its seductive name thanks to bright, fresh, fruit-forward flavours and a long finish. Drinks well now and can age.

18.5/20 2017 Akitu White Label A2 Wanaka RRP $40 Great Little Vineyards

Akitu Vineyard in Wanaka is a sloping 12 hectare site, 380 metres above sea level. It’s named after the Māori word for ‘summit’ or ‘highest point’. This wine has spicy aromas and is earthy with a long finish. 17.5/20

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WINE REPORT – PINOT NOIR

RRP $41 to $50 2015 Huia Organic Pinot Noir RRP $42 Negociants

Hand-picked grapes and a great vintage make this one of the best Marlborough Pinot Noirs I’ve ever tasted. It was fermented in stainless steel with natural yeasts following a four day cold soak to extract tannins. The wine was first matured for 12 months in French oak Cadus barriques (35% new), then spent another year in 7,000 litre oak vats and 500 litre Cadus puncheons. There was no fining, but it was filtered to bottle and aged at the winery for 12 months before release. A dry, fresh, intensely bright and velvet smooth Pinot Noir – a top drop.

19/20 2016 Amisfield Pinot Noir RRP $42 to $44 Red+White Cellar

Winemaker Stephanie Lambert has created a dark and fruity Pinot Noir in this savoury and earthy wine, which has a sweet, fruity core of bright, fresh, cherrylike flavours. 18.5/20 2015 Dog Point Marlborough Pinot Noir RRP $44 Red+White Cellar

One of Marlborough’s best Pinot Noirs, thanks to certified organic vineyard practices and low crop levels, which produce ripe, flavoursome grapes with firm tannins and great structure.

Dry, full-bodied, earthy and consistently outstanding in quality. A must for a great wine list. 18.5/20

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2016 Mt Edward Central Otago Pinot Noir RRP $44 Mineral

2016 Misha’s Vineyard ‘The High Note’ Pinot Noir RRP $45 Negociants

This is one of Central Otago’s best Pinot Noirs – full stop. It is made with certified organic grapes grown in several subregions of Central Otago. Winemakers Duncan Forsyth and Anna Riederer aim to create a consistently outstanding Pinot Noir with great fruit concentration, spicy aromas and a full body with a silky smooth, lingering finish. They more than succeed in this winning wine. 19/20

This is the jewel in Misha’s 57 hectare vineyard crown and contains 25% whole bunches in the ferment, which began after the grapes had been cold soaked for nearly a week to extract colour. The wine was held warm (15-20°C) post-ferment for ongoing tannin integration. It was matured in French oak hogsheads (300 litre barrels), 33% of which were new oak and was filtered prior to bottling in November 2017. It is drinking beautifully now with spice and ripe fruit flavours aligned with fresh acidity, which adds brightness and length to every sip.

Will age well too. 18.5/20

2015 Mt Beautiful 10 Barrels Select Pinot Noir RRP $45 Negociants

This four-year-old North Canterbury Pinot is just entering a delicious drinking window, with notes of savoury spice, subtle oak and earthy complexity. The grapes were hand-picked, hand-sorted and fermented without whole bunch fermentation prior to ageing in 45% new French oak barrels toasted at varying levels for complexity. It’s made from one vineyard with 26 Pinot Noir blocks that are kept separate during fermentation.

19/20

2017 Auntsfield Single Vineyard Pinot Noir RRP $45 Negociants

Auntsfield is one of Marlborough’s overachievers when it comes to Pinot Noir.

This one is made from a small section of vines grown on a particularly sunny site managed by viticulturist Ben Cowley, whose brother, Luc, makes the wines.

This 2017 release is full-bodied but has all the elegant lightness of touch that makes Pinot Noir so seductive. It’s dry, refreshing and every spicy sip lingers. 18.5/20

Ata Rangi was one of the first four wineries in Martinborough and among the first to produce high quality Pinot Noir in New Zealand.

WINE REPORT – PINOT NOIR 2015 Doctors Flat Pinot Noir RRP $49 Doctors Flat Vineyard

Winemaker Steve Davies’ small four hectare vineyard on its hillside in Bannockburn is devoted entirely to Pinot Noir and he makes one of the region’s most powerful Pinots, thanks to the sunshine and elevation of his vines.

It is dry, full-bodied, smooth and savoury.

18.5/20 2016 Craggy Range Te Muna Road Pinot Noir RRP $49.95 Vintners

This is one of three Martinborough Pinot Noirs that Craggy Range produces, using grapes grown at the winery’s Te Muna Road Vineyard, nine kilometres east of Martinborough township on the same stony soils that define the region’s best wines. The weather at Te Muna is cool and windy but the long dry autumns provide ideal conditions for great Pinot Noir flavours to ripen, giving this wine its powerfully fruity drive and nicely balanced freshness. 18.5/20

RRP $50 and above 2016 Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir RRP $50 EuroVintage

Ivan Donaldson planted the first vineyard in Canterbury in 1976 and founded Pegasus Bay winery with wife Christine a decade later. Today, their four sons run the winery and restaurant with two of their partners and continue to spearhead innovative wines from the outstanding North Canterbury region. Winemaker

Mat, the eldest son, leads a talented team who used an increasing amount of whole bunches in the ferment to make this spicy, structured Pinot that was aged in oak (40% new) for 18 months. It gets better by the year. It wasn’t that long ago I was singing the praises of the 2015 as the best Peg’ Bay Pinot yet. Now, meet this well-balanced, intensely flavoursome, silky smooth Pinot. 19/20 2017 Coal Pit ‘Tiwha’ Pinot Noir RRP $57 Coal Pit Winery

This wine comes from the smallest of Central Otago’s wine regions, the Gibbston Valley, which has fewer than 300 hectares of vines but makes some of its best quality Pinot Noirs. The 2017 vintage was a tricky one as winemakers had to contend with the stress of cool weather, yet the results are some of the most stunning, savoury, earthy Pinot Noirs made in the deep south yet. 18/20 2013 Villa Maria Taylors Pass Marlborough Pinot Noir RRP $59.99 Villa Maria

This powerful Marlborough Pinot Noir is made with grapes grown on the Taylors Pass vineyard on the north bank of the Awatere River. It’s a product of the great 2013 vintage and the result is a Pinot that’s powerfully dry, full-bodied and developing savoury flavours and smooth tannins, thanks to six years’ bottle age.

It drinks well now and has another four to five years of life at least. 18.5/20

2014 Wither Hills ‘The Honourable’ Marlborough Pinot Noir RRP $75 Lion

This wine is named for the late Honourable Charles Bigg Wither, one of the pioneer farmers in Marlborough in the 1840s. It is the new top drop from Wither Hills – an outstanding Pinot Noir with complex layers of flavour ranging from wild berry fruits to dark seductive spice and with beautiful French oak toast creating a smooth, silky and lingering finish. Just 3,343 bottles were produced. 19/20 2016 Ceres ‘Artists Collection’ Bannockburn Pinot Noir RRP $76 Ceres Wines

James Dicey’s Ceres Pinot Noir pays homage to his partner’s artistic career and is made with grapes grown in Bannockburn. This wine shows Pinot Noir in its most flattering light with dry, flavoursome red fruit notes, silky texture, smooth body and a long finish. 18.5/20 2016 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir RRP $84 Negociants

Ata Rangi (‘new beginning’) was one of the first four wineries in Martinborough and among the first to produce high quality Pinot Noir in New Zealand.

Founder Clive Paton has passed the winemaking baton onto the talented Helen Masters, who uses whole bunch fermentation to create wines with great structure, length and the ability to age well for the long haul. Spicy aromas and dark fruit are the hallmarks of this youthful wine, which has a long life ahead. 18.5/20

DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019 33

WINE REPORT – PINOT NOIR 2017 Quartz Reef Single Vineyard Pinot Noir RRP $85 Vintners

Bendigo is the hot, dry corner of Central Otago that is home to Rudi Bauer’s certified biodynamic vineyard. It also lies over an enormous bedrock of quartz, hence the vineyard’s name and wine brand that Rudi founded after becoming the first qualified viticulturist and winemaker in the Central region. The holistic philosophy of biodynamics means no man-made chemicals were used in the soils and all waste from the site is recycled back into the land. Lunar cycles are also followed for planting, harvesting and production. This two-year-old wine is dry, full-bodied and has dark, earthy flavours.

It drinks well now but would be enjoyed ideally in five to six years. 18.5/20 2017 Rockburn Six Barrels Pinot Noir RRP $85 Hancocks

Only six barrels of this wine were made

by Malcolm Rees-Francis, who highlights the powerful flavours in this full-bodied Pinot Noir. Rarity is a factor here, so get in quickly. 18.5/20 2016 Mt Difficulty Target Gully Pinot Noir RRP $85 to $95 Lion

Winemaker Matt Dicey made his first single vineyard Pinot Noirs in 2001 and Target Gully is my pick of these superlative wines, made with intense hand work from the harvesting to the glass. This wine is dry with rich, fresh, fruit-forward flavours, silky texture and full body. Every sip lingers. 18.5/20

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2017 Felton Road Block 5 Pinot Noir RRP $90 to $110 Felton Road

Block 5 Pinot Noir is the top Pinot of Felton Road Winery in Bannockburn and is certified biodynamic. Dry, silky, savoury, intense and youthful with delicate fruit flavours and powerful structure. Its high but balanced zesty acidity adds freshness to each mouthful. Very good now, and can age for up to 10 years. 18.5/20 2015 Auntsfield Heritage Pinot Noir RRP $95 Negociants

A top wine from a top vineyard that was planted in 1873 and is now owned and managed by the Cowley family. Heritage Pinot Noir is made in the best years only, from grapes that are hand-harvested with a portion whole bunch fermented to add structure and longevity to what is a ripe, dark and complex wine. It drinks well now when decanted and will age for up to 10 years. 18.5/20 2015 Pegasus Bay Prima Donna Pinot Noir RRP $96-$99 EuroVintage

North Canterbury Pinot Noir is often eclipsed by its southern neighbour Central Otago, but not in this case. This outstanding Pinot Noir from Pegasus Bay is one of the best Pinots made in New Zealand. Dry, full-bodied, silky and almost light in mouthfeel but with intensely concentrated savoury flavours and a long finish, thanks to its zesty acidity.

A delicious drink now (decant first) or cellar for 10 years plus. 19/20

2017 Dry River Martinborough Pinot Noir RRP $99 Negociants

This is the last time this wine will be sealed with a natural cork because winemaker Wilco Lam has opted for a Diam closure for the iconic bottle with its flanged lip. (Diam is a treated cork closure designed to prevent traditional TCA cork taint). This wine is from the relatively cool 2017 vintage, which was defined by cloud cover and sleepless nights for winemakers, but resulted in surprisingly concentrated fruit flavours thanks to a smaller crop than usual. 17.5/20 2016 Craggy Range Aroha Te Muna RRP $150 Vintners

This big, bold, dramatically powerful and full-bodied Pinot Noir is made from grapes grown at Te Muna, just east of Martinborough township on stony soils with great drainage, heat retention and elevation. This wine is dry, full-bodied and has a strong oak influence, all of which give it the ability to drink well now (and memorably thanks to those big dark flavours) but also to cellar well into the future. 18.5/20

For distributor details see Distributor Index on page 76.

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OPINION – WINE

Joelle Thomson

Journalist, wine writer and author joellethomson.com

Canterbury Pinot tales

IT IS just nine kilometres from the coast but North Canterbury is a world away from strong maritime influences when it comes to growing grapes, thanks to the Teviotdale Hills. Their shelter protects vines from winds that would otherwise decimate grapes before they even had a chance to grow.

A trip to North Canterbury this autumn confirmed for me, yet again, that the wines from this region are top notch. Not that I need any reminding. My love affair with North Cantabrian wine began back in the 1990s with Corbans (sic) Amberley Riesling, continued when tasting Daniel Schuster’s powerful Pinot Noirs, then Pegasus Bay came on the scene and the region has since spawned many wineries that, in my view, are among the top tier in New Zealand.

The reason for this latest trip was to visit the aforementioned Pegasus Bay, and Greystone Vineyard. Greystone winemaker Dom Maxwell and marketer Nik Mavromatis were releasing the second vintage of Greystone Vineyard Ferment Pinot Noir from 2017. If it sounds risky to ferment a wine in the vineyard, it is.

Temperatures vary widely since it’s colder outdoors than in, so fermentations can be unpredictable and the wines contain about .5% less alcohol than those fermented in the winery.

It’s still early days, says Dom, who made his first experimental vineyard ferment Pinot Noir in 2013. He launched the first commercial release last year from the 2016 vintage and the new 2017 is at least as good, despite 2017 being a challenging year.

36 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

© GREYSTONE WINES

Pinot Noir is the biggest red success in New Zealand and there is more than one great region producing it, writes Joelle Thomson

If it sounds risky to ferment a wine in the vineyard, it is.

Temperatures vary widely, so it can be unpredictable.

These vineyard ferment wines tick other boxes too: like all Greystone wines they are made from 100% certified organic grapes. They are also made with no added yeast, no sulphur until bottling and no new oak. They are unfined and unfiltered, so can be a touch cloudy. They tend to be pale in colour with pronounced savoury flavours underpinning ripe fruit character in the wines. It may be early days, but the wines are impressive.

At Greystone’s neighbour, Pegasus Bay, the use of whole bunch ferments is rising and so is the quality of Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir. This is the fourth year in a row that I’ve worked a couple of days of vintage at Pegasus and it was interesting to see the winemakers fine tuning things.

They are always on a quest for excellence but this year there seemed to be more going on, particularly with Pinot Noir.

Hand plunging is still used, but gentler mechanised plunging is employed increasingly on small ferments of Pinot. The aim is to create wines that are less worked and more about the vineyard too, because winemaker Mat Donaldson is gradually and sensitively increasing the proportion of whole bunches used in ferments. This can mean the wines taste fruitier and brighter, and contain more structure.

The 2016 Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir was released in April and its big sibling, the 2016 Pegasus Bay Prima Donna Pinot Noir is still a year away but tasting great, as are the 2017 Pinots from here. All are finished wines and will age in bottle at the winery’s cellars until release.

If North Canterbury and its family owned wineries haven’t made it onto your Pinot Noir radar yet, take a closer look.

This region has the X factor.

TOP PICKS

NEW RELEASES Top wines from far and wide tasted by wine writer, Joelle Thomson

2018 Wither Hills Frivoli RRP $25 Lion

Hand-picked grapes are gently pressed and cold settled before partial fermentation using a fruity yeast to enhance the vibrant aromatic flavours in this blend of Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir. Unconventional? Yes. Tasty? You bet.

Its fermentation was stopped intentionally to allow the sweet aromatics to shine and give lift to this lively, lightly sparkling wine that sells at the cellar door of Wither Hills in Marlborough, as well as online.

It’s great daytime drinking, especially with antipasto. Just 4,533 bottles were produced. 17.5/20

2018 Coal Pit ‘Proprietor’s Reserve’ Sauvignon Blanc RRP $40 CoalPit Wine

2018 Yalumba Barossa Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon RRP $23-$25 Negociants

If creamy, citrusy, smooth wines appeal, here’s a new take on a well-known theme, this time from the deep south: Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc. It’s named ‘Proprietor’s Reserve’ because winery co-owner Rosie Dunphy is a big fan of complex smoky Sauvignons, such as Sancerre – a French classic from the town of the same name. This wine shines a deliciously different light on whites from Central Otago, the world’s most southern wine region. 18.5/20

This new-look Barossa blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon is quite the statement – a powerful big-bodied red with intense dry flavours of mocha and dark fruit.

Shiraz is in the driving seat in this red, but Cabernet Sauvignon’s concentrated black fruit and black olive flavours come to the fore on the nose and palate. It’s top buying at this price and part of a tasty new streamlined look for Yalumba’s wines. 18.5/20

2018 Wither Hills Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc RRP $35, 375ml Lion

2018 Pencarrow Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc RRP $19 to $21 Negociants

This luscious dessert wine is the essence of late harvest characters like orange blossom, dried apricots and lemon zest.

It’s 100% Sauvignon Blanc, settled for a few days after picking and then fermented at a cool 12°C for 14 days. The ferment was stopped before completion to retain residual grape sugar and a lower than usual ABV of 10.5%. The winemakers’ aim was to make a sweet wine balanced by fresh acidity and purity of fruit flavour.

They have achieved all that and more in the 1,030 bottles they made of this sensational sweet Sauvignon. 19/20

Pencarrow by Palliser Estate has a new winemaker and a new label that pays tribute to the late Mary Jane Bennett, who ran the lighthouse at Pencarrow on the rugged south Wairarapa coast for 10 years following the death of her husband in 1855. The mother of five was also New Zealand’s first female lighthouse keeper.

(The lighthouse remains operational, but is mechanised these days.) This dry, refreshingly crisp Sauvignon Blanc is made with grapes grown in Martinborough.

Its freshness comes from Sauvignon’s naturally high acidity and this is all about citrus and green herb flavours – great drinking now with seafood. 18.5/20

For distributor details see Distributor Index on page 76.

38 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

New Zealand’s Finest Congratulations to all the wineries selected for the 2019 Fine Wines of New Zealand list. Annually curated by eight of New Zealand’s leading wine experts, and supported by Air New Zealand, it celebrates and showcases the finest wines New Zealand has to offer.

SPARKLING Deutz Blanc de Blanc Vintage Cloudy Bay Pelorus NV Nautilus Cuvee Brut NV No. 1 Reserve Methode Traditionelle NV Quartz Reef Methode Traditionnelle Vintage AROMATICS Domain Road Vineyard Duffers Creek Riesling Dry River Lovat Gewürztraminer Dry River Pinot Gris Felton Road Block 1 Riesling Felton Road Dry Riesling Framingham ‘F’ Series Gewürztraminer Framingham ‘F’ Series Riesling Kabinett FROMM Spätlese Riesling Greystone Pinot Gris Johanneshof Cellars Gewürztraminer Misha’s Vineyard “Limelight” Riesling Neudorf Moutere Pinot Gris Pegasus Bay Bel Canto Riesling Prophet’s Rock Pinot Gris Te Whare Ra Toru SV5182 SAUVIGNON BLANC Astrolabe Province Sauvignon Blanc Auntsfield Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Brancott Estate Letter Series B Sauvignon Blanc Cloudy Bay Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc Saint Clair Reserve Wairau Sauvignon Blanc Te Mata Estate Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc Tohu Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Sauvignon Blanc CHARDONNAY Bell Hill Chardonnay Clearview Estate Reserve Chardonnay Dog Point Chardonnay Felton Road Block 2 Chardonnay Greywacke Chardonnay Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay Kumeu River Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay Neudorf Rosie’s Block Chardonnay Sacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay Vidal Legacy Chardonnay Villa Maria Keltern Vineyard Chardonnay

SWEET Forrest Wines Botrytised Riesling Framingham Noble Riesling Giesen ‘The Brothers’ Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc Pegasus Bay Encore Riesling Villa Maria Reserve Noble Botrytis Riesling PINOT NOIR Akarua Pinot Noir Ata Rangi Pinot Noir Auntsfield Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Bell Hill Pinot Noir Burn Cottage Pinot Noir Craggy Range Aroha Doctors Flat Pinot Noir Dry River Pinot Noir Escarpment Kupe Pinot Noir Felton Road Block 3 Pinot Noir Felton Road Block 5 Pinot Noir Grasshopper Rock Pinot Noir Greystone Pinot Noir Kusuda Pinot Noir Lowburn Ferry Home Block Pinot Noir Maude Pinot Noir Martinborough Vineyard Home Block Pinot Noir Neudorf Moutere Pinot Noir Peregrine Wines Pinot Noir Rippon “Tinker’s Field” Pinot Noir Rockburn Barrels Pinot Noir Te Kairanga John Martin Pinot Noir Valli Gibbston Pinot Noir SYRAH Bilancia La Collina Syrah Craggy Range Le Sol Te Mata Estate Bullnose Syrah Trinity Hill Homage Syrah Villa Maria Reserve Syrah BORDEAUX BLENDS Church Road TOM Esk Valley The Terraces Stonyridge Vineyard Larose Te Mata Estate Coleraine Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels ‘The Gimblett’ Villa Maria Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

Alastair Maling MASTER OF WINE

Steve Smith MASTER OF WINE

Simon Nash MASTER OF WINE

David Allen MASTER OF WINE

Sam Harrop MASTER OF WINE

Michael Brajkovich MASTER OF WINE

Emma Jenkins MASTER OF WINE

Cameron Douglas MASTER SOMMELIER

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WINE NEWS

2017 Vintage from Taylor’s and Fonseca FOR THE first time in 40 years, Taylor’s and Fonseca have released a consecutive vintage, declaring that they will each release a classic Vintage Port from the 2017 harvest, following the spectacular 2016 Vintage. Taylor’s will also bottle a very small amount of Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha Vintage Port, the first since 2011 and only the eighth ever released.

Declared Vintage port releases are rare events, occurring only about three times every decade. Even rarer is a back to back declaration due to two years of superb viticultural conditions in the Douro valley.

New Zealand distributor Hancocks says it will bring in small volumes of Taylor’s and Fonseca Vintage 2017, with the Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha 2017 to be sold solely en primeur until 1st December, when it will open up to the remainder of the market.

Adrian Bridge, Managing Director of Taylor’s and Fonseca, says it’s an exciting time. “After a long gap following the 2011 release, we are delighted that

nature has awarded us two magnificent classic Vintage Ports in a row, the highly acclaimed 2016 and now the superb Taylor’s 2017. The 2017 displays the fine focused fruit and floral dimension typical of Taylor’s but with the scale and depth which are hallmarks of the year. An exceptional wine showing great promise for the future.

The Fonseca 2017 is a wine of impressive scale and depth, with the opulent, complex fruit which is the essence of the house style.”

The release of the Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha 2017 will excite rare wine enthusiasts. It is made in very small quantities from the produce of the

Bollinger launches La Grande Année 2008 THE LATEST from Champagne Bollinger is now available in New Zealand with the release of the much anticipated Bollinger La Grande Année 2008. Guy de Rivoire, Global Export Director for Champagne Bollinger was in New Zealand at the end of May to launch the wine with distributor Negociants.

The blend is 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay from 18 crus, including mainly Aÿ, Verzenay, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant.

The wine is described as “intense, complex and harmonious”, with aromas of citrus and soft fruits, berries and spices, floral and mineral notes. It has a fresh texture and a chalky, lingering finish.

Aged for more than nine years on lees, La Grande Annee 2008 is expected to have great ageing potential and is Bollinger’s first prestige cuvée to have been aged in the 1846 Bollinger bottle with its unique and identifying shape. This bottle has been completely redesigned, inspired by a 19th-century bottle.

Negociants

Silver

oldest vines in five plots on the Quinta de Vargellas estate, which is recognised as one of the world’s finest vineyards and was acquired by Taylor’s in 1893, although its reputation as a source of the finest ports dates back to the 1820s.

“I think 2017 Vargellas Vinha Velha is a superb example of what the old vineyards are capable of achieving,” says David Guimaraens, Head Wine Maker at Taylor’s. “The wine has all the density and depth of the 2017 vintage but is wonderfully multidimensional, the diversity of vines varieties in the five historic vineyard plots contributing to its aromatic complexity.”

Fonseca.pt and Taylor.pt Hancocks

WINE NEWS

Latest releases in flagship Patricia range

Soljans marks 5th generation Soljans Estate Winery in west Auckland is marking the five generations of family that have been part of its winemaking story with a new collection of premium wines called the ‘Fifth Generation Series’.

The first release is a single vineyard Chardonnay made with grapes grown in Kumeu.

Tyler and Amber Soljan represent the fifth generation of the Soljan family: Tyler worked alongside winemaker Jim Corkin to produce the full-bodied classic Chardonnay, while younger sister Amber worked with the marketing team to design the wine’s label.

Soljans says the Fifth Generation Series will only include wines from the best vintages and will expand in the coming years.

The family winery had its beginnings in 1927 when Bartul Soljan arrived in New Zealand from Croatia with his family. After settling in Henderson, he established the Soljans label in 1937.

Soljans Estate Fifth Generation Series Chardonnay is available now.

Soljans Estate Winery

AUSTRALIA’S BROWN Brothers has released the latest wines in its flagship Patricia range, which is named after the matriarch of the family-owned winery. The range is released each year on Patricia Brown’s birthday in March. The top-tier wines are made in Brown Brothers micro-winery, known as The Kindergarten. The 2019 release includes four new wines: Patricia Pinot Noir Chardonnay Brut 2012 (RRP $39.99); Patricia Shiraz 2015 ($59.99); Patricia Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 (RRP $59.99) and Patricia Chardonnay 2017 (RRP $39.99).

Taylor Brown

Fine Wines of NZ 2019 Eight of New Zealand’s leading wine experts have chosen 82 wines to make up the Fine Wines of New Zealand list for 2019. The judges were Masters of Wine Alastair Maling, Emma Jenkins, Michael Brajkovich, Sam Harrop, Simon Nash, Steve Smith and David Allen along with Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas. It is the largest list since the programme began in 2016.

Submissions are sought from the wine industry for each year’s list. Each panel member is charged with a specific wine variety and must put forward their recommendation of what they consider to be the finest examples within each of their respective varietals. These selections are then refined at a group tasting and those chosen re-tasted with supporting back vintages before further blind tasting with existing Fine Wines to ensure a consistent standard of quality. Only the wines collectively agreed upon make the annual list.

Air New Zealand is a patron to Fine Wines of New Zealand and its own wine consultants then select the best wines from the list to serve at altitude. This selection is served onboard in Business Premier cabins throughout the year alongside the existing wine offering.

Fine Wines of New Zealand will call for submissions to the 2020 Fine Wines programme in November 2019.

For the full list visit finewines.nz

A true Legacy Sailing 101 with Brancott Estate Brancott Estate has launched a series of three limited edition labels featuring nautical flags as part of its support of Emirates Team New Zealand.

The labels use international maritime signal flags to convey the different roles needed to chase winds, drive speed, and forge power. They are featured on the Brancott Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2018 and South Island Pinot Noir 2018. Brancott Estate is the exclusive wine supplier to Emirates Team New Zealand. Available now, RRP $12.99.

Pernod Ricard 44 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

Family-owned Australian winery Taylors Wines has released its finest wine ever, marking the 50th year since its founding in the Clare Valley by Bill Taylor Snr. and his sons in 1969.

The Legacy 2014 is a Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that retails for AUD$1000. Only 1,080 bottles have been made.

Taylors says the wine celebrates the founding purpose of the South Australian winery: to craft a new world wine that would stand against those of old world Bordeaux, namely Mouton Rothschild.

Taking inspiration from old world wines, The Legacy is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, with small parcels of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It is presented in a bespoke case with a certificate of authenticity, while the bottle features a protective overcap and security chip that also enables purchasers to access information about the wine through their smart phone. A limited allocation of Taylor’s Legacy will be available in New Zealand from late May 2019.

Taylor Brown

WINE NEWS

New look for Mateus Rosé

Alentejo & Dao Portugal at its best

Info@sur.co.nz 021 44 95 96 sur.co.nz

Info@delmundo.co.nz 021 282 0110 delmundo.co.nz

THE ICONIC Mateus Rosé has had a makeover, unveiling a new look and new bottle for the popular Portuguese wine brand.

Mateus Rosé was created in 1942 by Fernando van Zeller Guedes and the original bottle design was inspired by the hip-flasks used by WWI soldiers.

First bottled in green glass, Mateus Rosé shifted to clear glass in 2015 and now that design has been further refined to create a more elegant bottle with a longer tapered neck and featuring a new label with an illustration of the 18th century Mateus Palace in Vila Real, Portugal.

The classic brand, known for its bright Rosé wine, is now in 125 countries.

Hancock’s has distributed the brand in New Zealand since 2012 and says the new packaging delivers the same consistent taste with a more premium feel and look.

Mateus Rosé 750ml RRP $13.99 – available from early June.

Hancocks

BEER & CIDER REPORT

Whether it’s a hearty stout or porter, hop-forward IPA, crisp lager or aromatic cider, there’s something for every retail shelf or drinks list in the latest releases

Rich pickings

46 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

BEER & CIDER REPORT

(Note: Beers and ciders are listed by % ABV) Good George Lager 4.2% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $18.99 Good George Brewing

Epic Fat Shady Extra Stout Ale 4.8% ABV, 330ml, 500ml (RRP $7.99) and 50L kegs Epic

ParrotDog Glen Boysenberry Sour 5.2% ABV, 440ml can RRP $8.99 ParrotDog

A hop-forward aroma leads to a crisp and refreshing lager with a delicate malt flavour of cereals and straw. Hoppier than a typical lager, the Motueka, Mandarin Bavaria and Centennial hops used in this brew deliver aromas of lime and citrus with sweet floral notes.

A great option for those after a stout to sink into, but at an easy-drinking level.

Pouring dark, almost black in the glass, it presents with a great head – like the crema on a good coffee. The coffee comparisons continue throughout with the roasty brew smoking with espresso and smoky peatiness. It’s not often that you get to describe a stout as sessionable, but this one truly is, at only 4.8%.

New Zealand boysenberries give this beer its maroon hue and tart berry flavour, complementing the clean, refreshing acidity that comes from its kettle-souring.

Deep Creek Lava Lava 4.5% ABV, 440ml can RRP $7.99 Hancocks

Another limited release from Deep Creek’s Tiki Range of fruit cocktail-inspired sour beers. Lava Lava is an unexpected mix of tart raspberry and sweet mango, which overlay a tart citrus lime base in this sour style beer.

Good George Pale Ale 4.5% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $18.99 Good George Brewing

A hoppy, sparkling, sessionable ale that will delight hop-lovers after an easydrinking option. It’s dry-hopped with US Amarillo and Australian Galaxy, offering citrus and stone fruit on the palate.

Good George Hoptimistic IPA 4.9% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $18.99 Good George Brewing

“Juicy, Hoppy, Fresh.” Good George describes this as their take on a session IPA, showcasing some of their favorite US and Australian hops. It has a full mouthfeel that brings out the malty flavour. A combination of whirlpool hopping and dry-hopping during conditioning provides an almost resinous hop flavour. Five different hops are used to give heavy notes of tropical fruit, stone fruit, citrus and pine.

Epic Fat Shady Extra Stout Ale is a great option for those after a roasty, smoky stout to sink into, but at an easy-drinking level.

Kaiser Brothers American IPA 5.3% ABV, 500ml RRP $6.99 Kaiser Brothers Brewing

Christchurch brewery Kaiser Brothers have been producing beers of distinction for some time now and their American IPA showcases their easy-drinking style. The brown ale pours with a sea-foamy head, and the flavours display a touch of brine on top of the hops too. It’s a mediumbodied ale with a slight finish.

It’s an interesting combination of new world style and classic Kiwi drinkability.

Tuatara Hazy Pale Ale 5.5% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP$21.99, 500ml RRP $7.99 and in keg Tuatara

While Tuatara’s conventional IPA is quite grunty, their Hazy Pale Ale is a bit more laid-back and chilled out. Pouring with a pleasing cloudiness in the glass, this is a relaxed IPA with a slightly lower ABV to make it more sessionable. Tropical and citrus aromas with subtle honey malt, which all continue on the palate in a light-bodied easy-drinking style.

Recommended.

DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019 47

BEER & CIDER REPORT

Sawmill Brewery Chocolate Stout 5.6% ABV, 500ml RRP $11.99 Sawmill Brewery

A velvety milk stout brewed with oats, organic cocoa powder and cocoa nibs.

The aromas of earthy cocoa and dark berryfruit continue on the palate, leading into a creamy, sweet finish balanced with a touch of bitterness. Could also be a great alternative to traditional dessert when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Black Dog Silly Mid-On Kiwi IPL 5.8% ABV. Keg only DB

Black Dog’s Experimental Range IPL has been dubbed ‘Silly Mid-On’ as a nod to the cricket IPL (Indian Premier League) and the well-known fielding position.

It’s a Nelson Sauvin single hop lager that uses hop pellets and cones in the brew.

Grapefruit pith and subtle gooseberry dominate the simple malt bill on the palate, before finishing dry with a soft bitterness.

Sprig & Fern Smoked Bock – Limited Release 5.8% ABV, 500ml RRP $8.99 Sprig & Fern

A classic malty and toasty Smoked Bock. This flavoursome German-style beer uses Bamberg smoked malt to create a perfect balance between the smoky flavours and malty sweetness, with the creaminess of a nitro.

48 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

Tuatara IPA 6.1% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP$21.99, 500ml RRP $7.99 and in keg Tuatara

Monteith’s West Coast IPA 6.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $6.99 DB

Tuatara’s IPA pours lighter than you might expect, with a straw-like hue that hides a flavour punch. With a decent burst of hop bitterness and layers of citrus, tropical and stone fruits, this is an ale that stands up well to heat, so could be a good pairing with spicy Asian dishes. It’s a light, easydrinking number but has a sneaky 6.1% ABV so approach with caution.

Monteith’s have hopped on the hops bandwagon but done so in their own easy-to-drink style. This West Coast IPA would be a good entry point for new IPA drinkers. It’s not too bitter, has a slight hop-inspired pineapple note and will doubtless prove to be a crowd-pleaser – but keep the reasonably hefty 6.5% in mind as there’s no apparent clue to that in the ale itself.

Black Dog Lone Wolf Mosaic 6.2% ABV. Keg only DB

Sprig & Fern Scotch Ale 6.5% ABV, 888ml RRP: $10.99 Sprig & Fern

Part of Black Dog’s single hop series, the Lone Wolf Mosaic heroes the American Mosaic hop. A strong passionfruit aroma is followed by grapefruit and peach undertones on the palate. The beer finishes with a pleasant, soft bitterness.

A combination of six malts with Fuggle hops gives this Scotch Ale its pronounced caramel, coffee and chocolate notes. Fullbodied and smooth, this is a must-have over winter. Best served at 6-8°C.

Sawmill Brewery Red IPA 6.4% ABV, 500ml RRP $11.99 Sawmill Brewery

Sawmill have gone all autumnal with this Red IPA. Beginning with a slight savoury note on the nose, the drop is piney and redolent with berry and stonefruit characters. The hops are still the main player but they’re on a journey through a redwood forest. BBQ season may be behind us, but this strikes as a good ‘stand-around-a-fire’ beer. Would be an excellent pairing with cured meats and pickles.

Monteith’s Doppelbock 6.8% ABV, 500ml RRP $6.99 DB

Monteith’s have come up with a contender for winter beer of the season.

In the classic doppelbock style, this is a sweet, malty brew perfect for those long cold afternoons in front of a fire. While it looks foreboding in the glass, it has a lightness to it that keeps it from being overpowering. There are hints of caramel throughout and a slight malt on the nose.

Would pair well with platters of meat and cheese, or game dishes.

BEER & CIDER REPORT

Baltika 6 Porter 7% ABV, 470ml RRP $3.99 Q Liquid

Tuatara Midnight Sun Baltic Porter 7% ABV, 500ml RRP $9.99 and in keg Tuatara

Tuatara Roughneck Hazy IPA 7.1% ABV, 500ml RRP $9.99 and in keg Tuatara

Coming from Russia, where they know a thing or two about the depths of winter, Baltika’s No 6 Porter, is a very drinkable brew that surprised many on the tasting panel. It looks and smells like it’s going to be a handful, but drinks really well. It starts with a filmy dark pour and aromas of a dark, sweet rum. In the glass there’s molasses and roast malt combining in a vinous, almost wine-like effect. Would be an excellent pairing with a cheese course at the end of a meal.

Pouring a deep dark red, this new Porter from Tuatara has aromas of rich plum and raisin that rise out of the glass. It’s silky on the palate with subtle chocolate and a light coffee character. Serve it with rich meat dishes or chocolate pudding.

Tuatara have taken their Hazy Pale Ale and dialled it up a notch with this new release.

While it’s still got its lovely foggy haze in the glass, the taste is fruitier, hoppier and with a bigger bitterness to finish. There’s a hint of homegrown grapes within the flavour profile and the whole brew is a somewhat spicy, lingering take on a cloudy IPA. While it’s a big 7.1% it was a crowd pleaser amongst the tasting panel and would be a good sharing bottle in its 500ml format.

Garage Project Fresh IPA 7% ABV, 440ml RRP $9.99 Garage Project

Garage Project have been releasing a monthly rotating series of one-off fresh IPA small batch brews named after each month. However, one of them proved so popular (it's just been named in the New World Beer & Cider Awards Top 30) that it's been renamed simply ‘Fresh IPA’ and is going into wider release from early June. The Hazy IPA uses the relatively new Strata hop, which has been described variously as “passionfruit meets pot” and offering “cannabis complexity”.

Garage Project Fresh IPA uses the relatively new Strata hop, which has been described as “passionfruit meets pot”.

Tuatara Primeval Tendency NZ IPA 7% ABV, 500ml RRP $9.99 and in keg Tuatara

Tuatara are about as primeval a creature as you can get and their namesake brewery has produced a drop to celebrate that. While billed as an IPA, in the glass it looks more like a classic New Zealand brown beer. The flavour profile though has all the hops you’d expect from an IPA but with a caramel roastiness in the top notes. The sweetness rounds out the bitterness and leaves the whole brew very drinkable. Would pair well with roast meats, particularly beef, or even with rich, meaty pasta. Recommended.

Garage Project Vol #1 – Trillium X Garage Project ‘Aro Street’ 7.2% ABV, 440ml RRP $11.99 Garage Project

Garage Project held a symposium in April and invited a bunch of craft breweries from around the world to come and celebrate all things hops with them.

Out of this Hapi Festival has emerged a number of brews that are collaborations with exotic partners. The first collab is Aro St – a team-up with Boston brewers Trillium on an East Coast IPA. The first thing to note is the beautiful can: a kind of Monet-ish watercolour number with a great textured feel in the hand. The beer is a hazy, cloudy, IPA bursting with big juicy, sweet hop flavours. There are definite hints of orange and other citrus and a nice bitterness to finish.

DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019 49

BEER & CIDER REPORT

Peckham’s Solstice is almost a dessert wine-style cider, full off toffee apple and caramel on top of apple tartness.

Deep Creek Courage Double IPA 8% ABV, 440ml can RRP $7.99 Hancocks

Sawmill Brewery Baltic Porter 8% ABV, 500ml RRP $11.99 Sawmill Brewery

Peckham’s Solstice 9.9% ABV, 330ml can RRP $5.99 Hop and Vine

The new limited release in Deep Creek’s Totem Range of West Coast style IPAs. A combination of US hops was used in this clear, filtered IPA with citrus-forward hop flavours.

Sawmill’s Baltic Porter is a complex beast – all the better for contemplating over an evening. Sawmill have continued their excellence in packaging with an attractive tall bottle and the beer lives up to its billing. Hidden in its inky depths there are big notes of toffee, dark fruit and berries. The overall effect is a Black Forest gateau in a glass – but maybe one that’s been dusted with a few tobacco crumbs. Delicious.

With their Solstice brew, Peckham’s has collaborated with Northland brewery McLeod’s in what Caroline Peckham describes as their “ongoing exploration into what cider can be”. Alex Peckham adopted a Québécois technique and roasted apple cider over a pear wood fire for a day to caramelise it before a slow, cool ferment in oak. The result has that distinctive Peckham’s musky nose but the offering inside is all toffee apples and caramel goodness on top of apple tartness. At 9.9% ABV it’s almost a dessert wine-style cider that would surprise and delight as the pairing to a cheese or fruit course to end a meal.

Garage Project Vol #4 – Three Weavers X Garage Project ‘Zeppelin Bend’ 8% ABV, 440ml RRP $11.49 Garage Project

Los Angeles brewers Three Weavers contributed to this New Wave West Coast IPA collaboration. Once again, the can is beautiful with a watercolour label, although this one’s a bit more psychedelic.

The beer pushes the boundaries in the glass as well. The New Zealand and American hops combination has produced a massive passionfruit aroma that continues on the palate. Chewy hop flavours dominate with lots of fruit, citrus peel and a big bitter kick. At 8% it’s getting up there, but as a limited issue, it’s well worth the experiment.

For distributor details see Distributor Index on page 76.

50 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

CIDER Peckham’s The Bee’s Knees 8.1% ABV, 330ml can RRP $5.99 Hop and Vine

Peckham’s have continued blazing their own path into real cider-apple ciders to the point where they’ve virtually created their own category and no-one comes within cooee of them. The Bee’s Knees is an oak-barrelled cider, wild fermented with pure Buller bush honey. As soon as your nose gets close there is an amazing musky aroma that recalls a classroom of woolly jumpers. The fragrant character continues in the glass with apple pie spice flavours and a bit of tartness and honey at the back. The cider is so expertly made the honey comes through as one of the aromatics more than as a sweetener.

It’s a layered, complex drink and while some may struggle with the muskiness it is well worth trying. Recommended.

Peckham’s Blaze 12.1% ABV, 370ml bottle RRP $15.99 Hop and Vine

Taking the ‘dessert wine’ theme even further, Peckham’s Blaze (another collab with McLeod’s) arrives in a glass 375ml bottle that is stoppered and sealed with wax. As with Solstice, the cider has been caramelised over a fire before fermenting but this one has been taken even further: it’s more akin to a brandy or a calvados.

The musk on the nose remains but it’s more subtle than the Solstice. The drop is a still, richly sweet apple cider that should be served warmer than fridge temperature and perhaps in a brandy glass. An excellent digestif.

OPINION – BEER

Michael Donaldson

Beer Writer of the Year, journalist and author beernation.co.nz

Can do As more New Zealand breweries embrace cans, Michael Donaldson looks at the resurgence of this format and whether it marks the end of the 500ml bottle.

ONE OF the most remarkable changes in the New Zealand beer scene over the past year or so has been the rapid acceleration towards canning.

Five years ago, when Garage Project was the first big name craft brewer to go down the canning path it was against a prevailing view of scepticism and reluctance. Cans were regarded as low-brow, not good for beer (too much dissolved oxygen got in), and there was a “metallic” flavour to the brew. All that might have been true in the 1980s, but it took a long time for attitudes to slowly change.

Once a tipping point is reached, however, there’s no stopping it and everyone’s doing the can-can these days.

There are plenty of reasons for the rush to cans, but here are a few critical ones: Freight – there’s no denying you can ship more cans in the same space that bottles take up. The space required for 12 x 330ml bottles (around 4 litres) can accommodate twice as many cans of the same volume and at about the same weight.

Quality – canning machines are way more sophisticated than they used to be. Cans are purged with carbon dioxide before filling and better lid seaming systems keep out unwanted oxygen that can cause beer to deteriorate.

Lining – cans are lined to prevent contact with the aluminium, so there’s no “metallic” taste, perceived or real.

Presentation – cans look fantastic.

Brewers can get more information and

artwork on a can than they’d previously get on a bottle label. The whole can becomes an advertisement.

Portability – cans are wonderful for people who like to tramp, camp or go on boats. They weigh less in your backpack and scrunch down to almost nothing when finished.

Value – for a consumer looking at a single purchase, a 330ml can at around $5 is a better prospect than a 500ml bottle at around $10.

Shelf space – for retailers, cans allow more products to be squeezed into the same shelf space, offering greater variety.

Brewers can get more information and artwork on a can than they’d previously get on a bottle label The question is now: Will we see the end of the 500ml bottle that came to symbolise “craft beer”?

The short answer is no. The longer answer is “No, but …” Those 500ml and 650ml “bombers” still have their place for small batch releases and “special” brews, as well as bottle-conditioned beer where the yeast is still alive and the vessel needs to handle any potential CO2 build-up.

There are some can-conditioned beers out there – notably from Galbraith’s – but they are low-carbonation English-style ales and

the process is hard to get right.

But the truth is, for many brewers those big bottles have had their day. They are too expensive for one-off purchases, especially when punters can buy a 6-pack of 330ml cans for roughly the same cost as two 500ml bottles. Plus, the market is moving more to six-packs instead of one-offs, so a single 500ml bottle is much harder. In fact, if anything, the market might be going to smaller cans, with Urbanaut launching 250ml cans of its Miami Brut Lager. These smaller cans are both cute and offer punters the chance to sample a new beer at an outlay of just $3.

A really good example of a brewer seeing the light around cans is Craig Cooper from Bach Brewing.

He’s migrating most of his beer to 440ml cans and opting for sixpacks when previously he was using single bottles.

“I’ve become a massive can fan – three years ago I was a sceptic and argued against the so-called “wisdom” of cans,” he says, admitting he was old-school in his thinking and identified cans with mainstream beer, with lower quality and with a slightly metallic taste.

Cooper is straight up about his moment of enlightenment. “It was Garage Project. Those mad scientists are the leaders of the innovation. You couldn’t have wished for a better company to lead a new packaging format – they’ve given it authenticity and meaning and they’ve spearheaded it.”

DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019 51

BEER & CIDER NEWS

Stellar showing for Kiwis at AIBA

@RASV // INSTAGRAM

NEW ZEALAND brewers made their mark on this year’s Australian International Beer Awards, coming away with three Champion Trophies, four major Trophies and a slew of medals across the categories.

AIBA is the largest annual beer competition in the world, assessing both draught and packaged beer. This year it received entries from 402 exhibitors – 186 of those international. The most hotly Jason and Geoff from McLeods Brewery contested category in 2019 was ‘Best IPA’, with 398 entries and 33 Gold medals awarded.

‘Champion Australian Beer’ was Keller Door Schwarzbier by 4 Pines Brewing Company, while ‘Champion International Beer’ went to Firestone Walker Brewing Co for its Feral One. New Zealand won all three International Brewery trophies for McLeod’s Brewery, Deep Creek Brewing Company and DB Breweries. Kiwis also took trophies in ‘Best Australian Style Lager’ for Steinlager Pure, ‘Best International Lager’ for Undercurrent by Deep Creek, ‘Best Australian Style Pale Ale’ for DB’s North of Nowhere, and ‘Best Amber/Dark Ale’ for Traders

by McLeod’s Brewery.

TROPHIES Champion Small International Brewery McLeod’s Brewery Champion Medium International Brewery Deep Creek Brewing Company Champion Large International Brewery DB Breweries Ltd Best Australian Style Lager Steinlager Pure, Lion (Packaged) Best International Lager Undercurrent, Deep Creek Brewing Company (Draught) Best Australian Style Pale Ale North Of Nowhere Pale Ale, DB (Packaged) Best Amber / Dark Ale Traders, McLeods Brewery (Packaged)

GOLD MEDALS Best Australian-Style Lager Steinlager Pure, Lion (Packaged) Other International Style Lager Undercurrent, Deep Creek Brewing Company (Draught) Mac’s Miss Conduct, Lion (Packaged) Best Australian-Style Pale Ale (Classic) North Of Nowhere Pale Ale, DB (Packaged) Best New World-Style Pale Ale Cassels Pale Ale, Cassels Brewery (Packaged)

BEER & CIDER NEWS

New bottle design for Peroni

Best International-Style Pale Ale (American Style) Tuatara Tomahawk APA, DB (Packaged) Falcon, Parrotdog Brewing Ltd (Packaged) Best International-Style Pale Ale (American Strong) Epic Thunder, Epic Brewing Company (Draught) Best European-Style Ale (Kolsch) Go-To Kolsch, Rhyme And Reason Brewery (Packaged) Best Amber / Dark Ale (Other Amber / Dark Ale) Traders, McLeods Brewery (Packaged) Best Stout (Other Stout) Dark Side Of The Moon Stout, Brew Moon Brewing Company (Packaged ) Best Reduced / Low Alcohol (Reduced Alcohol Lager) Amstel Light, DB Breweries (Packaged) Best Belgian / French Style Ale (Tripel) Smugglers Bay Tripel, McLeods Brewery (Packaged) Best Specialty Beer (Herb & Spice) Lakeman Brewing Co Hairy Wonka Chocolate Imperial Stout, Lakeman Brewing Co (Packaged) Best Specialty Beer (Other Specialty Beer) Fresh Hop IPA, Deep Creek Brewing Company (Draught) Waikiki, Deep Creek Brewing Company (Packaged) Katao, Three Sisters Brewery (Packaged)

Italian beer Peroni Nastro Azzurro released a new bottle design in New Zealand in March.

It has evolved to include a tapered waist and an engraving of Giovanni Peroni’s signature cut into the side. The Birra Peroni Barrel stamp is a nod to the provenance of the brew, which is still made in Italy.

Oyster occasion from Stella Artois and LK Stella Artois and Liquor King teamed up to create an occasion around oyster season by offering a 12-pack of Stella Artois beer matched with a dozen oysters.

Through May and early June, customers in Auckland could have the beer and freshly harvested Te Kouma Bay oysters delivered on a Friday for $65.

For full results visit rasv.com.au

Drink sustAinAblY. Don’t exceed Your quotA.

MALTY

HOPPY

LIGHT

DArK

sweet

bitter

SHOWCASE

Tuatara sheds its skin, adds new beers Tuatara Brewery has launched a new packaging design, reworked its range and simplified its beer brand names in a major update for the Wellington brewery.

The five new beers were released in May and include a new IPA, a Hazy Pale Ale, a Hazy IPA, a Baltic Porter and an NZ IPA. Five beers from the old range have been dropped to make way for the new additions, while seven other beers have had a name change to better communicate their style to consumers.

While Tuatara’s distinctive scaly ‘tuatara skin’ bottles and eye-adorned bottle caps remain, the new labels shift from the typography design style to a more illustrative look, with the tuatara eye as their focus.

Tuatara Founder, Carl Vasta, says that the new packaging makes great sense for the brand. “We’ve taken a look at our core range and have simplified it to make it easier to navigate. The style of each beer has been made bigger and clearer so hopefully customers will find it easier to find what they want.”

Head Brewer at the Paraparaumu brewery, Brayden Rawlinson, who developed the five new beers with Vasta, says the new releases will tap into the way Kiwi consumers are drinking now. “We’re a big fan of hazy styles and have been playing around with them a lot in the last year – our customers can’t seem to get enough of them.

“The new Hazy IPA is a refined recipe based on the crowd favourites Suspense and Kilmog Fog. And the new Hazy Pale Ale we are launching is, in my opinion, the ultimate hazy – with all the big flavour and aroma you should expect from this style, but with a slightly lower ABV,” says Rawlinson.

“Last year we did a Baltic Porter at The Third Eye, our Wellington microbrewery, and it was one of our most popular beers.

We also know that Tuatara drinkers love Kiwi hops and our new NZ IPA has a massive hop profile that really celebrates the prodigious tropical characteristics of New Zealand-grown hops.

“The new IPA is the beer we’re all the most excited by. It’s got big tropical flavours and a beautifully balanced bitterness,” says Rawlinson.

Tuatara says all its products will continue to be brewed, bottled and hand packed at the Kapiti brewery.

Tuatara Brewing

Tuatara Range Update New additions – now available IPA Hazy Pale Ale Roughneck Hazy IPA Midnight Sun Baltic Porter Primeval Tendency NZ IPA (Read more about these beers in the Beer & Cider Report on page 46)

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Updated range names Was Now Kapai > Aotearoa Pale Ale Tomahawk > APA MotEureka > Pilsner Weiz Guy > Hefeweizen Coastin > Session IPA Helluva > Helles Lager Tripel Barrel > Conviction Tripel

Removed from range Amarillo American Dark Ale Hopfinity NZIPA Double Trouble Double IPA Sauvinova Single Hop Pale Ale Hi Res American IPA

New Zealand’s love affair with Scotch continues, reflected in the ever widening range of blended and single malts available across the price spectrum.

Warm the soul

SPIRITS REPORT – SCOTCH WHISKY

RRP $35-$64.99 Highland Bird 40% ABV, 1L RRP $36.99 Silver Fern Imports & Exports

A three-year-old blended Scotch whisky combining Highland and Speyside Single Malts with Lowland grain whisky. The nose is crisp and clean with a hint of vanilla. On the palate it is rich with a mellow sweetness that lingers on the finish.

Bell’s Original Blended Scotch Whisky 40% ABV, 1L RRP $41.99 Lion

Gentle aromas of malted barley, herbs and a fresh floral note sit alongside cereal with a little honey. This blended Scotch is smooth with a medium body and flavours of barley and cereals with nut oils, hints of wood and spice. The finish is short, with fruitcake and smoke.

Grant’s Triple Wood 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $42.99 Federal Merchants

The name ‘Triple Wood’ for this expression of Grant’s refers to its maturation in three different types of wood: virgin oak (for spice), American oak (for vanilla) and ex-bourbon (for brown sugar sweetness). It has a clean aroma, with notes of ripe pear and summer fruit.

On the palate there is vanilla sweetness, malt and light florals. The finish is long and sweet with a subtle hint of smoke.

Ballantine’s Finest 40% ABV, 1L RRP $44.99 Pernod Ricard

Robert Burns Blended Malt Whisky 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $55 Tickety-Boo

First created in 1910, Ballantine’s Finest has an approachable flavour profile.

Aromas of honey and a hint of spice lead to well-balanced subtle milk chocolate, red apple and vanilla.

With Arran Single Malt at its heart, this blend is dry with a smooth finish and hints of peat-smoke in the background.

It has aromas of raspberry and almond tart with subtle toasted oak and toffee.

Dry and light on the palate with sweet apple, liquorice and peat smoke. The finish is fresh and warming with lingering vanilla sweetness.

Glen Grant ‘The Major’s Reserve’ 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $49.99 EuroVintage

The name of this single malt is inspired

by James ‘The Major’ Grant and is the freshest and lightest expression in the Glen Grant range. Creamy and fruity on the palate it has a slightly dry, nutty finish with a hint of spice.

Johnnie Walker Black Label 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 Lion

An iconic blend that uses whiskies aged for a minimum of 12 years. It is rich with dark fruits, sweet vanilla and Johnnie Walker’s signature smokiness. Flavours of intense sweet vanilla give way to orange zest and aromas of spice and raisins. The finish is smooth and layered with rich smoke, peat and malt.

Black Bottle 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $57.99 EuroVintage

This whisky has a fresh and floral aroma, opening up to oak, spice and a hint of smoke. In the mouth it is mellow and fruity with balanced smoke/peat flavours leading to oak and honey sweetness.

Chivas Regal Extra 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 Pernod Ricard

A special selection of whiskies matured in Oloroso sherry casks with the rarest and finest Chivas malts. A rich blend with aromas of ripe pear, creamy toffee and a hint of ginger. The pear continues on the palate alongside tropical melon and soft notes of vanilla and caramel, blending with spicy cinnamon and hints of almond, leading to a long finish.

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SPIRITS REPORT – SCOTCH WHISKY

Glen Grant 10 Year Old 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 EuroVintage

Monkey Shoulder 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99 Federal Merchants

This Speyside single malt has aromas of sweet pear and vanilla. The palate has orchard fruit and rich malt notes, leading to a long and complex finish.

This whisky breaks the mould for Scotch, with its light palate, subtle sweetness from ageing in first-fill bourbon barrels and no heavy peat. It has delicate floral aromas alongside zesty orange, peach and apricot. Flavours of creamy vanilla toffee, oak notes and a hint of spice lead to a smooth finish with a lingering sweetness.

Finlaggan Old Reserve Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $63.99 EuroVintage

Earthy, smoky peat and a salty character appear on the nose of this Islay single malt. The pungent peat smoke persists on the palate with chewy sweet malt, pepper, tar and a touch of iodine. The finish is long and warming with a hint of peat fire smoke.

Johnnie Walker Double Black 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99 Lion

Taking inspiration from Johnnie Walker Black Label, the Double Black is a more intensely smoky expression; influenced by peaty West Coast and Islay single malts.

Flavours of peat smoke, rich raisins and apples, pears and citrus soften into sweet vanillas and spice. A warming finish of oak tannins and lingering smokiness.

RRP $65 - $89.99 The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $68.99 Pernod Ricard

A permanent benchmark expression created in tribute to The Glenlivet founder George Smith. The classic fruitiness of The Glenlivet is complemented here with a creaminess and sweetness from selective use of American first-fill oak casks. Delicate sweet orange aromas continue on the palate alongside pear and toffee apple, leading to a long, creamy, smooth finish.

Bowmore 12YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 Beam Suntory

This whisky is matured for 12 years in Bowmore’s historic No1. Vaults. On the nose the trademark smoky peat is balanced by lemon and honey, while in the mouth it is warm with dark chocolate flavours and smoky with a long, rounded finish.

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The Arran Malt Lochranza Reserve is a lighter, more delicate expression from the Isle of Arran’s only distillery, and named after its home village.

Deanston Virgin Oak Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46.3% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 EuroVintage

Light lemon zest on the nose is accompanied by sweet barley sugar with hints of apple and nutmeg. On the palate there is candied fruit, vanilla toffee and honey, followed by a lightly spiced finish with honeyed malt and sweet oakiness.

Glenfiddich 12YO 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 Federal Merchants

Glenfiddich’s signature expression has sweet, fruity notes that develop into butterscotch, cream, malt and subtle oak flavours. The finish is long and smooth.

The Glenlivet 12 40% ABV, 750ml RRP $69.99 Pernod Ricard

This icon of Speyside single malt has returned to New Zealand after a brief absence. It has a fruity aroma that persists on the palate alongside its signature nutty and citrus notes and strong pineapple.

The finish is long, creamy and smooth.

SPIRITS REPORT – SCOTCH WHISKY

Tamnavulin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 Hancocks

The Arran Malt Lochranza Reserve 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $75 Tickety-Boo

A double cask whisky matured in American oak barrels for a sweet, mellow taste with a rich, smooth sherry cask finish. It has aromas of apple, toffee and honey with sweet marzipan and subtle tangy marmalade notes. The palate is fresh and mellow with pear, peach and pineapple flavours, and a hint of Demerara sugar.

A lighter more delicate expression from the Isle of Arran’s only distillery and named after its home village of Lochranza.

It has a fresh aroma with citrus, pear and honeysuckle. The palate is balanced with citrus and light vanilla sweetness, apple and a hint of sea salt. The finish is lingering and delicate with sweet oak, spice and milk chocolate.

Deanston 12YO Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46.3% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 EuroVintage

Robert Burns Single Malt Whisky 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $75 Tickety-Boo

There is hay and malty cereal on the nose of this single malt, joined by creamy toffee, honey, sweet oak and barley sugar. The palate is fresh, fruity and creamy with soft vanilla and a malty honeyed spiciness. The finish is clean and dry with a hint of clove.

Shackleton Blended Malt 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 Hancocks

This whisky is based on the Scotch that Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton took on his 1907 British Antarctic Expedition. Using three of the original bottles as his guide, Master Blender Richard Paterson used a recreation of the original as the foundation of this new iteration, combined with Highland malt whiskies. Aromas of vanilla, toffee apple, cinnamon and ginger lead to a palate of dark sugar, sweet dried fruits and glazed pineapple. The finish is of hot mulled wine, praline chocolate and a hint of smoke.

This edition of the Arran Single Malt combines different ages to produce a smooth, rounded whisky. Mainly American oak ex-bourbon casks in maturation accentuate the sweet-fruity notes of Arran, with a smaller proportion of ex-sherry hogsheads adding depth and richness. The aroma is sweet and creamy with notes of honey, toffee-glazed pecans and summer fruit. In the mouth, rich malt and vanilla combine, followed by spice and oak. The finish is clean and fresh with lingering hazelnut and milk chocolate.

Spirits brands A.D. Rattray

Andrew Dewar Rattray set up shop as a grocer in Glasgow in 1868, selling Scotch whisky among his goods. By 1890 he had developed a very successful distribution network selling whisky from famous Highland malt distilleries, including Stronachie in Perthshire, to merchants, publicans and Glasgow’s blending houses. In 1928 Stronachie closed and in 1938 the company A. Dewar Rattray was sold to William Walker & Co. Its resurgence began in 2002 under Stanley Walker Morrison, who also revived the Stronachie whisky brand.

Ardbeg

The Ardbeg distillery is on the south coast of the isle of Islay (pronounced EYE-lah) in Scotland’s inner Hebrides.

Ardbeg has been producing whisky commercially since 1815 and is renowned for using highly peated malt in its whiskies. The name Ardbeg comes from the Scottish Gaelic “An Àird Bheag”, meaning a small promontory.

The Ardmore

The Ardmore distillery sits on the fringes of Scotland’s Highlands, near the small village of Kennethmont in Aberdeenshire, where it was first established in 1898. Its proximity to the railway line allowed founder Adam Teacher to transport materials from Glasgow, helping the distillery flourish.

Arran

The only distillery on the Isle of Arran, off the south west coast of Scotland. It opened in 1995 in Lochranza, at the north end, more than 160 years after the last of the island’s historic distilleries closed.

Arran Distillery produces a range of ages and expressions, including Machrie Moor and Robert Burns, as well as its own range, The Arran.

Ballantine’s

George Ballantine set up his first grocery store in Edinburgh, also supplying whiskies, in 1827. In 1865 he moved to Glasgow and began blending his own whiskies, later trading as Ballantine & Son. In 1895 the business was awarded a Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria.

Ballantine’s Finest was first blended in 1910 and remains the oldest recipe in the range and the bestselling product.

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SPIRITS REPORT – SCOTCH WHISKY The Balvenie

The distillery was built by William Grant of William Grant & Sons in 1892, less than 10 years after he built the Glenfiddich distillery. It is said to be the only distillery in Scotland that grows its own barley, uses traditional floor maltings and keeps a coppersmith and a team of coopers on site. The name ‘Balvenie’ means ‘village of luck’.

Bell’s

Created by Arthur Bell, who began selling tea and whisky from a shop in Perth and went on to create the Bell’s blend in the 1850s. Bell’s was named the UK’s No.1 whisky in 1978 and continues to be hugely popular.

BenRiach

Self-described “progressive Speyside whisky distillers”, BenRiach is located in the north-east region of Morayshire and was built by John Duff in 1898.

It operated for just two years before closing in 1900, although its malting floor remained in use. BenRiach didn’t produce spirit again until the revival of the Scotch industry in 1965, when production resumed. It is known for its unpeated, peated and triple distilled malt whisky and holds some of the most experimental casks in Speyside.

BenRiach is understood to be one of just two remaining distilleries in Speyside to distill whisky using malted barley from its own onsite floor maltings.

Black Bottle

A brand introduced in 1879 and first produced by Aberdeen teablenders Charles, David and Gordon Graham.

After falling into decline, the blended Scotch Whisky was revitalised in 1990 with a new blend using Islay single malt whiskies. It is now bottled

by Burn Stewart Distillers, which also owns Deanston distillery in Perthshire, Bunnahabhain on the Isle of Islay and Tobermory on Mull.

Bowmore

Bowmore’s single malt Scotch whisky has been distilled on the island of Islay since 1779, and the distillery is home to Scotland’s oldest maturation warehouse, Bowmore’s historic No1. Vaults.

Bruichladdich

An artisanal single malt distillery on the Hebridean island of Islay. It is known for its progressive approach to whisky making.

Bunnahabhain

Bunnahabhain (pronounced ‘Bu-naha-venn) is the flagship single malt Scotch whisky from Burn Stewart Distillers. The Islay distillery was built in 1881 on the north-eastern tip of Islay, close to the Margadale River.

Bunnahabhain means ‘mouth of the river’ from the Scots Gaelic.

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Finlaggan Eilean Mor Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $76 EuroVintage

Sweet peat smoke on the nose with a touch of sea salt. It’s full-bodied in the mouth with spicy peat smoke, tar, iodine, a light oiliness and sweet malt. The finish is long and smoky.

Old Pulteney 12YO 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA Whisky Galore

One of the most popular whiskies in the Highland ‘coastal’ style, the Old Pulteney distillery’s 12-year-old exemplifies the style, offering a sweet vanilla and honeyed aroma and taste, contrasted by notes of marzipan, citrus and a fresh, lifting note of sea-side saltiness.

Chivas Regal 12YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $77.99 Pernod Ricard

A combination of malt and grain Scotch whiskies. It has aromas of honey, herbs and rich fruit with flavours of ripe apple, vanilla, hazelnut and butterscotch. The finish is rich and lingering.

The Ardmore Legacy 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Beam Suntory

This Highland whisky has a honeyed aroma with subtle peat. In the mouth the smoke becomes more pronounced but is balanced by rich honey and spice flavours. The finish is full with a dry, tangy aftertaste and lingering smoke and spice.

Bowmore Small Batch 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Beam Suntory

Bowmore distillery on Islay is home to Scotland’s oldest maturation warehouse – the historic No1. Vaults – where the spirit for Bowmore Small Batch is matured in first and second-fill bourbon casks. It has aromas of creamy vanilla fudge with notes of peat smoke. The smoke develops in the mouth alongside citrus, gentle salt and a touch of vanilla in a full, rounded flavour.

Laphroaig 10YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Beam Suntory

This is the original Laphroaig, distilled the same way for more than 70 years and the foundation of all other Laphroaig expressions. Malted barley dried over a peat fire gives this whisky its rich aromas of peat, which continue on the bold, smoky palate along with a hint of seaweed and a subtle sweetness. Fullbodied with a long finish.

Jura Journey 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $80 Hancocks

This single malt is aged in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels and has aromas of vanilla spice, citrus and a hint of light smoke. Flavours of cinnamon, pear, pecan and toffee fudge lead to a rich finish of vanilla, spice and whispers of smoke.

SPIRITS REPORT – SCOTCH WHISKY

Ledaig 10 YO Isle of Mull Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46.3% ABV, 700ml RRP $81.95 EuroVintage

A heavily peated whisky, this single malt has a sweet briny smokiness with hints of tar, mint chocolate and light florals. The palate is sweet with a medicinal character, spicy pepper, peaty smoke and vanilla.

The finish has a hint of liquorice, clove and a slight saltiness.

Finlaggan Cask Strength Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 58% ABV, 700ml RRP $84 EuroVintage

Pungent aromas of peat smoke, smoky bacon and a hint of old leather dominate the nose. The palate is full of rich sweet smoke, iodine, lemon zest and tarry peat with a mouth-coating oiliness. The long, warming finish is of peppery peat, soot and ash.

Chivas Regal XV 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99 Pernod Ricard

A 15-year-old blended Scotch finished in Grande Champagne Cognac casks. It has a rich, sweet aroma with concentrated notes of stewed apple, marmalade, honey, cinnamon and sultanas. It’s smooth and fruity on the palate with poached pear, butterscotch and caramel toffee, followed by notes of vanilla on the finish.

Chivas Regal Mizunara 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99 Pernod Ricard

The Glenlivet Captains Reserve 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Pernod Ricard

A special edition release inspired by a visit to Japan by Chivas Master Blender Colin Scott. Part of the blend was finished in Mizunara (Japanese oak) casks, which are renowned for their distinctive porous nature. Rich, fruity aromas of pear and orange lead to a smooth and rich palate of honey sweetness with a trace of hazelnut. A subtle yet distinctive spicy finish from the Mizunara cask.

The Captains Reserve is aged in bourbon and sherry casks before selective finishing in Cognac casks. It has sweet and fruity aromas of honey and apricot jam, with notes of cinnamon and spicy liquorice.

The palate is full of mandarins in syrup, poached pears, raisins and chocolate, leading to a smooth finish.

Bunnahabhain 12YO Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46.3% ABV, 700ml RRP $85.95 EuroVintage

A fresh aroma with a hint of smoke leads to a light palate of fruit and nut characters, thanks to ex-sherry cask influence, and a malty sweetness. The finish rich, fullbodied and gently lingering.

Glenmorangie 10YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Moët Hennessey

This original expression of Glenmorangie is aged in a range of ex-bourbon casks.

It has aromas of citrus, ripe peach and vanilla, with flavours of vanilla and a floral fruitiness on the palate. The finish is clean with hints of orange and peach.

Ileach Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 EuroVintage

The smoky peat and sea salt in the aroma of this single malt persist on the palate, which also has sweet malt and a pepper character. The long finish is full of peat smoke.

Jura Journey is aged in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels, giving flavours of cinnamon, pear, pecan and toffee fudge with a rich finish.

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Kilchoman ‘Machir Bay’ 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA Whisky Galore

Glenglassaugh Evolution 50% ABV, 700ml RRP $90 Hancocks

A.D. Rattray Cask Islay 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $99 Glengarry Spirits

A richly smoky Islay single malt Scotch whisky style. Created by the Wills at their family-run farm distillery, the signature peat smoke flavours are joined by stone and dried fruit notes, along with a zesty lemon edge carried on a rich and oily mouthfeel. The finish is long-lasting and citric, salty and peaty - fading away on cracked pepper and smoke.

A single malt whisky for lovers of peat, yet approachable enough for those new to the style. Aged in bourbon casks, it has aromas of roasting peat with a hint of citrus, and an oily palate of burnt toffee, barley and rich peat smoke.

RRP $90 - $119.99

This Highland single malt whisky is aged in ex-Tennessee first fill whiskey barrels and has rich aromas of sweet barley, pineapple and buttery vanilla leading to deeper oak spices and caramelised pear. In the mouth there is white peppery oak, crisp green apple and freshly cracked barley. A gentle salted caramel emerges alongside hints of ripe banana and fruit salad syrup. It finishes with classic oak spices, soft fruit and vanilla.

The Arran Malt 10YO 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $90 Tickety-Boo

BenRiach 10YO Curiositas 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $95 Hancocks

Aromas of sweet oak and honey lead to a crisp, malty palate with a slight nuttiness in this whisky from the Isle of Arran. With time, the malt begins to open and the Arran hallmarks of citrus and sweet fruit emerge. The finish is clean and fresh with a lingering creamy sweetness. A Gold Award winner at the 2019 World Whiskies Awards.

A rare peated single malt distilled from heavily peated malted barley to produce a unique, fresh peated expression.

Overtones of peat reek combine with a background of fruity, floral, heathery notes and oak wood on the finish.

Stronachie 10YO 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $95 Glengarry Spirits

A Highland single malt with aromas of honey, an earthiness and a malt sweetness. It’s smooth on the palate with honey and biscuit character, followed by lingering pepper and cereal.

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Chivas Regal 18YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $99.99 Pernod Ricard

A rich and multi-layered blend using various malt and grain whiskies from distilleries all over Scotland, including Chivas’ classic Speyside malt from Strathisla. It is said to have 85 flavour notes in every sip. Layered aromas of dried fruit, spice and buttery toffee give way to a velvety dark chocolate palate with floral notes, a touch of mellow smokiness and a warm, lingering finish.

Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve 40% ABV, 750ml RRP $99.99 Lion

A creamy blend of Speyside and Highland whiskies. An initial delicate sweetness and gentle smokiness on the palate develops into sweet fruit and deeper velvety, honeyed tones followed by subtle smoke and oakiness on the finish.

SPIRITS REPORT – SCOTCH WHISKY

Chivas

Machrie Moor Peated Single Malt Whisky 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $100 Tickety-Boo

A peated expression of the Arran Single Malt. There is delicate peat smoke on the nose with a hint of sweetness: tropical fruit and vanilla. The American oak influence is apparent in the mouth with more intense vanilla sweetness and a touch of coconut. The finish is fresh and zesty with subtle smoke.

Kilchoman ‘Machir Bay’ is a richly smoky Islay single malt Scotch whisky created by the Wills at their family-run farm distillery.

James and John Chivas set up a grocery emporium together in Aberdeen under the name Chivas Brothers in the mid-19th century, where they aged and blended whiskies. Chivas Brothers became famous around the world for their fine luxury products and James Chivas received his first Royal Warrant in 1843, serving Queen Victoria at her Balmoral countryside retreat. Chivas is made at the Strathisla Distillery in Keith, Moray in Speyside.

Dalmore

The Glenlivet 15YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $104.99 Pernod Ricard

The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso 60.3% ABV, 700ml RRP $109.99 Pernod Ricard

A portion of this whisky is matured in French Limousin oak casks, used most commonly for ageing cognacs, giving it a rich and exotic character. A creamy and rich whisky with buttery notes on the nose and fruity, nutty flavours on the palate. Subtle sweet almond and hints of spice on the finish.

A cask strength single malt matured solely in Spanish ex-Oloroso sherry oak casks. It has aromas of ripe peach and subtle notes of cinnamon and rich fruit cake. Flavours of soft, creamy toffee combine with the fruitiness of juicy sweet clementine orange leading to a long and sweet finish with a slightly dry, spicy end.

The Glenlivet Nàdurra First Fill 59.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $109.99 Pernod Ricard

Talisker 10YO 45.8% ABV, 750ml RRP $109.99 Lion

Taking its name from the Gaelic word for ‘natural’, Nàdurra is said to be the purest expression of The Glenlivet. Nàdurra First Fill selection is drawn from virgin American white oak casks, which impart hints of creamy vanilla and sweet pear.

This cask strength whisky has aromas of sweet pear and vanilla fudge, with juicy pineapple, ripe banana and citrus zest on the palate.

The classic expression from the oldest distillery on Skye. Powerful peat smoke aromas with a hint of briney sea salt and citrus sweetness. The smoke persists on the palate along with dried fruit sweetness, strong barley malt flavours and pepper. The finish is long and robust; warm and peppery with a sweet character. Named ‘Best Overall Whisky’ in the 2019 New Zealand Spirits Awards.

The Dalmore distillery sits on the banks of the Cromarty Firth, where it was established in 1839. The story behind its distinctive stag emblem dates back to 1263, when Colin of Kintail, Chief of the Clan Mackenzie, felled a charging stag that attacked King Alexander III of Scotland.

In return, the King rewarded the Mackenzie Clan with the 12-pointed Royal Stag emblem. When Clan descendants took over ownership of The Dalmore distillery in 1867 they put the stag on the bottle, where it remains today.

Deanston

Deanston has its home in a former mill on the River Teith in the Highlands. The mill was converted to a distillery in the mid-1970s and the former Weaving Shed is now used to mature Deanston whisky.

Finlaggan

An Islay whisky brand owned by the Vintage Malt Whisky Company.

It takes its name from the historic site of Finlaggan which was the seat of the Lords of the Isles and of Clan Donald.

Glen Grant

Established in 1840 by brother James and Grant near the port of Garmouth in Moray, north east Scotland. The Speyside brand is now owned by Campari Group.

Glen Scotia

A distillery in Campbeltown that was founded in 1832 and is just one of three distilleries remaining in Campbeltown from that era. Owned by the Loch Lomond Group.

The GlenDronach

Founded in 1826 by James Allardice, The Glendronach is in the Highlands and was one of the first licensed distilleries in Scotland. It was mothballed in the mid-1990s before reopening in 2002. It had several different owners before it was bought by Brown Forman in 2016. It is known for its sherried single malts.

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Glenfiddich

One of the world’s best-selling whisky brands, Glenfiddich is a Speyside distillery built by William Grant and his family in 1886. The name derives from the Gaelic for ‘valley of the deer”. Glenfiddich remains family owned, by William Grant & Sons.

Glenglassaugh

Glenglassaugh Distillery was founded by Col. James Moir in north-east Scotland in 1875. It was rebuilt in 1960 then mothballed in 1986. Production resumed in 2008 after it was purchased by a group of investors, and the BenRiach Distillery Company took over in 2013. Glenglassaugh is known for its traditional distilling methods, handcrafting and cask maturation in its coastal warehouses.

The Glenlivet

Founder George Smith initially made his whisky on the quiet in the Livet valley, finally becoming the first legal distiller in the parish of Glenlivet in 1824. The business grew and in 1852 author Charles Dickens wrote to a friend, urging him to try the “rare old Glenlivet”.

In 1884, George’s son John added ‘The’ to the brand name, to prevent competitors from the same area capitalising on his family’s success.

Glenmorangie

William Matheson founded the Glenmorangie Distillery on the banks of the Dornoch Firth in Tain in the Scottish Highlands in 1843.

The correct pronunciation is ‘GlenMORR-an-jee’, with the emphasis on the second syllable. The distillery is known for having the tallest stills in Scotland. The ‘Sixteen Men of Tain’ on the Glenmorangie label refers to the 16 men who oversaw the distillation process for decades.

Glenrothes

The Glenrothes (pronounced ‘glenROTH-iss’) distillery was built in 1878 beside the Burn of Rothes in Speyside. The Glenrothes differs from many other single malts in that since 1993 the bottlings are not determined by age, but by vintage.

Grant’s

William Grant created Grant’s blended whisky in 1898, just 11 years after he built his first distillery, Glenfiddich. Five generations later, the brand remains family-owned.

Grant’s distinctive triangular shaped bottle was launched in 1957. The shape was to showcase the colour and allow for efficient stacking and packing.

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The Arran Malt Marsala Cask Finish 50% ABV, 700ml RRP $110 Tickety-Boo

Initial oak cask ageing is followed by finishing in a selection of Marsala wine casks from Sicily. This whisky has a rich, sweet spiciness on the nose, with hints of pear and candied orange peel. A delicate fruitiness on the palate develops into a deep caramel and vanilla, followed by roasted chestnuts. The finish is of sweet oak and toffee apple, underpinned by notes of fresh ginger and pine nuts.

The Arran Malt Port Cask Finish 50% ABV, 700ml RRP $110 Tickety-Boo

The Arran Single Malt in this bottling was finished in a selection of Port wine casks, creating aromas of vanilla spice and ripe citrus running into dried fruit and nuttiness. Layered fruit and spice combine with cinnamon baked apple, and raisin and plum pudding. It opens up to warming barley and a hint of sweet pear with a barley sweetness on the finish.

The Arran Malt Sherry Cask Finish 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $110 Tickety-Boo

Finishing in Oloroso sherry casks creates an intense aroma of sultanas, ripe figs and prunes. The palate has dark chocolate, hazelnut and dried fruit with a long finish of soft spices.

The Arran Single Malt The Bothy Quarter Cask 53.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $110 Tickety-Boo

A limited release of just 13,800 bottles worldwide, bottled at cask strength.

The Arran Single Malt selected for The Bothy was initially matured in firstfill ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred for secondary maturation into smaller American oak casks for a minimum of 18 months. It has hints of tropical fruit and coconut on the nose, leading to an intensely fruity palate with sweet spice, cinnamon and vanilla.

The finish is long with warming spices.

A Category Winner at the 2019 World Whiskies Awards.

The Glenrothes Whisky Maker’s Cut 48.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA Whisky Galore

Matured exclusively in first-fill sherry seasoned oak casks, this classic Speyside Single Malt is part of the distillery’s new ‘Soleo’ range, crafted by one of Scotland’s leading master blenders, Gordon Motion.

Richly fruity (raisins, sultanas, currants) with notes of citrus peel and toffee on the aroma, the palate carries a distinctly creamy texture and oak spices. The finish is long and layered, leaving a complex flavour of spices and orange peel notes behind. Bottled at the master blender’s preferred strength.

SPIRITS REPORT – SCOTCH WHISKY

Jura Seven Wood 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $114.99 Hancocks

Glenfiddich 15YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $119 Federal Merchants

The GlenDronach Revival 15YO 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $125 Hancocks

The ‘Seven Wood’ in the name of this Scotch refers to the seven different oak cask types used in its creation: first-fill ex-bourbon American white oak, Vosges, Bertranges, Jupilles, Allier, Tronçais and Limousin barrels. It has aromas of coffee, ginger and a hint of milk chocolate, with flavours of caramelised peach, chewy liquorice, candied orange and a hint of sea-spray and smoke.

Aged in European oak sherry casks and new oak casks, this whisky is mellowed in Glenfiddich’s Solera Vat, a large oak tun inspired by the sherry bodegas of Spain and Portugal, which has been kept half full of whiskies since 1998. This whisky has aromas of heather honey, vanilla fudge and rich dark fruit. It is full-bodied with flavours of sherry oak, marzipan, cinnamon, ginger and a lingering sweetness to finish.

Ageing in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks gives this Highland single malt whisky intense aromas of maraschino cherry, red berries and dark mint chocolate with hints of orange bitters and walnut liqueur. The palate is rich with honey-glazed apricot and ripe fig, along with cherry, angelica and muscovado. A long and enveloping finish with dark manuka honey, herbal bitters and dark chocolate.

RRP $120 - $199

Glenfiddich IPA Experiment 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $129 Federal Merchants

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10YO 50% ABV, 700ml RRP $115 Hancocks

The flagship Port Charlotte release is a heavily peated Islay single malt. Matured in American whiskey and French wine casks, it has a barbecue smokiness and is rich and spicy with sweet malty notes.

The Balvenie DoubleWood 12YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $119 Federal Merchants

This whisky get its distinctive character from ageing in American oak ex-bourbon barrels and hogsheads, and then in Spanish oak ex-Oloroso sherry casks before finishing in oak tuns. It has aromas of sweet fruit and Oloroso sherry layered with honey and vanilla. It is smooth and mellow on the palate with nutty sweetness, cinnamon spice, a delicate layer of sherry and a long finish.

Glen Scotia ‘Victoriana’ 51.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA Whisky Galore

Produced at the oldest distillery in the Campbeltown region of Scotland, this whisky showcases the unique style of whiskies from the bottom of the Mull of Kintyre. It is produced from small batches of casks and bottled at a natural cask strength. The ‘Victoriana’ has a warming aroma and flavour of oak spices, caramelised fruits and a distant hint of old sea-side warehouses (a classic note of whiskies from the area).

Glenfiddich’s Malt Master Brian Kinsman collaborated with a Speyside brewer to create this unique take on single malt Scotch whisky, which was brewed in bespoke craft IPA barrels. It has aromas of green apple, pear and spring blossom, with hops and fresh herbs. There is a zesty citrus note on the palate followed by creamy vanilla and a hint of fresh hops.

The finish is lengthy and sweet with subtle green hops.

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SPIRITS REPORT – SCOTCH WHISKY

Glenfiddich Project XX is a single malt expression created as a collaboration with 20 (hence the ‘XX’) whisky industry experts, adding layers of complexity to classic Glenfiddich.

Glenfiddich Project XX 47% ABV, 700ml RRP $129 Federal Merchants

The Glenlivet 18YO 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $139.99 Pernod Ricard

This single malt expression was created as a collaboration with 20 (hence the ‘XX’) whisky industry experts, adding layers of complexity to classic Glenfiddich whisky.

The nose has classic fruitiness with hints of apple blossom, ripe pear, rich vanilla oak, golden sugar and a hint of liquorice.

The taste is deep and mellow with a candyfloss sweetness complemented by notes of toasted almond, cinnamon and a hint of crisp tannin. The finish is longlasting with a sweet oakiness.

Balanced, rich and elegant, this whisky was aged in first and second fill American oak and ex-sherry casks. It has aromas of rich fruit and toffee, with sweet citrus and winter spice on the palate. A long finish with flavours of raisin and spice.

Laphroaig Quarter Cask 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $134.99 Beam Suntory

An intense flavour thanks to double maturation in two casks made of American oak. Still-maturing whisky from Laphroaig’s standard ex-bourbon barrels is transferred to quarter casks, increasing contact with the oak and softening Laphroaig’s distinctive peatiness. Aromas of toffee and caramel with a dryness from the wood oil. The finish is long with sweetness and smoke.

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The Arran Malt 18YO 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $160 Tickety-Boo

Made from a mix of aged ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks, this 18-year-old expression is the oldest in the core range of single malts from Arran Distillery. It has aromas of orchard fruit with syrup, toasted oak, vanilla and light cinnamon.

The palate is rounded and sweet with chocolate, ginger, caramelised brown sugar and vanilla. The finish is long with citrus and orchard fruit, brioche and dark chocolate. A Gold Award winner at the 2019 World Whiskies Awards.

Glenfiddich 18YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $160 Federal Merchants

Spanish Oloroso wood and American oak are used to mature this rich, fruity whisky. It has aromas of ripe orchard fruit, baked apple and robust oak, with dried fruit, candy peel and dates on the palate, overlaid with elegant oak notes.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14YO 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $179.99 Federal Merchants

Matured in traditional oak whisky casks for 14 years, this whisky is then finished in casks that previously held Caribbean rum. This gives it the traditional smooth, honeyed character of The Balvenie, married with notes of toffee and a hint of fruit, with a warm, lingering finish.

Ardbeg Drum 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $185-195 Moët Hennessey

On the nose, pine and wood smoke sit alongside tropical pineapple and banana with a hint of apple, cocoa and spice.

The palate is smoky with a dry, peppery mouthfeel. Notes of clove, liquorice, ginger, dark chocolate and smoked vanilla.

The finish is of intense smoke, roasted coffee liqueur and sweet spice.

SPIRITS REPORT – SCOTCH WHISKY

Highland Bird

A blended Scotch whisky brand made by Quality Spirits International, based near Glasgow.

The Ileach

A brand from Islay owned by the Vintage Malt Whisky Company.

Johnnie Walker

Deanston 18YO Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46.3% ABV, 700ml RRP $198 EuroVintage

Originally laid down in hogshead casks, this whisky is finished in first-fill Kentucky bourbon casks in the stone vaulted warehouse at Deanston Distillery. The nose is aromatic with American oak and layers of floral, malty, grassy, vanilla and honey characters with hints of tobacco and nutmeg. It is sweet and spicy on the palate with citrus, barley sugar, gingerbread, Manuka honey and white pepper flavours. The finish is dry and spicy with a warming gingery honeyed tail.

Glen Grant 18YO 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $199.99 EuroVintage

A rich and floral aroma with oaky overtones and hints of baking spices. In the mouth there is malty caramel, delicate dried raisins and vanilla leading to a long sweet finish with hints of nuts and spice.

RRP $200 and above Johnnie Walker Blue Label 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $249.99 Lion

The pinnacle of the Johnnie Walker Colour range. Its initial flavours include hazelnut, honey, sherry and orange, followed by ginger, sandalwood and dark chocolate.

The rich honey sweetness is accompanied by hints of pepper and dried fruit, before a lingering finish of soft smoke.

Bruichladdich Octomore 9.1 59.1% ABV, 700ml RRP $250 Hancocks

The Octomore collection from Islay distillery Bruichladdich takes its name from the ancient Octomore Farm on the hills high above the island’s Port Charlotte, where heavily peated whisky was made in the early 1800s. This five-year-old whisky has aromas of smoke and oak, alongside intense sweetness from the cask with vanilla and honeycomb. The smoke is thick, velvety and vegetal; peaty and earthy. It is soft on the palate with nutty, fudgy notes; nougat, delicate coconut and rose petal. It has a long peat finish with hints of treacle and warm salt.

Glenfiddich 21YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $265 Federal Merchants

A traditional Speyside whisky matured for 21 years on-site at the Glenfiddich distillery and then finished in Caribbean rum casks, selected by Malt Master Brian Kinsman. These casks add notes of ginger, fig, lime, banana and a vibrant spicy toffee warmth to the signature Glenfiddich style.

Chivas Regal Ultis 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $269.99 Pernod Ricard

This is the first blended malt from Chivas Regal and combines five key single malts.

This gives a complex array of flavours on the palate: rich orange, creamy vanilla toffee, fruit sweetness, spice and layered florals, leading to a creamy finish.

Johnnie Walker is the biggest whisky brand in the world. It was created by John Walker, a grocer who set up shop in the Scottish town of Kilmarnock in 1819. He offered whisky among his goods and found he had a knack for blending. After he died, his son Alexander took over the business, introducing the square bottle and distinctive off-centre label. It was his two sons who later named the whiskies after the colour of their labels in 1909. The Striding Man logo was designed around the same time by illustrator Tom Browne.

In 1934 John Walker & Sons was granted a Royal Warrant by King George V to supply whisky to the royal household, and still holds the warrant today.

Jura

Jura is a remote island off Scotland’s west coast and north-east of Islay in the Inner Hebrides. Jura is the only distillery on the island, which also has just one village, one road and one pub. The distillery was first established in 1810, then revived in 1963.

Kilchoman

Kilchoman was founded in 2005 and was the first distillery to be built on Islay in 124 years. It is independently owned and Islay’s only farm distillery, producing Single Farm Single Malt completely on site, from barley to bottle. Kilchoman founder Anthony Wills, set out to revive the lost art of farm distilling: growing, malting, distilling, maturing and bottling on site.

Laphroaig

Brothers Donald and Alexander Johnston founded Laphroaig (pronounced la-FROYG) in 1815 on the south coast of Islay, after initially rearing cattle there. Its whisky is known for its peaty, smoky character.

The distillery is said to take its name from the location, which means ‘broad hollow by the bay.’ Laphroaig remained in family hands until the mid1950s. Today, the distillery and brand is owned by Beam Suntory.

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SPIRITS REPORT – SCOTCH WHISKY Ledaig

Established in 1798, Ledaig is made at the Toberymory Distillery on Mull (the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland).

It is the only distillery on the island and one of the oldest commercial distilleries in Scotland. It produces Tobermory and Ledaig single malts. It closed for around 40 years after the Great Depression of the 1930s, reopened in 1971 then closed again several years later. Ledaig took on new life in 1993 when it was purchased by Burns Stewart Distillers, which also owns Deanston distillery in Perthshire, Bunnahabhain on the Isle of Islay.

Monkey Shoulder

An innovative Scotch brand launched by William Grant & Sons in 2005. It’s said that the distillery workers suggested the name, which refers to a strain injury suffered by maltmen in years past as they turned the malting barley by hand.

Old Pulteney

This distillery was founded in 1826 by James Henderson in Wick, a town on the most northerly shores of Scotland. Its seaside location has seen it dubbed “the maritime malt”.

Shackleton

A whisky made in honour of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. It’s based on Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky that he took on his 1907 British Antarctic Expedition. Three of the 25 cases he had ordered for the journey were discovered a century later, frozen into the ice beneath Shackleton’s base camp and perfectly preserved. Master Blender, Richard Paterson, took three bottles back to Scotland to examine and created Shackleton Blended Malt by using a recreation of the antique Mackinlay’s as its foundation, combined with Highland malt whiskies.

Talisker

In 1825, Hugh MacAskill acquired Talisker House and the north end of the Minginish peninsula on the Isle of Skye, north west of the Scottish mainland. By 1830, he and his brother had built what was to become one of the world’s most popular distilleries on the shore of Loch Harport, and by 1898 Talisker was one of the best-selling malt whiskies in the UK. It is known for its windswept coastal location and the salty, peaty characters of the whiskies.

Tamnavulin

A distillery opened in the rural village of Tomnavoulin, Scotland in 1966, only to close in 1995 then reopen in 2007 after a major refurbishment. The name ‘Tamnavulin’ is the Gaelic translation of “mill on the hill”, named in part after the historic former carding mill that sits on the site of the Speyside distillery, where local farmers would take their sheep fleece to be made into wool.

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The Balvenie DoubleWood 17YO 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $279.99 Federal Merchants

Glenfiddich Winter Storm 21YO 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $450 Federal Merchants

This elder sibling to DoubleWood 12YO shares its honeyed, spicy characteristics, but has its own distinct richness and complexity with deeper vanilla notes, hints of green apple and creamy toffee. It has flavours of sweet dried fruit, sherbet spice and toasted almond and cinnamon, layered with toffee notes, traces of oak and vanilla. The finish is of vanilla oak, honey and spicy sweetness.

The third release in the Glenfiddich Experimental range saw Malt Master Brian Kinsman collaborate with a renowned maker of Icewine in Niagara.

Finishing in French oak Icewine casks from the Canadian winery adds tropical fruit and luscious sweetness to the whisky’s aroma. On the palate, notes of candied fruit and Turkish Delight develop into flavours of lychee, offset by a rich, drying sensation from the Icewine. The finish is short and crisp.

The Dalmore King Alexander III 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $350 Hancocks

Six different cask finishes are used to create this whisky, which has aromas of red berry fruit and hints of passionfruit.

On the palate there is citrus zest, vanilla, crème caramel and crushed almonds with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to finish.

Chivas Regal 25 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $449.99 Pernod Ricard

Master Blender Colin Scott created this in 2007 as the crown of the Chivas Regal range. It has fruity aromas of sweet orange and peach, followed by notes of marzipan and nuts. On the palate there are hints of chocolate orange and a fondant creaminess. The finish is smooth, rounded and long.

The Glenlivet XXV 43% ABV, 750ml RRP $549.99 Pernod Ricard

This whisky is finished in Oloroso casks after its 25 year ageing, which adds extra depth of flavour and sweetness to The Glenlivet signature style. There is dark chocolate and sultanas on the nose, leading to a silky sweet palate with notes of cinnamon. The finish is lingering and rich.

For distributor details see Distributor Index on page 76.

Introducing The Glenrothes 12 years old.

Available from Whisky Trade. info@whiskytrade.co.nz 0508 WHISKY Matured only in our finest sherry seasoned casks.

At 12 years old, this single malt is classic The Glenrothes. With vanilla at its heart, it offers up both sweet and spicy notes with melon alongside cinnamon. A whisky that perfectly expresses the style and character inherent to The Glenrothes tradition.

theglenrothes.com #SpiritOfRothes

SPIRITS NEWS

Craft kombucha cocktails NEW ZEALAND craft kombucha producer Mama’s Brew Shop is aiming to redefine RTDs with the release of ‘Happy Hour Kombucha’, a new series of premium cocktails in a can with kombucha as their base.

The first release by the Helensville business is a collaboration with Victor Gin, which is produced by Mat and Rachael Thomson of Thomson Whisky in nearby Riverhead, north west of Auckland. The kombucha and gin are mixed with Peychaud’s Aperitivo, creating a refreshing drink with notes of bittersweet mandarin and spice.

Liv McGregor, co-founder of Mama’s Brew Shop, says they were determined to use premium spirits in the drinks and Victor Gin was an ideal choice for the first release, given its heavy botanical character.

“We’ve always thought our kombucha makes the best mixer and this has allowed us to get creative with some of our favourite New Zealand spirits brands, it’s been a really fun project.”

McGregor says the second release is scheduled for August and they’re also looking ahead to the festival and outdoor events space over summer.

The 250ml cans are available for on-premise, or in 4-packs for retail at RRP $19.99.

Hancocks

SHOWCASE

Scottish craft gin Rock Rose lands in New Zealand Handcrafted Scottish gin Rock Rose and the wider portfolio from Dunnet Bay Distillers is now available in New Zealand through distributor Long Cloud Wines & Spirits.

Husband and wife team, Martin and Claire Murray, produce a range of spirits from their distillery in Caithness on the rugged north coast of Scotland, including Rock Rose Gin, a Navy strength gin, seasonal gins and a vodka.

Rock Rose Gin is a handcrafted gin that is zesty, flavourful and smooth.

It takes its name from one of the local botanicals, Rhodiola rosea, a rose that is found off the wild coastline of Caithness, where it was once harvested by Vikings over 1000 years ago as a source of strength and vitality.

Rock Rose gin uses Bulgarian juniper to create depth of flavour, and Italian juniper for more delicate lemon sherbet notes. Locally foraged botanicals used include rowan and hawthorn berries and sea buckthorn. Rock Rose Gin is made using a slower vapour infused process to extract the botanical flavours and each bottle is hand waxed, numbered and signed before it leaves the distillery.

Long Cloud director, Shannon Dimbleby, says she is delighted to bring the Dunnet Bay Distillers range to the New Zealand market.

Now available in New Zealand: Rock Rose gin (700ml) Navy strength gin (700ml) Seasonal releases – Autumn Gin (700ml) and Winter Gin (700ml) Holy Grass Vodka (700ml) Available later in the year: Seasonal releases – Spring and Summer (700ml) To find out more contact Long Cloud Wines & Spirits Shannon@longcloudwines.co.nz 021 145 5871 longcloudwines.co.nz

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Pravda activates at The Loop Duty Free

Pravda Vodka held its first ever travel retail activation world-wide at The Loop Duty Free New Zealand in April.

The illuminated display introduced Pravda Vodka’s range to the Australasian market with an activation that allowed travellers to sample Pravda vodkas, including the original Pravda Vodka and the Pravda Espresso Vodka.

The range, distributed by Rossco Brands, is currently only available at The Loop Duty Free New Zealand departures and arrivals stores at Auckland International Airport. While the in-store activation ran throughout April, passengers can sample Pravda Vodka year-round at The Loop Duty Free New Zealand departures store tasting bar at Auckland International Airport.

Rossco Brands

AWARD WINNING SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY FROM THE ISLE OF ARRAN.

Imported and distributed by Tickety-Boo Liquor Email sales at tickety-boo.co.nz | Telephone: 09 3777597

www.arranwhisky.com

SPIRITS NEWS

Uniquely Camus French importer Maison Vauron held a special masterclass with long-running, family-owned Cognac house Camus in late March. Maison Vauron became the exclusive New Zealand agent for Camus in late 2018 and says it has proved particularly popular with sommeliers as an alternative to more mainstream cognac brands. Maison Vauron’s Trade Manager, Will Brunel-Morvan, says the story of the Camus House, which has been creating benchmark cognacs for five generations, is one that resonates with trade and consumers alike. The range includes the unique “Ile de Ré” cognacs from an island off the west coast of France, where Brunel-Morvan says the maritime microclimate gives an elegant, saline infused character, through ten other expressions from Camus culminating in the extremely rare and expensive Cuvee 3.140 in a Baccarat crystal decanter.

Maison Vauron

Batch 10 meets Whitestone Cheese KIWI COMPANIES Batch 10 and Whitestone Cheese have teamed up to create a Windsor Blue cheese soaked in Batch 10’s honey infused bourbon.

The concept of ‘drunken cheese’’ dates back centuries, when cheese was soaked in alcohol (usually wine) to extend its maturation time and age. The folk from Whitestone Cheese and Batch 10 met at the Auckland Chocolate and Coffee Show, and came up with the idea of the ‘Drunken Windsor Blue’ collaboration while sampling the cheese alongside the New Zealand honey infused bourbon.

The ‘Drunken Windsor Blue’ is available from Whitestone Cheese’s new fromagerie at the Catalina farmers market in Hobsonville Point on Auckland’s North Shore, where it is made in small batches in the purpose-built maturing room.

The Windsor Blue is cut into wedges and soaked in the bourbon at a constant temperature, resulting in an aromatic blue cheese with notes of honey and hints of caramelised distilled maize and rye. whitestonecheese.com

SHOWCASE

New Bébo coffee liqueur launches Dutch spirits group De Kuyper has increased its efforts to ‘Own the Cocktail’ with the launch of a new coffee liqueur brand, called Bébo.

Bébo is made with 100% Arabica Cuban coffee that has been cultivated and handpicked by co-operatives in the mountains of the Sierra Maestra. The liqueur, which does not contain any artificial colours or caramel, is named after Club Bébo, a secret underground club in Havana.

Mark de Witte, CEO of De Kuyper, said his team worked on developing the recipe for about 18 months as part of De Kuyper’s ‘Own the Cocktail’ strategy, which has seen the group acquire and develop new brands, expressions and marketing campaigns to suit cocktail trends.

“We want to ‘Own the Cocktail’. When people think about cocktails, we want them to think about De Kuyper, not necessarily just the brands that we bring to the market, but also the education, the support we offer for bartenders,” he said. “We want to focus on what the relevant cocktails are now and in the future.”

In contribution to the company’s vision to ‘Own the Cocktail’, De Kuyper Royal Distillers has revised the product design of its cocktail liqueur range as well as some of its liquids.

The redesign is a fundamental makeover in order to visually differentiate between “essentials” and “variations” within the range.

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The Essentials consist of ‘must mixers’ for world-renowned cocktails, while the Variations are an inspiration for modifying traditional cocktails depending on personal preferences.

Accordingly, the essentials’ design is clear and settled, while the variations’ design is more creative and highlights the main ingredient.

The idea of the visual differentiation is to distinguish at first glance which liqueur is essential for creating world-renowned cocktails and which is for crafting a variation of a cocktail.

Hancocks

Bébo is made with 100% Arabica Cuban coffee, cultivated and handpicked by co-operatives in the mountain range of the Sierra Maestra.

SPIRITS NEWS

Winners at first NZ Spirits Awards THE FIRST New Zealand Spirits Awards have been held, hosted by industry bodies Spirits New Zealand and Distilled Spirits Aotearoa.

The competition received 254 entries from local and international distilleries (41% from New Zealand producers) with trophies awarded at a ceremony at Te Papa in May. Seven of the 13 trophies were won by New Zealand distilleries, while 90 of the 221 bronze, silver, gold and double gold medals were won by local producers.

Of special note was double trophy winner Denzien Urban Distillery of Wellington. Its Te Aro Dry took out ‘Best New Zealand in Category’ for Gin and Trophy for ‘Best Overall in Category’ for Gin, despite opening its distillery doors less than six months ago.

Distilled Spirits Aotearoa Chair, Sue James, says the number of entries is a solid indication of the growing strength of the New Zealand spirits industry. “Less than 10 years ago there would have been fewer than 20 distilleries in New Zealand,

.

5 4

J E R V O I S

and now there would be close to 100.

This is a wonderful place for the NZ Spirits Awards to be in its first year.”

NZ Spirits Awards 2019 New Zealand Innovation Award TeKiwi 100% Blue Agave Spirit Gin Best New Zealand In Category Denzien Te Aro Dry Best Overall In Category Denzien Te Aro Dry Vodka Best New Zealand In Category Sheep Milk Vodka Best Overall In Category Grey Goose Whiskey Best New Zealand In Category Thomson Whisky Two Tone Best Overall In Category Talisker 10YO Rum Best Overall In Category Pusser’s Rum

R O A D

.

. NOW OPEN .

In February we opened Glengarry Spirits at 54 Jervois Road, the site where Josef Jakicevich, our founder, started his original grocery store in 1945. It was on this site that we held one of the first two liquor licences issued to retailers.

Glengarry Spirits is a stand-alone store in which you can immerse yourself in the world of premium spirits within a specially-crafted space catering solely to this genre.

For those not in the neighbourhood or with a preference for shopping online, Glengarry has a new website – www.whiskyshop.co.nz On this site you can see the extensive range of spirits Glengarry carries, although the name implies it’s all about whisky (there’s certainly a lot of it there) it does cover the full gambit of spirits with delivery available nationwide.

For trade and direct purchasing: 0800 733 505 or www.glengarry.co.nz or www.thewhiskyshop.co.nz

Liqueurs Best New Zealand In Category Lewis Road Chocolate Cream Liqueur Best Overall In Category Lewis Road Chocolate Cream Liqueur Botanicals And Other Spirits Best New Zealand In Category Elemental Grapefruit & Hops Bitters Best Overall In Category Dolin Vermouth Rogue Brandies Best Overall In Category Remy Martin XO spiritsawardsnz.nz

OPINION – SPIRITS

Dominic Roskrow

UK-based world spirits expert Editor - Whisky Quarterly

Time or test tubes?

When science tries to improve art there are bound to be a few scraps, and the world of whisky making is no exception, as Dominic Roskrow explains

IS MAKING spirits an art or a science? It is, of course, a bit of both – though the ratio of one to the other depends on the spirits type, or indeed sub-categories within each genre.

But I think it is fair to say that whisky lovers would tend to see their chosen tipple as a work of art, and that in turn brings words such as ‘traditional,’ ‘artisanal’ and ‘skilful’ to the table. In fact, the art/science debate underpins the whole concept of whisky.

Science is the home of innovation and change, and traditionalists view scientists with suspicion, because change might mean improvement, but trying to improve quality whisky is like twisting on 20: why fix what’s not broken?

The science/art ratio is also at the heart of what craft distilling is, and that particular debate is growing hotter by the week. I have long argued that craft cannot be about size: someone making a whisky in their garden shed for the first time has absolutely no right to claim superiority over any of the scores of accomplished spirits distillers, blenders, and production folk working for a Diageo or Pernod Ricard. And you don’t have to look very hard at all to find scores of ‘raw chicken’ spirits-makers producing ditchwater drinks.

And yet I have just read a feature in which a number of small British whisky distillers have taken a water cannon to the 74 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

bigger companies, whom they accuse of making bland new-make spirit by rushing the distilling process. There may well be plenty of examples of this – as long as 15 years ago Diageo’s Dr Nicholas Morgan spoke of his company receiving samples of spirits from other distilleries with a narrower flavour profile than in the past – but it is a disrespectful disservice to speak of the vast majority of whisky makers

Meet ‘Glyph’ – created overnight in a laboratory in California’s Silicon Valley, its owners, Endless West, call it the world’s first ‘molecular whiskey’. in such derogatory terms. No wonder Glenmorangie’s Dr Bill Lumsden gets so upset about it.

But I digress. The point here is that there is a trade-off between art and science, and whether we like it or not science will always be on the march and change is coming. In the last issue, I wrote about young whisky spirits passing themselves off as aged whisky by pressure

forcing flavour from the cask. Now meet Glyph – created overnight in a laboratory in California’s Silicon Valley and effectively a flavoured vodka that its owners, Endless West, call the world’s first “molecular whiskey”.

“Whiskeys owe their flavour, aroma, and mouthfeel to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of molecules that develop during distillation and barrel ageing,” says the company, which makes “provocative spirits for curious minds”. “We source these molecules directly from plants and yeasts. By using the same building blocks as conventional distillers, we create fine spirits through a process we’ve developed called ‘note-by-note production’. Our process is different, but our commitment to quality rivals the best in the business.

Each component is meticulously tested for purity. Glyph is biochemically equivalent to the finest aged whiskies.”

Sounds awful, but is it? I asked Billy Abbott, taster and reviewer for online retailer The Whisky Exchange what he thought. “It’s a very good attempt, but it’s not quite there yet,” he says. “The core flavour isn’t right. You can tell this is based on neutral spirit. It’s just a flavoured vodka. However, it’s a lot better than I expected.”

We’ll see a lot more of this. And what’s that sound I hear? A thousand years of deceased whisky makers collectively turning in their graves.

COCKTAILS

Choice new cocktails at Holey Moley Auckland bar Holey Moley has added some new cocktails to its menu with a nod to all things Kiwi

Kiwi As

Kakato Bliss

Salted Caramel Espresso Partini

Strawberry Tee’s Cake

GOLF-THEMED BAR Holey Moley is keeping it Kiwi with some New Zealandinspired additions to its cocktail menu.

The venue launched in Auckland’s Viaduct late last year and has proved popular with its quirky approach to entertainment, offering a 27-hole mini golf course and most recently launching a private karaoke room too.

James Taylor, Holey Moley Venue Manager, says the new cocktails are a way of adding to the local feel. “It’s been amazing seeing people’s reaction to our venue since opening back in October.

We’ve been working to ensure that we have a uniquely Kiwi identity – our ‘Morning Tea with Nana’ golf hole featuring some of our most loved celeb faces is always a favourite.

We thought it was the perfect time to up the ante and introduce some special New Zealand cocktails.”

The ‘Kiwi As’ cocktail takes inspiration from New Zealand’s love of Pineapple Lumps. It’s made with white rum, pineapple rum, white chocolate liqueur, pineapple juice, chocolate sauce and milk, then topped with cream and, of course, Pineapple Lumps.

Three other additions to the menu include a twist on a classic with the ‘Salted Caramel Espresso Partini’, while the ‘Kakato Bliss’ is a mix of vodka, lychee liqueur and lemon juice, created for those after a more tart, less sweet flavour.

The ‘Strawberry Tee’s Cake’ calls to mind afternoon tea at Nana’s, with white rum, coconut rum, vanilla and strawberry syrup. holeymoley.co.nz

DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019 75

DISTRIBUTORS DIRECTORY

Distributors Archangel Wines

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Aurum Wines

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Maison Vauron

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Batch 10

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Beer Labels

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027 424 2462 Blackquail.co.nz 0508 468 688 brandhouse.co.nz

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027 445 0602 cereswines.co.nz

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0800 107 272 lionco.com

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0800 212 337 epicbeer.com

76 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

021 145 5871 shannon@longcloudwines.co.nz

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0508 TUATARA tuatarabrewing.co.nz

03 348 8278 hopandvine.co.nz

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0800 227 735

Pernod Ricard

0800 262 226 ccamatil.co.nz

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Whisky Galore

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Windrush Organic

027 422 5003 windrushorganic.com

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NEW

LAST ORDERS

Master of Scotch Michael Fraser Milne has spent more than 25 years as a distributor, educator and retailer of whisky in New Zealand. In April, he was made a Master of the Quaich by an international society founded to recognise outstanding achievement in the Scotch whisky industry. Here, he reflects on his journey.

“Each generation of distillers... and master blenders in Scotland, they’re really producing for the next generation.

It’s a remarkably interesting commitment.”

On growing up in Scotland...

I was born in Keith [in Strathspey]… it’s the premiere production area for Scotch in Scotland. You would take it for granted all around you – there were five or six distilleries in our area and as a young person I got a weekend job at the local distillery cleaning out the cooperage.

I can’t honestly say it was of any particular interest [at the time], although the appreciation was certainly there.

My family weren't big drinkers at all, but they were very conscious of what they drank, so they did introduce me to good whisky quite early. I did travel for a while and did whisky and golf tours so that piqued my interest even more.

On why he loves Scotch...

It’s incredibly complex and the nice thing about Scotch – single malt especially at the moment – is there’s such a variety of flavour and style available, there seems to be something for every palate and every occasion. It’s extremely well made as well.

I go to Scotland twice a year at least and the thing I’ve now really understood is that the infrastructure there for making good whisky is incredible.

They have everything from the coopers through to the coppersmiths – it’s been there a long time and they understand what’s required and have the patience factor too. That’s the thing that impresses: each generation of distillers and owners and master blenders in Scotland, they’re really producing for the next generation.

A lot of the whisky they produce they’ll never taste. It’s a remarkably interesting commitment.

On how New Zealand’s whisky landscape has changed…

I arrived in Cantebury in 1993 and started importing the same year. The whisky landscape here back then was incredibly hard work and I don’t think I would do it again! It was there though, people did drink blended whisky and there was a good market. New Zealand does have a very long association with Scotch.

78 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2019

Even the first edition of The Press in Christchurch from 1862 has an advert on the back page for Scotch by the cask or by the bottle. And Glenlivet came here in the 1860s, so it’s not something new here and it’s always been a significant – small – but very appreciative market. But at that stage, as in many countries, Scotch was losing ground to white spirits and it’s only really started to get back on track.

On how Kiwi consumers have changed...

When we started whisky evenings, it was a male 45-plus, (and often quite a few pluses!) drinking it and it was a ‘pipes and slippers’ sort of drink. But if you go onto our Dramfest website you can see the youth factor now is very dominant – and females as well. We have all these events, tastings and dinners, and we never see anyone the worse for wear for a dram.

It’s all about appreciating and getting the most of out of it and maybe spending a wee bit more and making it last a wee bit longer. It’s a great trend, it really is.

On being made a Master of the Quaich...

It’s very humbling. In Scotch whisky terms it’s the ultimate accolade by your peers,

so I’m very proud. Mostly proud for my family, because it’s not been an easy journey in a lot of ways, business-wise.

My wife and my children have been very much behind me, as have the team at Whisky Galore, so I feel it’s a recognition beyond just myself. It’s a great honour because the management committee of the Keepers of the Quaich are really the gurus of Scotch and to be honoured in this way they have to see that you’re doing things. I do feel very privileged and I think with it probably comes some extended responsibility to keep banging the drum!

On DramFest 2020...

It’s 7-8 March 2020 at the Christchurch Town Hall and we’ve had an exceptionally good response from experts coming over to participate. We’ve got some really exciting new names, and some old ones, and we’ll announce the programme in November. It does sell out fast, although we limit tickets. Last time was 1,100 people a day, because if it’s too big then it’s a bun fight, whereas if we restrict the tickets it’s nice and calm and people can take their time and enjoy it. We could probably sell more tickets but I don’t think it would enhance the experience for anyone. We think DramFest 2020 will be our best one yet!

Note: Keepers of the Quaich can be made after seven years in the industry, while Masters must first be Keepers for ten years.

Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co Ph: +64 9 578 1823 | E: clientservices@federalmerchants.co.nz

McCashin’s Brewery 660 Main Road, Stoke, Nelson, New Zealand T: +64 3 547 5357 E: orders@mccashins.co.nz

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