Drinksbiz Magazine – October November 2020

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 DRINKSBIZ.CO.NZ

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

Wherever You Are

FROM THE EDITOR

Victoria Wells

Editor – Drinksbiz victoria@drinksbiz.co.nz

Behold the gin juggernaut THIS TIME four years ago, when I edited my first issue of Drinksbiz, we ran our annual Gin Report and it had 29 gins in it, eight of those from New Zealand distilleries.

This year, our Gin Report has 216 gins, which is why this issue of Drinksbiz (our biggest ever) would have landed on your counter/bar/desk with a bit more of a thump than usual.

Even more incredibly, this time around, there are 84 gins created by Kiwi distillers.

And that‘s only the ones that were already in market and that we could get hold of.

We know of plenty more getting their final touches before they too join the gin movement.

There is truly a gin juggernaut rolling around the world at the moment (this year we welcome gins from China, Brazil and Mexico to the mix as well) and New Zealand offerings are more than holding their own against the diverse range of hugely successful international brands.

As well as established distillers like

Scapegrace, Broken Heart and Lighthouse, there are Kiwi newcomers who have been quick to make their mark. I spoke to three of them for this issue‘s feature ‘Ones to Watch’ on page 28.

So, if you‘re looking to expand your retail shelf offering or step up your drinks

knows how long this is going to go on for, but it has been great to see the shift in consumer awareness when it comes to supporting local – whether that‘s a brand, a neighbourhood bottle store, brewpub or bar – and continuing to encourage that can only help businesses to navigate this.

This year, our Gin Report has 216 gins, which is why this issue of Drinksbiz (our biggest ever) would have landed with a bit more of a thump than usual. list, you‘d do well to check out the hefty gin report on page 64.

And so to the viral-shaped elephant in the room. As we approach summer, everyone in the industry is crossing their fingers that COVID-19 just stays in its corner and lets us get on with it.

Because if the past few months have taught us anything, it‘s that things can change in the blink of an eye. No one

Before I sign off, I‘d like to note that Drinksbiz has just marked its 30th year.

It‘s an achievement we‘re very proud of, so thank you to everyone who has helped us to reach that milestone. It‘s also the perfect excuse for a toast.

Ummm... how about a gin?

Enjoy the issue, Victoria.

My picks 2019 Tony Bish Zen Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay Because we all need a little bit of zen in our lives right now and this beautiful Chardonnay from renowned winemaker Tony Bish might just be the closest I get.

Good George Worthy Hazy Pilsner Sometimes the best things are the simplest and this new release from Good George Brewing is a perfect example. It’s classic, refreshing and leaves you wanting more. This will be on high rotate in our fridge this summer.

Hastings Distillers Albertine Gin Delicately aromatic and layered with flavours, this BioGro-certified organic gin from Hastings Distillers won Gold at the IWSC and should be the next addition to your shelf.

Read more about this New Zealand distillery on page 28.

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 5

CONTENTS

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

PUBLISHER

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

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

Lewis Hurst lewis@hurstmedia.nz +64 21 146 6404 hurstmedia.nz

28

A DV E R T I S I N G

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

BEER & CIDER

REGULARS

Diary Dates

8

Cover story

10

Industry News

12

International News

23

Non-Alcoholic News

26

Feature: Ones to watch 28 WINE

drinksbiz.co.nz

50 Beer & Cider Report

50

Opinion: Michael Donaldson 57 Beer & Cider News

58 Associate Member (NZ)

SPIRITS

Drinksbiz is published every second month by Trade Media

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Limited, 300 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland,

Wine Report: Aromatics

34

Top Picks

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Opinion: Joelle Thomson

44

Wine News

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New Zealand, phone (09) 361 2347.

The contents of Drinksbiz

64 Spirits Report: Gin

are copyright and may

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Opinion: Dominic Roskrow 92 Spirits News

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not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

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

LAST ORDERS

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Limited, P O Box 37745,

Distributors

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Last Orders: Eagle Brewing

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Parnell, Auckland.

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AVAILABLE OCTOBER

WHAT’S ON

Diary Dates Note: Events may change due to various COVID-19 restrictions. While details were correct at time of print, we recommend checking individual event websites for the latest updates.

Sunday 25 October

First Light Wine & Food Gisborne A festival celebrating Gisborne wine, alongside local food and music held at Matawhero, TW Wines and Bridge Estate. firstlightwineandfood.co.nz Friday 30 October

2020 Marlborough Wine Show

JEFF MCEWAN, CAPTURE PHOTOGRAPHY

The Awards Lunch for trophies recognising top wines from the country’s largest wine region. Winemaker Ben Glover leads the 2020 judging team as Chief Judge, with guest judge New Zealand Master of Wine, Emma Jenkins. marlboroughwineshow.co.nz Friday 30 – Saturday 31 October

The Dunedin Craft Beer & Food Festival OCTOBER Thursday 1 – Saturday 31 October

Visa Wellington On A Plate The capital’s biggest foodie event has moved to October. October 1-11 will be dedicated to ‘Dine Wellington’, while October 21-31 will be dedicated to ‘Garage Project presents Burger Wellington’.

‘Cocktail Wellington’ and Festival events will run for the full month. More updates are available on the website. visawoap.com

Craft beer, local food and live music over two days at Forsyth Barr Stadium. Includes a Homebrew competition and a range of specialised tasting seminars. dunedinbeerfest.co.nz Friday 30 – Saturday 31 October

Winetopia – Auckland More than 50 New Zealand wineries will be serving their finest alongside guided tastings and talks from local experts. winetopia.co.nz/wellington Friday 30 October – Sunday 1 November

The Food Show – Wellington

More than 50 New Zealand wineries will be serving their finest alongside guided tastings and talks from local experts. winetopia.co.nz/wellington

The country’s biggest consumer food and beverage event will be held over three days at Sky Stadium. For exhibitor inquiries contact XPO Exhibitions (hub. xpo.co.nz). foodshow.co.nz

Thursday 15 October

Saturday 31 October

Friday 9 – Saturday 10 October

Winetopia – Wellington

Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards 2020 marks the 20th year of the oldest regional wine awards in New Zealand.

These awards recognise the best wines made from 85% Hawke’s Bay grapes. showgroundshb.co.nz 8 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

New Zealand International Wine Show – Auckland The awards dinner for the New Zealand International Wine Show 2020 will be held in Auckland. nziws.co.nz

NOVEMBER Friday 6 November

NZ Cider Awards - Nelson The national awards night for New Zealand cider makers. This is the only awards programme in New Zealand dedicated solely to cider and is judged to international standards. (Note: entries close 15 October.) cidernz.com/awards Saturday 7 November

NZ Cider Festival – Nelson The country’s best cider makers will be at Nelson’s Founders Park for a day of cider, local food, music and family-friendly entertainment. Stall holder information is available on the website. nzciderfestival.com Thursday 19 – Sunday 22 November

The Food Show – Auckland The country’s biggest consumer food and beverage event returns to Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds for four days in November.

For exhibitor inquiries contact XPO Exhibitions (hub.xpo.co.nz). foodshow.co.nz Friday 20 – Saturday 21 November

Beervana – Wellington Beerlovers will descend on Sky Stadium in the capital for two days of the best of New Zealand beer. beervana.co.nz DECEMBER Saturday 5 December

South Island Wine and Food Festival – Chch Wineries from Marlborough, North Canterbury, and Central Otago will showcase their wines at Hagley Park. winefestival.co.nz

COVER STORY - BOMBAY SAPPHIRE G&T

A new, easy way to Bombay!

Iconic brand Bombay Sapphire is combining a premium experience with convenience in its new ready-to-drink Bombay Sapphire G&T

PREMIUM SPIRITS sales are booming, outpacing the growth of total spirits by double over the past two years, and gin remains the spirit of choice for consumers, making it the perfect time for leading premium gin brand Bombay Sapphire to introduce its latest innovation to New Zealand.

New Bombay Sapphire G&T is a readyto-drink blend that uses the well-crafted and much loved 1761 vapour infused recipe combined with tonic and presented in the

Bombay Sapphire G&T combines this premium experience with convenience, tapping into consumers’ increased desire for ways to make life easier. Bombay Sapphire G&T is the ideal partner for festivals, summer barbecues or dinner parties when you want the enjoyment of a gin and tonic without the hassle of having to take all the ingredients with you.

Bombay Sapphire Brand Manager for New Zealand, Alice McDermott, says the new Bombay Sapphire G&T meets

“Bombay Sapphire has recognised the opportunity to premiumise the ready-to-drink category with the release of Bombay Sapphire G&T 4-pack.”

– Alice McDermott, Bombay Sapphire Brand Manager NZ iconic Bombay-blue glass bottle.

Bombay Sapphire G&T is available from 15th October through distributor Lion as a 275ml 4-pack at RRP $17.99.

Its arrival comes as the full strength Gin category grows at a massive +40% vs last year*, driven by premium and above segments, plus innovation. As the leading premium gin in New Zealand, Bombay Sapphire plays a key role in the continued trend of premiumisation, helping consumers elevate the everyday G&T into something special through Bombay.

10 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

the needs of today’s busy lifestyles by offering an expertly blended G&T in a beautifully presented format. “We know that consumers are living increasingly hectic lives and are looking for convenient high-quality options on the go. Bombay Sapphire has recognised the opportunity to premiumise the ready-to-drink category with the release of Bombay Sapphire G&T 4-pack. It’s a new, ‘Easy Way to Bombay’, wherever you are.”

The growth of the Gin category also means there are more people trying the

spirit for the first time than ever before.

The ready-to-drink format therefore plays a key recruitment role into glass spirits, increasing gin penetration and basket spend amongst shoppers. Gin ready-todrink grew by +30% in retail sales in the last year*.

Containing the perfect balance of gin and tonic, with an alcohol by volume of 5.4%, Bombay Sapphire G&T ready-todrink is a modern, refreshing twist on the world-class gin. It uses the same premium juniper-led gin made at Laverstoke Distillery in the UK to create an expertly blended G&T served in the much-loved iconic Bombay-blue glass bottle. *AC Nielsen Scan Data MAT w/e 06/09/20

NEW – BOMBAY SAPPHIRE G&T 5.4% ABV, 275ml 4-pack RRP $17.99

• Expertly blended ready-to-drink format • Convenient 4-pack • Elevates everyday G&T with Bombay Sapphire • Presented in iconic Bombay-blue glass bottle • Serve chilled straight from the bottle or pour over ice in a glass with a garnish of lemon or lime Distributed by Lion bombaysapphire.com @bombaysapphire facebook.com/bombaysapphire

INDUSTRY NEWS

Ups and downs for WSET over COVID-19

THE WINE & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), the largest global provider of wine, spirits and sake qualifications, says while its annual candidate figures have been hit by COVID-19, it has been buoyed by growth in online learning.

WSET has reported that in the last academic year (2019/20) a total of 96,845 candidates took a WSET qualification. This represents an 11% decrease versus last year’s record-breaking figure of 108,557 candidates reported in the organisation’s 50th year – with this decline completely

attributable to the impact of COVID-19.

Over the same period, however, WSET saw strong growth in online candidate registrations, with numbers almost trebling compared to the previous year.

Although candidate numbers fell for wine and sake qualifications at all levels, candidate numbers for WSET’s spirits courses bucked the trend with Levels 1 and 2 Award in Spirits growing +17% and +19% respectively versus the previous year.

In March 2020, candidate numbers came to a standstill as WSET course providers globally were unable to deliver classroom sessions and exams.

In response, WSET successfully fasttracked its digital strategy, and by June 2020 was able to offer end-to-end online products in English in all subject streams (wine, spirits and sake) at Levels 1 and 2 - including remotely invigilated online exams.

WSET registered 14,000 candidates for online courses in 2019/20, representing 15% of annual candidate numbers, compared to 5,000 candidates (5% of annual candidate numbers) in the previous year. WSET says its digital growth reflects the increased global demand for online learning amongst trade and consumer audiences stimulated by global lockdown and working from home. wsetglobal.com

New face at Hospitality NZ

Top award for Yealands at Decanter Wine Awards 2020

Hospitality New Zealand has welcomed the appointment of Sam MacKinnon as the new Senior Policy Advisor.

MacKinnon has held a number of policy roles within membership organisations, with his most recent role being Policy Analyst at Tourism Industry Aotearoa.

He has also held roles at BusinessNZ and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

MacKinnon will be based in the Hospitality New Zealand National Service Centre in Wellington reporting to Julie White, Chief Executive, Hospitality New Zealand.

A Sauvignon Blanc by New Zealand winery Yealands has come out on top at the Decanter Wine Awards 2020, receiving a ‘Best in Show’ Trophy – the only trophy awarded to New Zealand in this year’s competition. Four New Zealand wines also received Gold Medals.

The 2019 Yealands Estate Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc was among 16,518 wines from 56 countries tasted and evaluated by 116 physicallydistanced wine judges, with only 50 Best in Show trophies awarded.

“We are thrilled to receive a Best in Show Trophy for our Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc,” says Chief Winemaker for Yealands, Natalie Christensen. “This was my favourite Sauvignon Blanc that we made in 2019, and it is exciting to hear that this wine was enjoyed by the judges.

The fruit comes from one of our most coastal blocks on the property, and really speaks of our coastal home. Looking forward to celebrating this fantastic win with the team!”

Hospitality New Zealand welcomes industry partners to connect with Sam by calling 0800 500 503, sam@hospitality.org.nz or linkedin.com/in/sam-mackinnon.

12 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

Decanter Wine Awards 2020 Best in Show 2019 Yealands Estate Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc (97/100) Gold Medals: 2018 Brancott Estate Letter Series O Chardonnay (95/100) 2016 Church Road McDonald Series Cabernet Sauvignon (96/100) 2016 Nga Waka Lease Block Pinot Noir (96/100) 2019 Villa Maria Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (95/100) awards.decanter.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Superb 2020 vintage bolsters NZ wine industry DESPITE THE impact of COVID-19 on vineyard and winery processes, the quality of the 2020 vintage is nothing short of exceptional, according to the 2020 New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Report.

“Our total 2020 harvest reflects the near perfect growing conditions experienced in most of the country, and a 2% increase in planted area to 39,935 hectares,” said New Zealand Winegrowers Board Chair John Clarke.

In the year ended 30 June 2020, the New Zealand wine industry achieved record exports totalling $1.92 billion, a 6% increase on 2019. “Our sustained export success, even during a global pandemic, reinforces our international reputation for premium, diverse and sustainable wines. This year’s vintage will help the industry to meet the high demand for New Zealand wine,” says Clarke.

Wineries have responded dynamically to the marketplace challenges presented

by COVID-19. For some this has meant an increased focus on direct to consumer sales and online marketing, while larger wineries, whose focus is on big retail channels, have seen sales increase.

With the 2020 vintage now complete, the focus is on what 2021 will bring. “Looking forward it seems likely that New Zealand’s borders will be largely closed for the coming year. We are having to re-think parts of our workforce, and become more self-sufficient in terms of personnel. Producing New Zealand’s world class wines creates numerous career opportunities, and we aim to be an industry of choice. We are working to attract new workers to our sector to ensure we have the personnel in place to bring in the 2021 crop, and beyond.”

Read the full report online at nzwine.com/ en/media/statistics/annual-report

Jo Mitchell and Sean O'Donnell

Two new members for DB Exec team DB Breweries has announced two additions to its Executive Team: Jo Mitchell joins the brewer as its new Marketing Director, while Krithik Ranganathan comes on as Finance Director.

Jo Mitchell is leaving her post as Director of Marketing at McDonalds Restaurants Ltd to take up the role at DB. She has been at McDonald’s for just over seven years, initially as National Marketing

Manager and then as Director of Marketing since 2016. Jo was awarded the Marketer of the Year Award at the 2019 TVNZ Marketing Awards.

She replaces Sean O’Donnell who is heading to Singapore to take up the position of International Brand Director, Tiger, based at Heineken’s APAC office. Sean has held the Marketing Director position at DB for four years, winning numerous awards including the

14 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

Marketer of the Year accolade at the 2019 Effies.

Krithik Ranganathan joins DB from Goodman Fielder (NZ), where he has been the Head of Finance and a key member of the Executive Team. He replaces Witold Kramarz, who has been living in New Zealand for the past four years while serving as Finance Director at DB. He is leaving New Zealand to take up another Finance Director role within the Heineken network.

Coca-Cola offers ‘first drink’ free in local campaign Coca-Cola launched a month-long campaign in October called ‘The First Coke Is On Us’, offering a free non-alcoholic drink at more than 300 bars and restaurants around the country.

Coca-Cola says it is designed to help the hospitality industry, which has been hugely affected by the COVID-19 lockdown, by encouraging New Zealanders to socialise with friends and family at their local bars and restaurants. Customers can claim a single free Coke, Coke No Sugar, Sprite or Schweppes via a simple text voucher.

Richard Schlasberg, Country Manager at Coca-Cola Oceania, explains: “Over the past few years, Coca-Cola has run a Designated Driver campaign, shouting the legends that are sober drivers a free Coke. This year, we’re using the same technology to offer Kiwis their first non-alcoholic drink on us at participating bars and restaurants, whether it’s a Coke, Coke No Sugar, Sprite or Schweppes Ginger Beer – right across the country. We want to help Kiwis visit their local bars, and restaurants, and support the hospitality industry.”

Julie White, Chief Executive of Hospitality New Zealand says, “2020 has been an incredibly tough year for the hospitality industry all across New Zealand.

Many operators are diversifying, innovating, and changing their operating hours but it’s been a rollercoaster of a journey so far.

The amazing support from our local hospitality communities and incredible initiatives like this from Coca-Cola supporting our revive and thrive strategy go a long way.”

To get involved, customers can text “ENJOY” to 345 and by registering their details and choosing a participating bar, receive a voucher for 1 x free non-alcoholic beverage from the Coca-Cola range.

Coca-Cola’s ‘The First Coke Is On Us’ programme will run until Saturday 31 October. coke.co.nz/enjoy

INDUSTRY NEWS

CCA reaches recycled plastic goal COCA-COLA OCEANIA and Coca-Cola Amatil NZ have announced a significant reduction in their use of virgin plastic in 2020, achieved by using only recycled plastic across some of New Zealand’s best-known drinks brands.

All plastic soft drink bottles smaller than 1 litre and water bottles in all sizes produced by Coca-Cola Amatil NZ are now made from recycled plastic.

Twelve months ago, the companies jointly announced a commitment to significantly increase their recycled plastic use. In 2020, major brands such as CocaCola, Fanta, POWERADE and Sprite are now made from 100% recycled plastic in all its plastic bottles smaller than 1 litre. Water brands such as Pump, Kiwi Blue and Pure Drop are now using 100% recycled plastic across all its bottles in every size.

The plastic used is high-quality recycled PET, meaning bottles can be recycled over and over again. This will reduce the amount of new plastic used by around 2700 tonnes.

Managing Director of Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand, Chris Litchfield, said: “When we made this commitment a year ago, we were determined to follow through

and we’re very proud to have achieved it. We’ve heard the community loud and clear – we need to reduce the impact of our business on the environment. Using packaging that is not only recyclable but made from recycled plastic is a major step in our efforts to do so.”

He said both companies are working

with Government, industry and community stakeholders to help develop a best-in-class container return scheme for New Zealand.

The Coca-Cola Company has a global goal of reducing waste and collecting and recycling as many cans and bottles as it sells each year by 2030.

DB’s Peter Simons joins SBC Advisory Board Peter Simons, Managing Director of DB Breweries, has been appointed to the Sustainable Business Council (SBC) Advisory Board following voting from Council members in July and August. Simons was appointed to one of five seats.

The SBC Advisory Board is comprised of senior executives who have demonstrated sustainability leadership to lead SBC into their next phase, determining strategy, programmes, and leading change. He is joined on the Board by Alice Andrew from 4Sight, Marc England from Genesis, Wayne McNee from Livestock Improvement Corporation, and Carol Ward from Zespri.

“Businesses in New Zealand need to acknowledge the climate challenges we face, and tackle these head on while ensuring the country thrives as we transition to a low-emissions economy. The Sustainable Business Council will be at the centre of this and I’m proud to be nominated to its Advisory Board,” commented Peter Simons.

16 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

INDUSTRY NEWS

Sparkling leads at New World Wine Awards SPARKLING WINES emerged as the big winners and latest consumer trend as the results of the 2020 New World Wine Awards Top 50 were announced in early October.

The highly-regarded competition has a unique consumer focus – all entries must retail for under $25 and have enough bottles available to be stocked in New World stores nationwide. The Top 50 wines are determined by an independent panel of experts who blind taste the entries to international wine show standards.

Chair of Judges, Jim Harré, says insights from the 18th annual New World Wine Awards show the movement towards sparkling wine in New Zealand is really taking off. “Entries to the sparkling class were up more than 30 per cent this year to well over 100 wines, a good indicator of growing consumer demand and winemakers’ eagerness to have their wines recognised,” says Harré.

This year’s Top 50 list includes six sparkling winners: Lindauer Vintage Series

New World Wine Awards 2020 Champion Wines Champion Sauvignon Blanc Two Rivers Convergence Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Champion Pinot Gris V idal Reserve Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2019 Champion Aromatic Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Riesling 2018 Champion Chardonnay Church Road Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 Champion Sparkling Wine Lindauer Vintage Series Brut Cuvée 2017 Champion Rosé Mount Riley “The Bonnie” Pinot Rosé 2020 Champion Pinot Noir Framingham Nobody’s Hero Pinot Noir 2019 Champion Single Varietal Red De Bortoli Woodfired Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Champion Red Blend The Hunting Lodge Expressions Merlot Malbec 2019 Champion Shiraz & Syrah Grant Burge 5th Generation Shiraz 2018

Brut Cuvée 2017 (also Champion sparkling wine), Lindauer Vintage Series Rosé 2017, Morton Estate Brut, Verde Brut, Cinzano Prosecco D.O.C. and Graham Norton’s Own Prosecco.

It’s also the first time in the awards’ history that Prosecco has made the list, and Harré says this is another signal that the wine, which has taken international

markets like the UK by storm, is about to sweep New Zealand.

Foodstuffs North Island merchandise manager for liquor, Chris Anderson, agrees, as sales data shows New Zealanders are increasingly choosing sparkling and Prosecco wines over others.

“So far this year, sales of sparkling wines have grown more than 10 per cent over the same period last year, and Prosecco sales have skyrocketed by more than 40 per cent.”* This year, an independent panel of 18 experts, chaired by Harré, assembled across four regional hubs in Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough and Central Otago to judge more than 1200 wines entered from around New Zealand and overseas.

All Top 50 wines are available in New World stores nationwide from Monday 5 October. *Nielsen: Sparkling and Prosecco sales across all New World stores between 1 January and 8 August 2020, compared to the same period the previous year.

newworld.co.nz/wineawards

18 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

SHOWCASE

Introducing new Schweppes 1783 Light Tonic Water

SWEET SAILOR Schweppes has added a new tonic to its premium 1783 mixer range, with the arrival of Schweppes 1783 Light Tonic Water, available from early November.

The new variant is low in calories but full of bright bitters and soft sweetness, pairing well with London Dry gin and rum.

The Schweppes 1783 range of distinguished mixers was created for discerning drinkers, with its sophisticated

flavour profiles and chic bottle design.

It was crafted by leading UK mixologists, with natural flavours to deliver the perfect pairing with the finest spirits.

Schweppes 1783 Light Tonic Water joins the existing range of flavours that launched in New Zealand last year: Crisp Tonic, Quenching Cucumber, and Golden Ginger Ale. The range is available in premium 200ml glass bottles – the perfect pour size for one cocktail.

Schweppes is renowned for its superior effervescence and balanced flavour profile, with an obsession for bubbles that are high in number, small and longer lasting, to deliver a taste that lasts.

Each bottle combines the perfect mix of carbonation to deliver an enhanced drinking experience.

As the creator of the world’s first carbonated soft drink, Schweppes was founded on innovation by Jacob Schweppe, who invented and launched his carbonated water in 1783. The premium mixer range pays homage to the brand’s founding year.

Shake a premium gin with fresh grapefruit and honey, then strain into a glass full of cubed ice. Mix with Schweppes 1783 Light Tonic Water and finish off with a sprig of rosemary.

Ingredients: • 50ml premium gin • 25ml fresh grapefruit juice • 15ml honey • 150ml Schweppes 1783 Light Tonic Water • Garnish: sprig of rosemary Method: To a Boston Shaker, add the premium gin, fresh grapefruit juice and honey.

Shake for 20 seconds, then strain into a highball glass full of cubed ice.

Mix with Schweppes 1783 Light Tonic Water and stir twice.

Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Coca-Cola Amatil

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 19

INDUSTRY NEWS

Future leaders compete for top industry titles

The Corteva Young Vit 2020 Finalists (clockwise from top): Annabel Angland from Peregrine Wines, Central Otago. Rhys Hall from Indevin, Marlborough. Sam Bain from Constellation Brands, Hawke’s Bay. Tahryn Mason from Villa Maria, Auckland. Lacey Agate from Bellbird Spring, North Canterbury. George Bunnett from Irrigation Services, Wairarapa.

The up and comers in New Zealand’s wine industry are giving their all in the 2020 Young Vit and Young Winemaker competitions Corteva Young Viticulturist of the Year 2020 Despite having to push out dates due to Covid-19 and run two of the six regional competitions safely behind closed gates during the recent Alert Level 2, the 2020 National Finalists were found.

The Corteva Young Vit 2020 Finalists: • Tahryn Mason from Villa Maria, Auckland • Sam Bain from Constellation Brands, Hawke’s Bay • George Bunnett from Irrigation Services, Wairarapa • Rhys Hall from Indevin, Marlborough • Lacey Agate from Bellbird Spring, North Canterbury • Annabel Angland from Peregrine Wines, Central Otago.

The National Final was scheduled to take place at Ata Rangi in Martinborough on 7 October and the winner was due to be announced at the Young Vit 15 Years Celebration dinner the following evening.

“The plan at the beginning of the year was to have our 15th winner before the celebration, which is bringing together all previous winners and the whole Young Vit community for a conference and dinner,” says Nicky Grandorge, Leadership & Communities Manager at NZ Winegrowers. “However with the Covid-19 curve balls and several date changes, we decided it would be exciting to actually announce our 15th winner at the celebrations. We are thrilled to be celebrating how far this competition has come since 2006 and appreciate more 20 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

The Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker 2020 Finalists: Ben McNab from Matahiwi, Wairarapa.

Ben Tombs from Peregrine Wines, Central Otago. Peter Russell from Matua, Marlborough.

than ever that our 2020 competitions have been able to run.”

The national winner will become the Corteva NZ Young Viticulturist of the Year 2020 and win an amazing prize package of a Hyundai Kona for a year, an Ecotrellis Travel Grant, a Corteva educational trip to Australia, Bahco golden secateurs, a leadership week and cash. There are also cash prizes from AGMARDT for the top three national finalists research projects.

Tonnellerie de Mercurey NZ Young Winemaker of the Year 2020 The regional competitions were run behind closed doors during September due to New Zealand being in Alert Level 2.

However, the atmosphere was still really positive with a high calibre of contestants competing around the country.

Contestants were grateful the competitions went ahead as it gave them a focus for studying and stretching themselves as well as being able to meet other young winemakers and extend their network.

The Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker 2020 Finalists: • Ben McNab from Matahiwi, Wairarapa • Ben Tombs from Peregrine Wines, Central Otago • Peter Russell from Matua, Marlborough.

The National Final is scheduled to be held on 6 November at EIT in Hawke’s Bay and the winner will be announced that evening at the Awards Dinner, which is part of Hawke’s Bay’s popular F.A.W.C. event. Nicky Grandorge, Leadership & Communities Manager at NZ Winegrowers, says it is set to be a wonderful celebration bringing many people together to meet New Zealand’s future winemakers and enjoy some of their hard work.

The winner will take the title of Tonnellerie de Mercurey NZ Young Winemaker of the Year as well as win a travel grant to Burgundy, a role as an associate judge in the 2021 New World Wine Awards and will review their favourite wines in Drinksbiz magazine.

The competition is made possible thanks to the following sponsors: Tonnellerie de Mercurey, Crown Sheetmetal, Farmlands, Guala Closures NZ, Laffort, O-I Glass, Programmed Property Services, New World and winejobsonline.com For more information contact nicky.grandorge@nzwine.com Drinksbiz will have full coverage from both competitions in our Dec 2020-Jan 2021 issue.

SHOWCASE

The story behind a Broken Heart It was a chance meeting, half a world away from their homeland, that led two men to a friendship and an idea that was to become one of New Zealand’s leading spirits brands: Broken Heart.

Joerg Henkenhaf, the owner and Master Distiller of Broken Heart, arrived in New Zealand from Germany in the early 2000s, where the former pilot fell in love with the Central Otago region.

In 2006, he heard that a fellow German, Bernd, had moved to the area.

The two became fast friends, bonding over their love for distilling and creating fine spirits. Many a night was spent around Joerg’s kitchen table, discussing recipes and processes for the perfect gin distillation.

They almost had it perfected when Bernd suddenly fell extremely ill, and died.

Bernd’s passing brought everything to a halt as Joerg and his friends mourned.

The plans for going commercial with the gin stopped and their new Queenstown distillery closed its doors. Time passed, until one day Joerg realised that Bernd would be furious to see their dream at a standstill. With a new-found vigour he started everything back up, and named the first gin ‘Broken Heart’, to commemorate the loss of his friend.

The bottle’s distinctive design echoes this, featuring half a heart on the front and the back. When viewed straight through the bottle, the two halves line up to make a whole heart, symbolising friendship and love.

Award-winning excellence Eight years later, the Broken Spirits range has grown to 11 products and is sold in

Joerg Henkenhaf

19 countries. Its spirits have also won a host of local and international awards – most recently at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020 where all six of its entries were awarded: the original Broken Heart Gin won Double Gold (one of only two gins to do so), Broken Heart Angel’s Share Gin won Gold, and Broken Heart Vodka, Rum, Pinot Noir Gin and Quince Gin all won Silver.

Joerg says he was elated and moved by the awards for each entry. Broken Heart’s gins have since won more medals at the prestigious International Wine and Spirits Competition 2020, and the Australian Gin Awards.

For Joerg, distilling was always his passion – he says he could never have foreseen how far Broken Heart would go, and fondly recalls how he once would have been content with seeing his bottle on the shelf of a beautiful Auckland waterfront bar.

Commitment to quality Each Broken Heart spirit is grounded in the original recipe that Joerg and Bernd crafted together. The fruit gins are all made from the original with only the fruits

added. Joerg takes pride in not adding any sugars, sweeteners or colours to his gins, and uses only high quality, allnatural ingredients.

Joerg says balance is crucial to a good spirit, and he works hard with each flavour element to achieve the perfect structure and for all the components to add something unique to the overall experience of the final gin.

Now, with every bottle of Broken Heart, Joerg honours the innovation and friendship that he and Bernd first found together around that kitchen table all those years ago.

The Broken Heart range is: • Original Gin • Navy Strength Gin • Barrel Aged Gin • Pinot Noir Gin • Quince Gin • Rhubarb Gin • Angel’s Share Collector’s Edition Dry Gin • Vodka • Quince Liqueur • Spiced Rum • Spiced Whisky

Invisible Agency - jeannine@invisibleltd.co.nz (North Island) and Long Cloud - shannon@longcloudwines.co.nz (South Island)

SHOWCASE

Classic style with Alienor For a look that speaks of sophisticated elegance, the Alienor bottles from the still wine collection by specialist French glass company Saverglass are the perfect choice.

Alienor is part of the Saverglass Heritage Collection, which is designed to celebrate the great vintages and to best complement them with a vessel worthy of their class and style.

Featuring a classic St-Emilion shoulder, the Alienor bottles are evocative of the great wines from this charming town and its iconic neighbour, Bordeaux.

The Saverglass collection of still wine bottles is distinguished by its originality, while not losing sight of tradition.

The diversity of design options remains unrivalled with a wide range of colours, personalisation techniques and finishes available. With a selection of bottles ranging across Ultra-premium, Super-premium, Premium and Standard categories there is something for every requirement at Saverglass.

Contact Saverglass saverglass.com 09 522 2990

ALIENOR

HERITAGE COLLECTION

REVIVING THE MASTER CRAFTSMANSHIP AND AESTHETICS OF THE GREAT CLASSICS Designed to celebrate the true essence of the Grands Crus, the Heritage Collection presents top-of-the-range glassware whose silhouettes hail back to the values of authenticity seen in the historical archives.

ALIÉNOR range stands out as a worthy heir to Bordeaux culture, with its characteristic “Saint-Émilion” shoulder, trunk-like base and a very deep punt with a small “push-out inside the punt”.

Saverglass (NZ) Limited | www.saverglass.com Haute Couture Glass | Phone: +64 9 522 2990

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

COVID-19 changes consumer attitudes to alcohol CONSUMERS’ SENTIMENT towards alcohol consumption and brands has been changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, says data and analytics company GlobalData.

It has identified ‘New Socializing’, ‘New Initiatives’ and ‘More Health’ as three new trends that are emerging in the alcoholic beverage space after COVID-19 has altered consumers’ social lives, their view of brands, and their awareness of health and wellbeing.

GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19) Case Study: Alcoholic Beverage Innovation’, notes that the scale and impact of the global health crisis has changed consumers’ consumption habits and sentiments towards fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands, which is inevitably influencing the alcoholic beverage industry.

In the report, GlobalData looks at these three emerging trends: New Socialising Home consumption has increased due to the closure of pubs and bars. At the end of May (Week 10), 68% of consumers in 11 countries surveyed said they had stopped or reduced visits to pubs and bars due to the outbreak of COVID-19*.

This figure remained relatively steady during the ten weeks from 25th March to 31st May in which GlobalData’s survey was held, despite some countries re-opening up bars and clubs – for example, China gradually re-opened bars in early April and Germany and Australia opened up on 15th May. This trend is likely to continue as consumer concerns about the disease persist, even as more outlets reopen.

Mitsue Konishi, Senior Innovation Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “As more people avoid bars and clubs, alcoholic beverage manufacturers need to consider consumers’ ‘New Socializing’ occasions such as home drinking in product development. One key consideration will be catering to premium and budget-friendly alcoholic innovations to allow consumers to capture the bar-quality drinking experience at home. In particular, flavoured alcoholic beverages such as ready-to-drink cocktails are already growing, seeing 12% increase

in volume sales globally compared with 2018 and 2019**. Premiumisation in this category is likely to see opportunity here.”

One of the rising concerns among consumers is money constraints. Young age groups (e.g. 25-34) are price sensitive, and GlobalData’s latest survey shows 13% of millennials globally have stopped buying alcoholic drinks because it is beyond their shopping budget, while 20% say they are buying these products at the lower end of the price range***.

Discounter ALDI has launched hard seltzer Nordic Wolf in the UK with a low price

What kind of information consumers would like to see from brands during the COVID-19 pandemic period?

Tips on personal health and wellbeing

51%

News about initiatives adopted by the brand DURING the COVID-19 pandemic period

44%

Guidance about product consumption/usage e.g. health credentials of product, effectiveness of ingredients

39%

News about initiatives adopted by the brand AFTER the COVID-19 pandemic period

38% 37%

News about the brand’s sustainability initiatives 29%

Updates about new product launches

27%

Updates about latest product trends General entertainment to distract me e.g. games None of the above

20% 17%

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 23

INTERNATIONAL NEWS point of £1.29 – half the price of cult brand White Claw, which sold at £2.50.

Trending innovation in the affordable price range cannot be ignored to appeal to these consumers.

New Initiatives ‘New Initiatives’ is another significant trend emerging amid the pandemic.

For example, many alcoholic drink manufacturers have been supplying their alcohol ingredients to produce sanitisers.

Konishi continues: “These initiatives have been recognised by consumers, who are actively seeking news about initiatives adopted by brands. These activities will influence their purchase decisions in future. A sizeable number of consumers are expecting to see initiatives taken by brands during the pandemic, as well as after the pandemic, while 37% of consumers are specifically seeking brands’ sustainability initiatives. Therefore,

proactively taking new initiatives is likely to become a key marketing activity for brands.”

More Health The ‘More Health’ trend will be one that alcoholic drink manufacturers cannot ignore. The global health crisis has raised consumers’ concerns about their health – physically and mentally. ‘Better-for-you’ has been a key alcohol drink innovation trend for a few years, but this aspect will become more important than ever among consumers.

Konishi adds: “Young age groups are concerned about their health more than older groups, and these concerns are reflected in their shopping choices.

Alcoholic beverages with positive health attributes such as low calorie and sugar content will appeal to these healthconscious consumers. As mentioned earlier, hard seltzers are trending, as they

have these healthier attributes which help to position them as an aspirational drink.

“Furthermore, young consumers also are highly aware of mental wellbeing.

For those, alcohol-free alternatives have potential as an aspirational beverage but without the adverse impacts of alcohol.

Thus, low or no alcohol alternatives are likely to see even further growth this year.” globaldata.com Sources: *GlobalData Coronavirus (COVID-19) Consumer Survey Consolidated Results Weeks 1-10 (fieldwork dates Week 1: 25-30 March 2020 - Week 10: 26-31 May 2020) **GlobalData Market Analyzers – volume sales based on 110 countries ***GlobalData COVID-19 Recovery Consumer Survey – Week 5 (fieldwork dates 5-9 August 2020) Information based on GlobalData’s report: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Case Study: Alcoholic Beverage Innovation

Diageo to acquire Aviation Gin GLOBAL BRAND Diageo has reached agreement to acquire Aviation American Gin through the acquisition of Aviation Gin LLC and Davos Brands LLC (‘Davos Brands’).

Aviation American Gin is an Americanstyle gin, co-owned by actor Ryan Reynolds (who will retain an ongoing ownership interest in Aviation American Gin) and majority owner Davos Brands.

Through this acquisition, Diageo is also acquiring the other brands in the Davos Brands’ portfolio consisting of Astral Tequila, Sombra Mezcal and TYKU Sake.

In a statement, Diageo says the total consideration is up to US$610 million, which includes an initial payment of US$335 million and a further potential consideration of up to US$275 million based on the performance of Aviation American Gin over a ten-year period.

This reflects the brand’s current growth trajectory and expected upside potential.

Aviation American Gin is the second largest and one of the fastest growing brands within the super-premium gin 24 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

segment in the United States1. In 2019, it grew volumes at over 100%, adding the highest number of cases and contributing 40% of super premium gin segment growth2.

Ryan Reynolds commented “A little over two years ago, I became an owner of Aviation Gin because I love the taste of Aviation more than any other spirit. What I didn’t expect was the sheer creative joy learning a new industry would bring.

Growing the brand with my company, Maximum Effort Marketing, has been among the most fulfilling projects I’ve ever been involved with. I want to thank Diageo for their incredible team and

passion. We’re so excited for the next chapter of Aviation Gin, which, I promise, will require just as little reading.”

The super-premium segment of the gin category is gaining momentum in the United States. Having more than doubled its share of the gin category between 2014 and 2019, it grew at a compound annual growth rate of 18.5% - making it the fastest growing spirits segment in the United States3. Diageo says a number of trends are supporting this growth, including consumer interest in quality ingredients like botanicals, in the variety of serves for gin and in craft spirits.

1, 2, 3:

IWSR, 2019

AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT NZ RETAIL DISTRIBUTED BY BRANDHOUSE NZ ORDERS@BRANDHOUSE.CO.NZ 0508 468 688 BRANDHOUSE.CO.NZ

NON-ALCOHOLIC NEWS

New from Fever-Tree BRITISH BRAND Fever-Tree is releasing its Premium Indian Tonic in new 150ml cans through New Zealand distributor EuroVintage.

The cans will be available from November in 150mlx8-packs for RRP $15.99.

Each 150ml can is an ideal single serve size for making a gin and tonic and is a great alternative when glass bottles are not preferred or are prohibited. The 8-pack makes it perfect for weekends away or at home for single-serve consumption.

Fever-Tree is the world’s leading supplier of premium carbonated mixers for alcoholic spirits by retail sales value, with distribution to almost 80 countries worldwide. It was recently voted as the bestselling and top trending tonic water brand in the Drinks International Annual Brands Report 2020 for the sixth year running.

EuroVintage says that cans appeal to Fever-Tree’s loyal fans due to their convenience and will unlock new consumption patterns and occasions, driving growth in the New Zealand mixer category. The Premium Mixer Category in New Zealand is growing rapidly, and consumers are looking for premium options.

Matthew Jamieson, Fever-Tree Brand Manager NZ, commented: “New Zealand Fever-Tree fans have been asking for a premium quality mixer in the convenience of a can for some time, so the launch of Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic in cans is perfect for meeting this unmet need. Whether winding down in the evening after work or enjoying a picnic in the sun, the Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Cans have arrived just in time for the season of alfresco dining.”

Fever-Tree is also adding two new tonics and three new soda flavours to its range of premium mixers. The new sodas are each under 30 calories and come in Yuzu & Lime Soda, Italian Blood Orange Soda and Pink Grapefruit Soda. They will be available from November for RRP $9.99 per 4x200ml pack.

EuroVintage

Finery introduces 0% New Zealand brand Finery has added a new alcoholfree cocktail to its range, offering the same blends as the existing locally made Finery range but without the alcohol.

Finery says its 0% Cocktails use a special blend of distilled extracts, tinctures and natural flavours to replicate its 5% range of drinks.

As with its original cocktail versions, Finery 0% is free from sugar, carbohydrates, gluten and preservatives and unpasteurised, with vegan-friendly options.

Flavours include Grapefruit Cucumber and Mint; Ginger, Green Tea, Honey, Mint and Lemon; Vanilla and Elderflower; Lemon Myrtle, Lime and Black Tea. Finery 0% 4-pack RRP of $14.99.

Finery Cocktails 26 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

New from Fever-Tree • • • • •

Fever-Tree Lime and Yuzu Soda (200ml 4-pack) Fever-Tree Italian Blood Orange Soda (200ml 4-pack) Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit Soda (200ml 4-pack) Fever-Tree Lemon Tonic Water (200ml 4-pack) Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Cucumber Tonic Water (200ml 4-pack) • Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water (150ml Can 8-pack)

AUSTRALIAN BITTERS. THE WORLD’S FINEST BITTERS ALL THE WAY FROM AUSTRALIA.

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Now available in NZ , distributed by Beverage Brothers

FEATURE – NZ DISTILLERS TO WATCH

Ones to watch Victoria Wells chats to the folk behind three new New Zealand craft distilleries notching up some early successes…

Kate Galloway and David Ramonteu

Hastings Distillers KATE GALLOWAY laughs when I ask her what sort of gap in the market she and partner David Ramonteu saw when they launched Hastings Distillers in 2019.

“We never approach things that way,” she says. “We’re probably an accountant’s nightmare. For us it’s about trying to create things of beauty.

“It was more intuitive; trying to make something the best that we could and working alongside nature’s bounty and the bounty of New Zealand. We’re definitely not your typical market-led [brand].”

But their way of doing things has quickly proved successful: the couple has established themselves as New Zealand’s first makers of BioGro-certified organic spirits and liqueurs and, less than a year after launching their first products, have won Gold in the prestigious International Wine and Spirits Competition 2020.

The IWSC judges scored Hastings Distillers’ Albertine Gin a 95/100, commenting on its “…complex and perfumed nose that is layered with intense lemon, pine and fresh green fruit. Fruity, refined and fragrant, the palate offers complex depth of flavours, complemented by a clean balance of juniper and fresh fruit.”

Galloway is delighted with the assessment: “We wanted it to paint a sensory picture of our distinct landscape in New Zealand and we really were very happy that that’s what they appear to have got from it.”

Hastings Distillers’ East Block 200 Gin and L’Opera Liqueur were both awarded Bronze in the same competition.

It’s an impressive start for Galloway and Ramonteu, for whom distilling is another string to their bow, as both are winemakers as well. Galloway was chief winemaker with Alpha Domus for 13 28 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

years and the pair had the Alluviale and DaDa wine brands together. Ramonteu’s family also has a wine estate in the south of France.

For them, the use of organic and biodynamically grown herbs and other produce is central to what they do.

They source these ingredients from local Hawke’s Bay growers with organic certified and biodynamic gardens, distilling them alongside the wild-foraged Macedonian juniper that forms the basis of their gins.

Galloway also enjoys working with the plants in their ‘Gin Garden’ on a friend’s property, and with their group of growers.

“My focus is ensuring we have all the right herbs growing and liaising with the citrus growers. I take care of getting the herbs to the point where they can be distilled.” She says being in nature is her “happy place”.

“I have always loved aromas. From my childhood I thought I’d move into perfume but it gives me a headache…so that’s how I ended up in winemaking. When I walk

“We wanted Albertine to paint a sensory picture of our distinct landscape in New Zealand.” in the bush I’m constantly grabbing things and crushing leaves and smelling them, so it’s always been something that really fascinated me.

“I started gathering all these things and distilling them so we started an olfactory library of 300 different botanicals.”

Those 300 botanicals were the starting point for Albertine – a labour of love that was eventually refined to the 38 botanicals now in the final gin.

“It was a really long process,” says Galloway, “and being winemakers our

forté is blending, [so] we could notice the absence of things as we took them out.

We really appreciated most of the things that we started with; even if it wasn’t simple they all seemed to have their part to play. But it was logistically too difficult and even just getting 38 of the botanicals organically certified was a year-long task.

“We got it down to 38 we couldn’t live without and they each have their own contribution. If you sit on it and appreciate it like a good wine (often we’ll suggest having the Albertine neat) then those layers come through.”

Planned releases from Hastings Distillers include new gins (one is a Spring Blossom expression created for the annual Hastings Blossom Festival in October), a vermouth, and a barrel-aged Negroni.

The couple also have a tasting room in Hastings, where visitors can sample the range.

“We were able to put a little of our personality into the place. We wanted to create something beautiful for Hastings and people really seem to be very proud, which delights me,” says Galloway.

“People say ‘Oh, we love coming here with our guests from out of town’.

It’s great actually, we’ve got lots of lovely regulars.” hastingsdistillers.com

FEATURE – NZ DISTILLERS TO WATCH

Andi Ross

Island Gin ANDI ROSS first set foot on Great Barrier Island nearly 20 years ago, after she and her husband were transferred to New Zealand for work and looking for a weekend escape for themselves and their two daughters.

Originally from Melbourne, Ross knew nothing about the island in Auckland’s outer Hauraki Gulf but saw a bach advertised for sale and decided to check it out. “When we flew over Medlands Beach in that little plane I just said ‘Oh, this is pretty special’,” she recalls. The bach was around 40 years old with a pot belly stove and Ross fell in love with it.

“It just seemed right for us, I don’t know why,” she says. “We didn’t know anyone on the island...We just jumped in and it’s come to be an amazing place for us and our family. It’s such a wonderful community.”

Now, she has created something that recognises the community that embraced her and her family all those years ago.

Island Gin started as a kernel of an idea in 2015, after Ross and her family had moved back to Melbourne but were still visiting Great Barrier as often as they could.

“I’d started to develop a plan around having a distillery here; there are a lot of distilleries around the world that are remote. Knowing the community and the farms and the sustainability on the island I just thought that would be the perfect place for me to do it.”

The inspiration for her first gin came from Great Barrier honey. “There has to be a reason why you do a particular gin.

For me, it had to come from a sustainable product on the island because part of it is to have some sort of commerce on the island and give back to the community.

Honey is an amazing New Zealand product and I use two different types of honey from different apiarists here.”

The honey is a manuka bush blend, as she says it gives the gin a distinct profile, which a purely manuka-focused honey wouldn’t achieve. “It’s quite unique to these beekeepers that I use here.”

Once she decided to open the distillery it took nearly three years to get Island Gin off the ground, as Ross travelled between Auckland and Melbourne, trialling recipes, testing scale and fulfilling all the regulations. “One of those years was a huge amount of due diligence with lawyers and Customs and MPI and Auckland City Council – there’s just so much involved you just need time to work on it and plan it.”

“It had to come from a sustainable product on the island because part of it is to have some sort of commerce and give back to the community.”

A big part of that plan was a focus on sustainability: ingredients are organic and sourced locally where possible, the bottling line is solar powered, packaging is compostable and Island Gin’s awardwinning bottles are made from a large proportion of recycled glass.

Her first release, Original Island Gin, was made and bottled at the distillery and released around October 2019. In August this year it won Silver at the NZ Spirits Awards and her bottle received the Innovation Award. The Island Gin Navy Strength was also awarded Bronze.

“Great Barrier Island’s ‘Island Gin’ deservedly received this year’s New

Zealand Innovation Award for its copper pot distilled gin presented in a unique kīna-inspired bottle made of reclaimed glass,” says Sue James, Chair of Distilled Spirits Aotearoa. “This beautiful bottle, packaged on a solar-powered packaging line, is instantly recognisable and invokes wonderful images of New Zealand island life, beaches and summer.”

For Ross, using a bottle manufactured in New Zealand from recycled glass was an important part of her sustainability ethos. She and a friend designed the unique kīna-inspired vessel, which is made

by Visy Glass (formerly O-I Glass) using their recycled glass programme.

“I couldn’t speak more highly of the guys who helped me develop that bottle,” she says. “They did the moulds and ran the tests. Getting that award, I hope solidified in their mind that this can be done in New Zealand... they just do such great work.”

While she says many people re-purpose their Island Gin bottles as vases, candle holders or water carafes, she has hopes of creating a bottle collection point in Auckland.

With summer approaching, Ross has just released a Black Label Limited Edition Tangelo Blossom Gin (using blossoms gathered from trees on Great Barrier), and has plans for a chocolate gin made in collaboration with Miann Chocolate Factory using cacao husks, and a range of seasonal gins using Great Barrier produce scheduled for 2021. islandgin.com DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 29

FEATURE – NZ DISTILLERS TO WATCH

“We want to be New Zealand’s first full-range craft distillery. We’re working on whisky, bourbon, rum...and looking at mezcal and brandies.”

The National Distillery Company

“SERENDIPITY” IS a word that comes up a lot in conversation with Blair Nicholl, co-founder of The National Distillery Company (NDC) in Hawke’s Bay. It was serendipity that saw Nicholl and best friend Ricardo Reis commissioned to develop a gin based on luxury beauty products for a beauty and cosmetics conference (now their Adorn Beauty Gin) that proved a hit; it was serendipity that Cardrona Distillery’s Head Distiller tried the gin and encouraged them to take it further; and it was serendipity that winemaker Tony Bish happened to mention that he knew of a space in Hawke’s Bay that would be perfect for a distillery.

“Serendipity is how we describe this whole journey,” says Nicholl, as we chat just days after NDC’s Hemp Gin was named Best New Zealand Gin and Best Overall Gin in the NZ Spirits Awards 2020, beating 90 other local and international gins to the title.

The NDC team is Nicholl and Reis (who are both bartenders by trade and own restaurants in Wellington) along with head distiller and former chef Cristian Hossack. NDC launched its first products in mid-2019 and a year later it has a host of awards under its belt, has just confirmed national distribution with The Premium Liquor Co. and is planning to start exporting to the US next year.

Their Hemp Gin came about through a business contact in the medicinal cannabis industry who gave them some hemp hearts [the inner seed of the hemp plant] to experiment with. “It’s delicious, 30 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

almost like a peanut: oily and creamy,” says Nicholl. “We toasted them in a fry pan and put them in a gin we’d created around them which is high in lemon.

We did a test run and it came out as a toasted, smoky but still very fresh London Dry style.”

The ultra-premium gin is still very much hand-crafted with the hemp hearts all hand-toasted and the Hawke’s Bay lemons picked, peeled and dehydrated by hand. Nicholl says the gin was already popular following its launch in late 2019, but demand has skyrocketed since the NZ Spirits Award win.

NDC is now finishing an upgrade to its distillery, which is in the historic Art Nouveau building in Ahuriri that housed the National Tobacco Company. Two 1300L and 2500L stills will allow them to produce all their own base product using grain, corn, wheat and barley. A tasting room is also planned to open in 2021.

“We want to be New Zealand’s first full-range craft distillery,” says Nicholl.

“We’re working on whisky, bourbon and rum at the moment and looking at a mezcal and brandies.”

NDC will also offer contract distilling as part of their goal to help grow the local spirits industry. “One of the things we found the hardest was finding a distillery that would help us create a product and help us distil it and teach us about bottling and all of that jazz.”

He says investing in a “big kit” is part of the long-term plan. “We want other distilleries and start-ups to be able to come to us [for] everything from brand conception to recipe development to distilling and bottling and labelling at our facility.”

A major new release for NDC is Virtue – a mid-strength botanical spirit at 20% ABV. Nicholl and Reis took an early version of it to a wine and spirit expo in New York earlier this year and got great feedback. “It’s a massive growing market internationally and we want to test the waters in New Zealand, but more so we

just want to give people another option rather than the 0% or the big 40-45% [spirits]. It’s half the calories of a normal gin, and we’re promoting drinking it with soda water.”

While in New York, serendipity struck again and they managed to secure a late entry for their NDC Verdigris Dry Gin to the internationally renowned Ultimate Beverage Challenge. Verdigris scored 95/100 and was listed in the competition’s ‘Top 100 Spirits of 2020’ – one of only seven gins on the list (and alongside established fellow Kiwi distillers Scapegrace).

Nicholl says NDC has a lot of new product planned for the next six months: the new Virtue mid-strength spirit, a manuka honey hemp gin, an Old Tom, and a gin focused on native botanicals foraged

by Mike King of Finders Eaters foraging.

There’s also a limited edition range called The Proof, which is all about creative experiments. The first is a damson plum gin, while the second will be a truffle gin, called ‘Toby’s Nose’, named for the dog who found the rare delicacies for them while they were truffle hunting in Canterbury. It’s a story that sums up the NDC approach of combining quality with fun along the way.

“It was on my bucket list to go truffle hunting,” says Nicholl. “We’d been working on a recipe and we took all the botanicals down. We had a two-litre still and we set it up outside and gas fired it, and ran our water reticulation from a pond 300 metres away across the ground in a pipe. It was so Kiwi.” nationaldistillery.nz

W

NE INTRODUCING THE NEW RANGE OF FEVER-TREE SODAS ~ AVAILABLE IN THREE MOUTH WATERING FLAVOURS.

FEVER-TREE ITALIAN BLOOD ORANGE SODA

FEVER-TREE LIME & YUZU SODA

FEVER-TREE PINK GRAPEFRUIT SODA

LEGAL NOTES

Pervinder Kaur

Associate at Harkness Henry specialising in alcohol licensing and resource management law pervinder.kaur@harkness.co.nz harknesshenry.co.nz

Mixing the perfect employment cocktail Alcohol Licensing lawyer Pervinder Kaur of Harkness Henry explains the importance of alcohol retailers meeting their legal obligations as employers.

IT IS more important than ever for employers to be aware of and to meet the minimum standards of the Employment Relations Act 2000 (Act) after recent legislative changes have increased the penalties payable by employers for breaches of those standards.

Pecuniary penalties are now set at up to $50,000 per breach by an individual employer and up to $100,000 per breach by a body corporate employer. There are also additional sanctions such as “banning orders” which can prohibit people in breach from becoming employers.

Since 2012, there have been more than 60 investigations into liquor retail businesses by the Labour Inspector. (see. Simon Lord “Liquor Franchisee’s Employment Breaches Raise Questions” (17 June 2019) Franchise New Zealand) Recent example:

The material investigation which gave rise to this proceeding was conducted by the Inspector in 2017 following receipt of a complaint from one of Shalini’s employees.

In 2016, Shalini was issued an Improvement Notice which it had failed to comply with.

In fixing the penalty against Shalini the Employment Relations Authority confirmed that the nature and extent of the breach, whether the breach was intentional, inadvertent, or negligent, the nature and extent of any loss or gain; and deterrence were all relevant factors in assessing the penalties to be paid.

Overall, these cases confirm that all employers must comply with the minimum employment standards and that those standards are “non-negotiable”.

Employers that fail to meet the minimum standards can face significant penalties, which are payable in addition to any compensation payable to their employees.

Labour Inspector v Shalini Ltd [2019] NZERA 334 Shalini Limited operated three bottle stores and a dairy in Auckland. The Labour Inspector found that Shalini had acted in breach of the Minimum Wages Act 1983 and the Holidays Act 2003 and successfully applied to the Employment Relations Authority for penalties.

Shalini was ordered to pay $100,000 in penalties for breaching the relevant minimum standards and $96,542.34 to seven migrant workers in minimum wage and holiday pay arrears. Although, this decision has now been appealed.

What are the Act’s minimum standards?

The Employment Relations Act 2000 sets out a range of minimum rights that all employers must provide to all of their employees. All employees must receive: 1. a written employment contract; 2. at least the minimum wage; 3. four weeks of paid annual holiday per year; 4. eleven public holidays per year; 5. payment of time and a half for working on public holidays; 6. five days of paid sick leave per year after first 6 months;

32 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

7. three days of paid bereavement leave for certain family members; 8. ten days of paid domestic violence leave per year, if they have 6 months of continuous employment or meet the ‘hours worked test’; 9. parental leave; 10. payment of wages; and 11. rest and meal breaks that meet legal requirements (from 6 May 2019, employees have the right to set rest and meal breaks subject to some restrictions, for example an eighthour work day must have at least two 10-minute paid rest breaks and one 30-minute unpaid meal break.)

Furthermore, employers must keep accurate employment records and must get their employees’ written consent before they can take money from their employees’ wages.

Employers are legally required to provide these minimum rights to their employees even if: 1. the rights are not included in the employee’s employment agreement; or 2. the employment agreement tries to trade some rights off against each other; or 3. the employment agreement tries to make the employee get less than these minimums; or 4. there is no employment agreement (although employers are required to give one to their employees).

Aromatic wines come into their own at this time of year.

Joelle Thomson highlights some great examples‌

WINE REPORT – AROMATICS

Under RRP $20 2020 Giesen Riesling RRP $14.99 Giesen

This is the biggest-selling Riesling in New Zealand and is medium sweet with 9.5% ABV and a great balance of acidity, which comes from cool South Island nights.

The 2020 vintage was a great one for quality thanks to long, warm, dry autumn weather and despite challenges thrown up by the global pandemic. This wine has a medium body, intense flavours of peach and ripe mandarin with a long, flavoursome finish and juicy texture.

18.5/20 2020 Pā Road Marlborough Pinot Gris RRP $17.99 Beverage Brothers

Vigneron Haysley MacDonald describes the Pā Road wines as an expression of her family’s journey along Pā Road in Marlborough, which is the family’s turangawaewae; the place with which they connect most deeply. For them, this wine also expresses a sense of place with its fresh, fruity flavours, light spice and soft texture. It drinks well now and offers appealing value for money. 16.5/20

2020 Leefield Station Marlborough Pinot Gris RRP $18.99 Marisco

Hot days and cool nights in the Waihopai Valley are the reason for this wine’s intense aromatic flavours and rich, full body. It’s a dry Pinot Gris with just 2.3 grams of residual sugar, which adds a little weight to the wine and provides great balance with the crisp acidity and smooth finish. 17.5/20 2020 OTU Marlborough Pinot Gris RRP $19.95 Otu Wine

Winemaker Jan Kux makes this fresh, crisp Pinot Gris with 7.1 grams per litre of residual sugar, which provides brightness and great balance. It’s a smooth white wine with light aromatic flavours of spice and white pear, a medium body and finish. Good drinking now or soon.

17.5/20

2019 te Pā Marlborough Riesling RRP $19.99 Beverage Brothers

This seductively tasty wine reminds me of a German ‘Kabinett’ Riesling, with its medium dry style, freshness and acidity driving the palate with sensational lime and green apple flavours and zesty character. Very good value for money and super tasty. 17.5/20 2020 te Pā Marlborough Pinot Gris RRP $19.99 Beverage Brothers

This tasty little number gets its body and weight from a small portion of barrel fermentation, which adds savoury notes and a smooth, lightly creamy texture, while allowing the wine to retain its fresh aromatic flavours. This additional complexity is a thoughtful winemaking addition to the hugely popular Pinot Gris and adds length of flavour. 17.5/20

Giesen Riesling is New Zealand’s biggest-selling Riesling and is medium sweet with a great balance of acidity.

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 35

WINE REPORT – AROMATICS

2020 The Ned Pinot Gris RRP $19.99 Marisco

2013 Crater Rim Riesling RRP $21.99 The Crater Rim

The Ned is a 900m mountain peak in Marlborough’s Waihopai Valley and formed the backdrop of winemaker Brent Marris’ upbringing, as he biked and hiked in the region. This Pinot Gris is soft, smooth, medium-bodied and flavoursome thanks to a great balance of freshness and a smidgeon of residual sugar. Lively and lovely. 17.5/20

Haydon Good’s experience in making Riesling for Clemens Busch in the Mosel, Germany, has been invaluable. One of his key learnings was to make picking decisions for Riesling based on acidity then to balance the wine with residual sugar, depending on the season. This must be why he makes such stellar wines for Crater Rim. This is one of my favourite off-dry whites under $25 on the market today. It is seven years old and tastes as fresh as a daisy. Stunning value for money.

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RRP $20 to $30 2020 Ara Single Estate Marlborough Pinot Gris RRP $21.99 Giesen

Ara Single Estate Vineyard is a large, sunny wedge of vines in Marlborough, where the hot days are tempered by cool nights that elongate the ripening season and development of flavours in aromatic white grapes. This Pinot Gris is a great example of freshness and intensity of fruit flavours. 17.5/20

2016 Main Divide Riesling RRP $21.99 EuroVintage

Main Divide is the little sister to the impressive Pegasus Bay brand and in both cases Riesling is the superhero with its high concentration of super delicious flavours. Think limes, lemons, mandarins, ripe peach and you’re on the money. As value goes, this wine is hard to beat. 17.5/20

John Forrest is a fan of both Riesling and of lower alcohol wines, which work incredibly well together.

36 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

2018 Whitehaven Marlborough Riesling RRP $21.99 Whitehaven Wines

Whitehaven Riesling is made from grapes grown in Paul’s Road, Marlborough, on free-draining stony river terraces on the banks of the Wairau River, surrounding the winery. All grapes were hand-picked and whole bunch pressed, without crushing. There is approximately 5% botrytis in this wine, which adds complex citrus flavours and lifted aromas of white flowers and fresh apples to this refreshing, crisp and beautifully balanced Riesling with its long, tasty finish. If you’re looking for a great spring white, this is it. 17.5/20 2019 Forrest Doctors’ Riesling RRP $21.99 Quench Collective

John Forrest is a fan of both Riesling and of lower alcohol wines, which work incredibly well together, as Riesling lends itself to making lower alcohol styles. Its naturally high acidity can be balanced cleverly by retaining a little grape sugar.

In this tasty little number, the alcohol cruises in at a modest 9% ABV, which is done naturally by harvesting ripe, flavoursome grapes and stopping their fermentation just shy of full dryness.

This creates one of New Zealand’s most popular and most deliciously affordable and flavoursome Rieslings. 18.5/20

WINE REPORT – AROMATICS

2015 Nga Waka Riesling RRP $22.99 Hancocks

2017 Astrolabe Wrekin Chenin Blanc RRP $23.99 Astrolabe Wines

Roger Parkinson has been making one of New Zealand’s greatest dry Rieslings since 1993 and was inspired by the great aged Clare Valley Rieslings that he first tasted in Adelaide when studying winemaking in South Australia. Hand-picked grapes and cool temperature fermentation in stainless steel preserve the fruity flavours in this wine, making it one of the country’s purest, freshest dry whites. 18.5/20

Chenin Blanc flourishes in our climate, says winemaker Simon Waghorn of Astrolabe Wines, who has made wines from this great white grape for many decades. He adores its high acidity, treating the wine to partial barrel fermentation with wild yeast to create a white with great complexity and freshness from the stainless steel ferment portion as well as from the grape itself.

I’ve always loved this wine and the fact it is so affordable for such a rockstar grape and style. Drinks beautifully now and can age. 17.5/20

2016 Q Waitaki Valley Pinot Gris RRP $23.99 Q Wines

Waitaki Valley is this country’s smallest wine region, sitting in the cool climate corridor between Omarama and just north of Oamaru. This is North Otago and its hot summer days and cold harsh winters make it an ideal climate for preserving fresh aromatic flavours. This full-bodied, medium dry wine highlights Pinot Gris at its flavoursome best. 18.5/20

2018 Forrest Estate Marlborough Chenin Blanc RRP $24.99 Quench Collective

John Forrest is not only a winemaker and early pioneer of Marlborough’s wine industry, but also a lover of the great classic wines of the world, such as intensely tasty Chenin Blanc. He is one of the few people in New Zealand to persevere with this outstanding variety and the longevity it brings to the wine cellar – and the joy it brings to the wine drinker, even when enjoyed early in its life.

If you haven’t yet tried and loved a Chenin Blanc, this is the one. 17.5/20

2018 Giesen Mosel Reiler Goldlay Riesling RRP $24.99 Giesen

Mosel winemaker Tobias Treis made this wine for the Giesen family from their section of the Goldlay Vineyard in the village Reil, on Germany’s Mosel River. This wine is 12% ABV, has high acidity and a great balance. It is medium sweet with powerful flavours of white peach, green apples, lemon zest and finishes on a crisp, lingering note. The wine was inspired by memories of the Giesen brothers’ grandfather, August Giesen, who bought barrels of Riesling from the Mosel. This prompted them to buy part of the Goldlay Vineyard – a steep west-facing site with an incline of 50 to 70%, considered average in terms of steepness in the Mosel. 18.5/20 2018 Pewsey Vale Riesling RRP $24.99 Negociants

If ever the words: ‘needs time to mature’ applied, it’s for dry Australian Riesling, such as this famously delicious Pewsey Vale example. It’s named for the Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire, England, the home of Englishman Joseph Gilbert, who arrived in Australia in 1838 and established the vineyard. The Pewsey Vale Vineyard is in Barossa’s Eden Valley, where altitudes of 500 metres above sea level provide cool night time temperatures to slow the ripening of Riesling and allow wines like this to retain their refreshing acidity which provides length, depth and longevity.

18.5/20

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 37

WINE REPORT – AROMATICS

2018 Tiki Single Vineyard Waipara Riesling RRP $24.99 Federal Merchants

The Waipara Valley in North Canterbury is the heart of New Zealand’s best Riesling region and wines like this one show why. From the first sip, it’s rich and concentrated with ripe mandarin and peach flavours in a medium sweet style with 27 grams of residual sugar, beautifully balanced by bright, zingy acidity. The fermentation was arrested by chilling the wine to below zero, which left a well-balanced amount of sugar in the wine. Minimal fining retains maximum fruit expression. 18.5/20

The Grüner Veltliner grape comes from Austria and is a quirky and reasonably new arrival in New Zealand’s vineyards.

38 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

2019 The Boneline Dry Riesling RRP $24.99 The Boneline

The Boneline is the reincarnation of Waipara West Wines, which was founded in 1989 and mostly an export brand until it had a makeover in 2013. The wines are now more widely available in New Zealand and this is the drier of the winery’s two Rieslings with 6.8 grams of residual sugar per litre to balance the crisp acidity. It’s made from grapes grown on the free-draining Glasnevin Gravels in Waipara. The grapes are hand-picked and whole bunch pressed to stainless steel where they are fermented with a neutral yeast and remain on lees for extra body until bottled in late summer. 18.5/20 2020 Jules Taylor Marlborough Grüner Veltliner RRP $24.99 Hancocks

The Grüner Veltliner grape comes from Austria and is a quirky and reasonably new arrival in New Zealand’s vineyards, doing well in the hands of Jules Taylor in Marlborough. All the grapes for this wine were hand-picked from a single vineyard in the Wairau sub-region of Marlborough.

The fruit was whole bunch pressed and cold settled then fermented cool and slow in stainless steel to retain vibrant aromas of white flowers, spice and notes of tropical fruit. This wine is fresh, bone dry (1.5 grams per litre of residual sugar) and full-bodied. Vegan-friendly. 18.5/20

2020 Mount Michael ‘The Mountaineer’ Central Otago Pinot Gris RRP $24.99 Beverage Brothers

Next level Gris, here we come. This tasty little number is named after the early mountaineering pioneers of Central Otago and is made with grapes grown in Tarras.

It was given cool fermentation in older oak barrels to provide texture and weight to the fresh acidity of Pinot Gris from the deep south. 17.5/20 2019 Astrolabe Marlborough Pinot Gris RRP $25 Astrolabe Wines

Simon Waghorn is a dab hand at making aromatic dry whites, such as this Pinot Gris made from grapes grown on the vineyards of the van Asch, Hammond, Lissaman and Wilson families. It’s a blend of grapes from three sub-regions in Marlborough: the Awatere Valley (73%), Waihopai Valley (17%) and Kekerengu (10%). Extensive fruit thinning enhances concentration in this super tasty dry white, which contains 3.2 grams of residual sugar and was cool fermented to retain its fresh, fruity aromatic flavours and long finish. 17.5/20

WINE REPORT – AROMATICS

2019 Urlar Late Harvest Riesling Gladstone RRP $25 Negociants

This certified organic wine won a gold medal at this year’s New Zealand Easter Show Wine Awards and it’s easy to taste why. Winemaker Jannine Rickards fermented it cool to preserve its concentrated sweet, dried fruit aromas, which come more from shrivelled grapes than botrytis thanks to a relatively dry season in the central Wairarapa in 2019, which is home to the Urlar Vineyard.

Rickards retained 104 grams of residual sugar per litre in the wine. This is intensely sweet but beautifully balanced by Riesling’s fresh acidity. 18.5/20 2018 Whitehaven Noble Riesling RRP $25.99 Whitehaven Wines

The word ‘Noble’ is code for botrytis, which is a fungal ‘disease’ that affects grapes when they are ripe and shrivels them, reducing their moisture content so that their flavours become rich, concentrated and luscious. Riesling is one of the best grapes to use for botrytised sweet wines because its naturally high acidity creates a great balance of flavour with the sweetness, along with plenty of lime, lemon and honey flavours. 18.5/20

The Milltons have made Chenin Blanc for nearly 40 years at their Te Arai Vineyard in Gisborne.

2020 Terrace Edge Liquid Geography Riesling RRP $26 Terrace Edge

Terrace Edge is a family-owned winery in North Canterbury that makes two Rieslings each year, each with varying degrees of residual sugar, and each a response to the growing conditions of the vintage. This wine contains 28 grams of residual sugar (medium sweet in style but tastes medium dry) and a smidgeon of botrytis at 1-2%. It tastes super fresh and is certified organic. It was a very dry, very clean year due to dry weather conditions. 18.5/20 2012 Greywacke Riesling RRP $29.99 Negociants

This refreshingly delicious aged Riesling is made from hand-picked grapes grown on the organically certified Ashmore Vineyard in Fairhall, Marlborough. A combination of spontaneous yeast and inoculated ferments (50/50) were taken to 12.5% ABV with residual sugar of 19.5 grams per litre, which makes a medium dry style with lemon zest and fresh green apple flavours. 19/20

RRP $30 to $40 2018 Millton Vineyards Te Arai Chenin Blanc RRP $33.99 Vintners

The Milltons have made Chenin Blanc for nearly 40 years at their Te Arai Vineyard in Gisborne and for most of that time, it has been certified organic. It’s super tasty with medium to high acidity (one of Chenin’s hallmarks) and aromas of white flowers, dry grass and honey. A great wine to serve with fresh goat’s cheese and also deliciously fresh on its own. 17.5/20 2017 Tiki Koro Waipara Noble Riesling 2017 RRP $34.99 Federal Merchants

This wine tastes like liquid honey and contains 157 grams of residual sugar per litre, which makes it lusciously sweet and definitely a dessert drop. It’s made from hand-harvested grapes and contains botrytis, concentrating the flavours of apricots, nectarines and honey. The wine was also fermented at a low temperature to retain its aromatic flavours. 17.5/20

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 39

WINE REPORT – AROMATICS

Bel Canto is one of New Zealand’s greatest Rieslings from the outstanding Pegasus Bay team in North Canterbury.

2017 Pegasus Bay North Canterbury Bel Canto RRP $37 EuroVintage

2014 Weingut Wittmann Kirchspiel Riesling GG RRP $78.99 Oh So Pretty Wines

2016 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Auslese RRP $83.99 Dhall & Nash

Bel Canto is one of New Zealand’s greatest Rieslings from the outstanding Pegasus Bay team in North Canterbury.

This wine from the 2017 vintage contains 5.2 grams per litre of residual sugar which is dry and also concentrated thanks to lengthy hang time on the vines. All grapes were hand-harvested at 25 brix with a portion of botrytis to accentuate the ‘citrus on speed’ aromas in this sensational Riesling. Drinks very nicely now and will reward time in cellar. 19/20

This iconic German wine comes from one of Germany’s great vineyards in its largest wine region, the Rheinhessen, which is home to 26,281 hectares, making it approximately the same size as Marlborough. The Wosthofen Kirchspiel Vineyard is 44.2 hectares and its grapes are used by several different producers, the most respected being Wittman, Groebe, Keller and Seehof-Ernst Fauth.

This is a dry wine and Weingut Wittman is a member of the VDP, the quality-minded German alliance of winemakers who have systematically transformed the style, quality and perception of their country’s best wines. This is 13% ABV and dry with up to 9 grams residual sugar per litre as the name ‘trocken’ (dry) on the label must comply with. 19/20

Schloss Lieser is a family-owned winery in the village of Lieser on Germany’s Mosel River. This is one of the winery’s top Rieslings, made from hand-harvested grapes grown on the Niederberg Vineyard, planted on southwest-facing slopes at elevations of 110 to 190 metres and steepness of up to 80%. The soils are blue Devonian slate and the average vine age is 80-100 years old, with some vines ungrafted. All of which is another way of saying that this is one of the great white wines of the world from expensive real estate on a Grand Cru vineyard in the Mosel. It’s also definitely a dessert wine with 95 grams per litre of residual sugar and a light touch of alcohol at just 7% ABV. Intense ripe fruit flavours, high acidity, a full body and a long finish all make it sensationally delicious. This is one of the best whites you’ll taste this year.

19/20

RRP $40 and above 2010 Pegasus Bay Aged Release Riesling RRP $40 EuroVintage

Pegasus Bay Riesling is a medium sweet wine with a full body and long, crisp finish, suggesting dryness thanks to its high but beautifully well balanced acidity.

It contains 28 grams per litre of residual sugar and a little natural carbon dioxide at the time of bottling to add a spritzy texture and accentuate its refreshing qualities. This is one of New Zealand’s great aromatic whites. 19/20

For distributor details see Distributor Index on page 112.

40 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

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NEW RELEASES

Top Picks New Zealand wine is coming of age with big reds and full-bodied whites, as this delicious bunch shows, writes Joelle Thomson.

2019 Sacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay RRP $69.99 Quench Collective

2019 Sacred Hill Wine Thief Chardonnay RRP $37.99 Quench Collective

2019 Villa Maria Keltern Chardonnay RRP $59.99 Villa Maria

This wine is an ode to everything that makes Chardonnay the wine world’s great white. Riflemans expresses old vines, hand-picked grapes and low cropping Mendoza clone Chardonnay, which has variable sized berries, the tiny ones providing great intensity of flavour. The grapes were whole bunch pressed, settled and transferred to tightly grained French oak barrels, 80% new, for fermentation.

The 2019 vintage is a very good one and, even though this wine is still youthful, its high quality adds another milestone to the successful journey of Chardonnay in Hawke’s Bay. A top wine for now or for the cellar. 19/20

Wine Thief Chardonnay was first made in 2004 and is named after the traditional tool that winemakers use to draw wine directly from barrels. Like its big sibling, Riflemans Chardonnay, it's always made with hand-picked grapes from the Riflemans Vineyard, which are handpicked, whole bunch pressed and matured in French oak.

The difference is that part of the wine was fermented in oak while the remainder was fermented in stainless steel. The flavours are of concentrated ripe nectarines and white peach with a citrusy fresh finish. This lovely wine drinks well now. 17.5/20

Villa Maria’s Keltern Vineyard is east of Maraekakaho in Hawke’s Bay and was planted with Chardonnay in 1999.

This inland site benefits from cool air off the mountain ranges inland to the west, which allows the grapes to retain refreshing acidity, adding depth and length. The wine is 100% wild yeast fermented, 100% in French oak barriques, 40% new with the balance being one- to two-year-old barrels. The first vintage of Keltern Chardonnay was 2002 and it has since developed a reputation as the icon Chardonnay in the vast Villa Maria range.

This wine is one of my favourite New Zealand dry whites. 19/20

2014 Villa Maria Ngakirikiri Gimblett Gravels RRP $130 Villa Maria

2018 Radburnd Syrah Hawke’s Bay RRP $84.99 Radburnd Cellars

2019 Tony Bish Zen Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay RRP $139.99 Tony Bish Wines

‘Ngakirikiri’ is Māori for gravel, referring to the fact this wine is made from grapes grown entirely on Hawke’s Bay’s Gimblett Gravels.

It is one of New Zealand’s rare 100% Cabernet Sauvignons made from 100% hand-picked grapes, 100% destemmed, crushed and given cap management of hand-plunging during fermentation. The wine was aged 18 months in French 225 litre barriques.

The 2014 vintage was a very good one, with 50% less rainfall than average from January to March, providing this second vintage of Ngakirikiri with all the ingredients of ripeness, richness and balance. These combine to bode well for an impressive wine now and one that clearly has a long life ahead. 18.5/20

It took 34 years for winemaker Kate Radburnd to create her dream wine brand, Radburnd Cellars, and this Syrah is one of her first two releases. The wines are made in the old Wishart building in Bay View, north of Napier. She leases this facility to make small quantities of high quality wines with a firm eye on top shelf wines from Hawke’s Bay. Radburnd was formerly at C J Pask Wines for 26 years where Chardonnay and Syrah were among the best wines she made.

This new 2018 Radburnd Syrah is a spicy, earthy, medium-bodied wine with great elegance and makes a lovely new addition to wines made from Hawke’s Bay’s most interesting red grape.

There is also a Chardonnay in the range and a Merlot blend soon to launch. 19/20

Tony Bish has forged a reputation as a top Chardonnay producer at his Urban Winery in Hawke’s Bay, where he makes Zen Chardonnay solely from Mendoza clone grapes, grown dry-farmed on the Skeetfield Vineyard. Their variable berry sizes provide higher acidity than many Chardonnay grapes and also greater freshness, while larger berries contribute rounded white peach flavours. Zen is made from grapes that are fermented and aged in a large oak egg-shaped vessel called an ovum, which provides greater contact with the fermenting juice, and Bish says, adds complexity to Zen. This is a great white: dry, fresh and restrained right now. It will express more with time and is a good wine to age. 18.5/20

For distributor details see Distributor Index on page 112.

42 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

OPINION – WINE

Joelle Thomson

Journalist, wine writer and author joellethomson.com

A moment with The Caley Amongst the doom and gloom, Yalumba offers a welcome moment of luxury with its prestige wine The Caley, as Joelle Thomson explains…

ONE OF the joys of living in a global pandemic in the 21st century is working from home. For a significant part of 2020, a significant proportion of people in the world have had to work from home and it’s finally being taken seriously.

As a wine writer, it’s meant finding new ways of connecting with winemakers.

I had never heard of Zoom before March 2020, but suddenly it has become one of the easiest ways of meeting – and one of the fastest. No travel time, no carparks.

Just click a button and you’re there.

Yalumba’s online tasting of its prestige wine The Caley was one such meeting that I sadly couldn’t ‘attend’, but thanks to the marvels of technology I was able to watch the event later while tasting The Caley trio of wines very kindly sent to me

by Yalumba’s Jessica Hill-Smith. (A very generous offer given they cost about AUD $365 per bottle.)

The Caley is made in honour of the late Fred Caley Smith: great uncle of Robert Hill-Smith, vigneron and owner of Yalumba Wines today, and grandson of Samuel Smith, the founder of Yalumba.

Samuel Smith planted bush vines in Angaston in South Australia’s Barossa

Valley in 1849, and released his first Yalumba wine four years later.

Like his grandfather Samuel, and great nephew Robert, Fred Caley Smith was a man on a mission. He was a horticulturist who had travelled extensively, detailing his horticultural findings, and he had a powerful impact on the development of Yalumba Wines and its viticulture.

He was also an honorary horticultural commissioner for the South Australian Government.

The Caley was first released in 2012 and has since been made from the 2013, 2014 and 2015 vintages. It is a classic, maverick Australian blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz from Coonawarra and the Barossa Valley, respectively. The percentage of new oak wine is high, as is the maturation time. Every vintage of The Caley that’s been made so far has had 21 months of maturation in barrel, with high proportions of new oak.

Winemaker Kevin Glastonbury says the aim is to have about 40% new oak, which may drop back to 35%

over time. The 2012 had 31% new oak, the 2013 had 41%, the 2014 had 40% and the 2015 had 46%.

Jessica Hill-Smith says she hasn’t been challenged about the winery making a top red wine as a Cabernet Shiraz blend, and cites these types of blends as typical of many great Bordeaux reds from the early 1900s, the most famous being from Chateau Palmer. In many ways, she says, The Caley is a nod to this history.

It’s something that she suggests the French would do if they could, but due to tight appellation controls today, they can’t.

“When we talk about The Caley, we can talk about the entire Australian wine industry,” says Hill-Smith, “because it weaves a story of how the Australian wine industry started.”

Note: The Caley is bottled in 750ml wine bottles and also in magnum, 3 litre and 6 litre bottles. Approximately 150 to 200 magnums were produced with lesser amounts of the larger formats.

Negociants

The Caley is a classic, maverick Australian blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz from Coonawarra and the Barossa Valley.

44 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

Whether you’re new to enjoying wine or a seasoned connoisseur. Whether you

TIMELESS.

wine sweet, dry, light or full

SMOOTH.

GENEROUS.

LIVELY.

PL AYFUL.

prefer white or red or like your bodied - there’s always been a Giesen wine for you.

Now with a refreshed look, the Giesen crest remains a tried and true mark of quality.

Wherever you see it, you’re sharing in 40 years of passion and craft.

So, the next time you choose wine, look for the mark of quality.

W E N H K S E OO R L F

WINE NEWS

Guy McMaster

First vintage at Palliser from Guy McMaster THE RELEASE of Palliser Estate’s 2019 vintage Pinot Noir and Chardonnay marks the first vintage to be released under the watch of viticulturist and winemaker Guy McMaster.

Palliser Estate says the wines reflect his team’s focus on viticulture, winemaking and organics

and five stars for each one from wine critic Michael Cooper show that this dedication is paying off.

“I’ve always been a firm believer that if we bring life to our soils utilising organic principles, the vines will find a natural balance, in keeping with the rhythm of the seasons

Rockburn releases Stolen Kiss #14 This year marks 14 years since winemaker Malcolm Francis-Rees “stole” some grapes that were destined for Rockburn’s flagship Pinot Noir and turned them into one of New Zealand’s first premium Rosé wines.

It has come to be regarded as an iconic wine of summer, with aromas of candy-floss and crème-brûlée aromas, leading into a palate of toffee-apple, strawberry and cherry.

Rockburn Stolen Kiss Rosé 2020 is RRP $30.

Hancocks 46 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

they grow in,” says McMaster.

Palliser now has 22% of its vineyards under organic conversion with the aim of 100% by 2025.

Palliser Estate 2019 Estate Pinot Noir and 2019 Estate Chardonnay are available now.

Negociants

Middle-Earth Rosés out now Two new Rosés from Nelson winery MiddleEarth are now available, both made from 100% Pinot Meunier. The Brightwater Gravels Rosé 2020 is lush, juicy and full of watermelon character, with a soft fruity texture. The Middle-Earth Pinot Meunier Rosé is medium-bodied with aromas of pomegranate and citrus, lush fruit flavours and a hint of minerality on the finish.

Middle-Earth

Piper Heidsieck x Prohibition arrives in NZ Iconic Champagne House Piper Heidsieck is marking 100 years since Prohibition with the release of a new limited edition bottle now available through New Zealand distributor Hancocks.

Champagne Piper Heidsieck was the only Champagne House to be bootlegged to the US during Prohibition, making it the champagne poured during the Roaring 20s at underground speakeasies.

The launch includes an international limited edition bottle, gift box, and merchandising set of three wooden boxes as a nod to the bootlegging trade.

The 1920s-style label displays the logo of the time, while the gift box features black and white Prohibitionperiod imagery and a QR code linking to a special film.

Hancocks

WINE NEWS

New look for Moana Park Estate A YEAR after changing ownership, Hawke’s Bay winery Moana Park Estate has unveiled a new look for its wines and a new focus on its ‘Lo Fi’ approach.

The new-look bottles feature nautical creatures and tales of the sea in a reference to the fact Moana Park Estate’s 3-hectare Puketapu block was once nutrient-dense seabed, before the Napier Earthquake raised it from the ocean in 1931.

Head winemaker Dan Barker pioneered winemaking techniques more than 15 years ago that allowed him to create completely additive-free wines at Moana Park Estate.

“I learnt early on in my winemaking career that I suffer from allergies to preservative sulphites, which are added to a vast majority of wines

in New Zealand,” says Barker. “As a winemaker who couldn’t enjoy the fruits of my labour, I set about fixing the problem. I wanted to take the winemaking process back to basics, with a hands-off approach that requires no preservatives. At Moana Park we call it Lo-Fi winemaking.”

Moana Park creates wines with lower human interference, reducing any risk of oxidisation and eliminating the need for preservatives such as sulphites.

New owners Grant Humphrey and Ross Burney of Taiga Group Limited took over ownership last August.

Moana Park Estate

Ultimate Queenstown Heli Wine Tour with The Rees’ Wine Director Experience the very best of what Central Otago has to offer with this exclusive food and wine experience.

All from your private helicopter with a personal Rees’ wine guide, experience 180-degree panoramic views as you fly over the renowned Gibbston Valley and Kawarau Gorge.

Enjoy a private winery tour and tasting at two premium local wineries, complete with a stop for lunch at one of our favourite restaurants, completing your culinary experience.

Climb back on board your private helicopter before returning via your luxury transfer to The Bordeau Wine Lounge for a glass of Champagne with views of the Remarkables mountain range, reminiscing over this bucket-list adventure.

Package Inclusions • 3 Nights’ Accommodation in an Executive Lake View One Bedroom Apartment • Daily Breakfast in True South Dining Room • Complimentary Late Check out until 12 noon • Complimentary Fruit Bowl on arrival • Complimentary Car Parking and WIFI • Inclusive of all Car and Heli transfers • Inclusive of Gourmet Lunch • Inclusive of all selected wines/beverages Terms & Conditions Package designed for a minimum of 2 people and includes a private Wine Guide From NZD$953.50 per person, per night

reservations@therees.co.nz

+64 3 450 1100

www.therees.co.nz

WINE NEWS

Church Road TOM marks 25 years HAWKE’S BAY winery Church Road celebrated 25 years of its iconic TOM wines in September with the release of the latest vintages of two TOM wines: the 2016 TOM Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2019 TOM Chardonnay.

First released in 1995, Church Road TOM is the winery’s pinnacle wine range and produced only in outstanding vintages. The range is named after the late Tom McDonald (1907– 1987), a winemaker at Church Road Winery for over 50 years and regarded as a pioneer of New Zealand’s fine winemaking.

With consistently sold-out vintages, the Church Road TOM range is made to represent the pinnacle of Hawke’s Bay wine. “Simply put: These are our best wines. No effort is spared,” says Chris Scott, Chief Winemaker at Church Road.

New non-alc wines for summer Two new sparkling alcohol-free wines are now available in time for the summer season through distributor Q Liquid.

Light Live Mango uses natural flavouring and fruit juice concentrate to create a sparkling wine with the aromatic sweetness of mango, while Light Live Sparkling Alcohol-Free Merlot Rose has an elegant red fruit flavour. 750ml, RRP $10.99 Q Liquid

Pernod Ricard

2016 Church Road TOM Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon RRP $220 2019 Church Road TOM Chardonnay RRP $140

Loveblock innovates with green tea Award-winning Kiwi winery Loveblock has released a Sauvignon Blanc that is thought to be the first in the world to use green tea as a natural preservative, instead of sulphur.

Erica Crawford, Loveblock founder, was inspired by wine innovation in her home country of South Africa, where research has seen some wineries successfully replacing sulphur with rooibos (a South African red bush shrub), powdered tea and honeybush tea leaves.

Green tea, which is a registered wine additive, is added at each stage of the winemaking process that sees the wine exposed to oxygen, including harvest, crush, float, racking after ferment, filtration and bottling.

Loveblock’s unique approach results in a sulphite-free wine made using grapes grown on Loveblock’s certified organic Awatere Valley vineyard. Loveblock TEE Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is also vegan-friendly and certified organic by BioGro. The name ‘TEE’ translates to ‘tea’ in

Afrikaans, in a nod to both Crawford’s heritage and the ingredients in the wine.

“TEE is the first in what could become a very exciting category for Loveblock and New Zealand wine, which we’re looking forward to exploring later this year and early next year,” says Crawford. “We will be testing other natural antioxidant preservatives that we hope to introduce to our wine range in time.”

Erica Crawford founded Loveblock, alongside husband and winemaker Kim Crawford, as a result of her passion for organics and their vineyards are tended through organic farming principles.

“Sustainability is at the heart of Loveblock’s wine and farming practice, and in our view, organic and sustainable winegrowing is the way of the future.

Natural antioxidants to replace sulphur are very much in line with our overall ethos.”

Loveblock TEE Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2019, RRP $26.99 Hancocks

Correction: In the August-September 2020 issue of Drinksbiz we incorrectly listed EuroVintage as the distributor for Lawson’s Dry Hills’ new wine brand Inviniti. The wines are in fact available directly through Lawson’s Dry Hills. We apologise for the error.

48 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

WINE NEWS

Jules Taylor celebrates 20th vintage WINEMAKER JULES Taylor is celebrating the twentieth vintage for her eponymous Marlborough label in 2020 – taking it from just a few hundred cases to a very popular brand.

The business started in 2001, after Taylor’s mentors suggested she broaden her horizons and start her own label. The first vintage was 400 cases and comprised just two varieties: Riesling and Pinot Gris.

Sauvignon Blanc (for which Taylor has built a stellar reputation) joined the line-up in 2004 and the range has expanded to include other varieties. Taylor says she is particularly excited about the potential for Grüner Veltliner, which she feels is really well suited to Marlborough and produces exciting textural wines.

Another labour of love is her single vineyard wines ‘OTQ’ (On The Quiet).

Recent times have seen a shift towards greater transparency on wine labels: the 2020 vintage Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc features a Vegan-Friendly logo on its back label for the first time. There are also moves towards sustainability and organics

in the vineyard with Taylor joining Organic Winegrowers NZ in 2019 and starting to transition her own vineyard block to organic practices.

Hancocks

SHOWCASE

Call to Kiwis for Vintage 2021 The New Zealand wine industry is moving quickly to prepare for Vintage 2021 as it faces a potential shortfall of international workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

With harvests throughout the country usually staffed largely by overseas workers, ongoing uncertainty around border restrictions and immigration law changes means the upcoming vintage runs the risk of being understaffed.

Industry bodies are putting pressure on the Government to allow those workers still in New Zealand from last harvest (2020) to extend their visas, so they can work again in 2021.

Data shows that wineries are moving quickly to secure staff, with winejobsonline.com reporting a 40% increase in harvest listings as businesses gear up for vintage earlier than usual.

And it seems New Zealanders are responding to the call, says Rachel Brown, Marketing Manager for winejobsonline.com. “Traffic to the site is significantly up on last year and we are really happy with how the applications are holding up. A high percentage of those are New Zealand-based; it gives us faith that Kiwis are looking at the wine industry as a career option.”

The call for local workers is backed

by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), which is running a marketing campaign called ‘Opportunity Grows Here’ to entice people into primary sector careers. The campaign has wide support from industry bodies and those who visit the site are directed to winejobsonline.com, as the New Zealand wine industry’s recruitment page.

Nicola Crennan of NZ Winegrowers (NZW) says the industry is having to re-think parts of its workforce, and in addition to its support of the MPI campaign NZW is planning targeted regional campaigns and working to attract more Kiwis to the industry.

“NZW has established a Wine Industry Careers platform (nzwine.com/ en/about-us/careers) with information on education, training, job sites and profiles of some of the talented people in our industry. Training is available now, as a number of wine industry training courses such as the Certificate in Cellar Operations are fees-free for New Zealanders wanting to try a new career.”

Around two thirds of the Vintage 2020 workers in New Zealand’s largest wine region came from overseas, according to Vance Kerslake of Wine Marlborough. He says they have held workshops to identify opportunities

to attract, recruit and train staff for Vintage 2021 and that wineries have identified a number of priorities for industry bodies, training providers, and a number of projects wineries want to collaborate on.

Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) and Eastern Institute

of Technology (EIT) in Hawke’s Bay have also responded to the need by reorganising schedules and programmes to allow students to work vintage.

“If the industry can successfully complete a vintage under Alert Level 4 like in 2020, then it’s definitely up for the challenge of Vintage 2021,” says Kerslake.

Find out more at winejobsonline.com

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 49

N T H O

Refresh your fridges with the latest in beer and cider – and meet some new faces in the hard seltzer category…

S

HINE

ING R B

SUN E

BEER & CIDER REPORT

Note: Beers and ciders are listed by % ABV Gösser Radler 2% ABV, 500ml RRP $2.50 Go Green

Emporium Nevilles Cross Best Bitter 3.8% ABV – keg only Emporium Brewing

8-Wired Mandarin Hippy 4.5% ABV, 440ml RRP $7 Quench Collective

Looking for a refreshing, sessionable summer drink to add to the list? Gösser’s Radler could be just the ticket. At just 2% ABV, this is a thirst-quenching, quaffable drop bursting with lemon flavour. The beer character is subtle, so could be a good option for non-beer drinkers

A homage to the session beers of England. A soft malt base with a touch of sweetness is the bed for the New Zealand Motueka hop to layer a hint of marmalade on top. This finishes light on the palate leaving you wanting another sip.

8-Wired’s Cucumber Hippy was one of our favourite sour beers early on, and now they’ve added the Mandarin Hippy as a companion piece. The drop is based on a Berliner Weisse style: a cloudy sour beer from Northern Germany. The light bronze pour holds a burst of juicy, sour mandarin that is bracing and super-refreshing. Sour lovers will go crazy for this one.

Garage Project Noon Juice Hazy IPA 3.4% ABV, 330ml RRP $4.39 – also in keg Garage Project

Part of a trio of brews released especially for this year’s Burger Wellington event as part of the Visa Wellington on a Plate Festival. A super-sessionable light and tropical hazy. It’s smooth and golden with a hazy malt base and bursting with tropical citrus and passionfruit-heavy Strata, Mosaic and Simcoe hops.

Garage Project Pickle Beer 4.3% ABV, 330ml RRP $4.49 – also in keg Garage Project

A clean, refreshing sour beer created for Burger Wellington, inspired by the burger’s classic companion: the dill pickle.

This cucumber dill pickle sour is naturally kettle soured and infused with cucumber, dill and pickle spice.

8-Wired Mahu Lager 4.5% ABV, 440ml RRP $6 Quench Collective

While 8-Wired are known for pushing the boat out with their inventive beer creations, in this case the boat is a classic Optimist setting sail on a Kiwi beach holiday. Mahu is a classic gold lager that you could imagine being cracked open at the holiday park after a big day of fishing.

An ideal addition to the chilly bin as the weather warms up.

Mack Arctic IPA Lite 4.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $3.50 Q Liquid

Emporium’s Nevilles Cross Best Bitter is a homage to the session beers of England.

This Lite version of Mack Arctic IPA is a light, fresh and fruity Indian Pale Ale that is also low-carb and gluten-free (approved by the Norwegian Celiac Association).

Mack says it’s brewed in a way that reduces the amount of carbohydrates by 70% and has 30% less calories than traditional IPA.

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 51

BEER & CIDER REPORT

Sawmill Passionfruit Sour 4.5% ABV, 440ml RRP $9.99 Sawmill Brewing

Sawmill’s Passionfruit Sour pours orangeypink with a big hit of passionfruit on the nose. While it is indeed sour, the fact that it’s coming from passionfruit means that sourness is expected and fitting.

There is also a touch of gose saltiness and some floral notes from hibiscus.

Serve ice cold to enjoy its ultimate thirst-quenching capabilities.

Good George Brewing’s new Worthy Hazy Pilsner is balanced, thirstquenching and refreshing, and a great addition to the sessionable pilsners for this summer.

Monteith’s Wayfarer Pilsner 4.9% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $13.99, 12-pack RRP $24.99 – also in keg DB

An excellent addition to the Monteith’s range that bridges the gap between hoppy craft beers and mass market lagers.

There is a fruity and tropical aroma to this pilsner and a thick hop bitterness, but the whole experience is rounded out beautifully by a smooth malt backbone.

Recommended.

Good George Worthy Hazy Pilsner 5% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $19.99 Good George

Good George have applied the popular hazy, unfiltered style to a crisp, clean pilsner. Eschewing their usual 946ml squealer, the Worthy Hazy Pilsner arrives in an all-business silver 330ml can. The subtle citrus of the pilsner is rounded out nicely by the slight haze and the whole experience is balanced, thirst-quenching and refreshing.

A great addition to summer’s sessionable pilsners. Recommended.

52 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

Epic Joose Party Hazy IPA 5.3% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $25.99 Epic Brewing

Epic’s new Joose Party Hazy Pale Ale calls to mind an old-school Fruju, arriving in a vibrant orange, yellow and purple can.

Inside the can, the comparison isn’t far off either. The thick, hazy drop is bursting with juicy citrus fruit flavours – mainly oranges and mandarins – balanced by a pleasant bitterness. A bit of salt contrasts nicely. Ideal for this season’s barbecues.

Sprig & Fern Hopnotised IPL 5.4% ABV, 888ml RRP $11.99 Sprig & Fern

Kaiser 5% ABV, 500ml RRP $3 Go Green

Kaiser comes from the Austrian town of Wieselburg, which has a beer tradition dating back to 1650. It’s a pale golden lager style and has a floral flavour profile.

There is not much bitterness to speak of, but lovers of European-style lagers will love this classy new addition to the range.

Garage Project Hophaus Alt 5.2% ABV, 330ml RRP $4.69 – also in keg Garage Project

A traditional German ale with twist – Hophaus Alt was brewed for Burger Wellington 2020. A clean crisp amber/ red beer with subtle caramel and nutty malt notes and citrus fruit hops. It has a clean bread malt character to complement caramelised meat, and hop bitterness to cut through the richest burger.

A hopped-up India Pale Lager that showcases aromatic New Zealand-grown Motueka hops and Amarillo from the USA, to create a refreshing beer full of tropical and citrus fruit flavour.

Zipfer 5.4% ABV, 500ml RRP $3 Go Green

Zipfer is a bright, lightly hopped beer from western Austria. The beer pours clear and golden yellow with a slight grassy aroma. It is lightly bitter with a pleasing herby freshness.

BEER & CIDER REPORT

Sprig & Fern Hazy IPA 5.5% ABV, 888ml RRP $12.29 Sprig & Fern

Good George Passionfruit Hazy IPA 5.8% ABV, 946ml RRP $15.99 Good George

Sprig & Fern have joined the Hazy IPA bandwagon with a juicy citrus, stonefruit and passionfruit-driven rendition. The haze is slight but adds a rounded flavour profile. The body is smooth and there is a hint of bitterness.

Bursting with passionfruit flavour, Good George’s Passionfruit Hazy IPA delivers to the billing on the label. The haze is restrained but the passionfruit vibe emerges from the mist to create a very pleasing fruit hop ale. Has all the juicy, tropical promise of summer.

Good George Raglan Roast Coffee IPA 5.6% ABV, 946ml RRP $15.99 Good George

Coffee flavours are usually reserved for stouts and dark beers, but here Good George have applied it to a light and very drinkable IPA. A collaboration with the folk at the famed Raglan Roast Coffee, it’s a blend of Good George’s flagship IPA and Raglan’s cold brew Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee. The resulting brew has subtle notes of citrus fruit and lightly roasted coffee paired perfectly with the malt backbone of the IPA. Is there such a thing as a breakfast beer? Because if not, Good George may have just invented it.

8-Wired Hop Salad Hazy IPA 6.0% ABV, 440ml RRP $8.99 Quench Collective

The Warkworth brewers have taken on the Hazy IPA style by throwing every hop and the kitchen sink at it. This release has Nelson Sauvin, Mosaic, Citra and Galaxy hops and the result is described as “a big juicy bowl of kiwifruit, strawberry, blueberry, peach, orange and pear, jammed in a blender”. The strong haziness adds thickness and mellows the experience for a nicely drinkable, hopdriven experience. We love the beautiful can too.

8-Wired Aces and Eights Texas Brown Ale 6% ABV, 440ml RRP $8.99 Quench Collective

Aces and Eights was the poker hand that American folk hero ‘Wild Bill’ Hickok was holding when he was shot from behind and killed in a saloon in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, in 1876. Known henceforth as ‘Dead Man’s Hand’, it has now lent its name to a Texas Brown Ale from 8-Wired. Pouring a very dark brown, it has aromas of leather and tobacco with a hoppy kick on the palate that keeps things nice and light. An ideal spring beer.

Emporium Angry Sky Red IPA 6% ABV – keg only Emporium Brewing

A New Zealand Red IPA showcasing Gladfield’s Shepherds Delight malt and Nelson Sauvin hops. A beautiful red colour and full-bodied, this beer is sure to be a crowdpleaser.

Emporium Schni Schna Schnappi Märzen 5.8% ABV – keg only Emporium Brewing

Get ready for Oktoberfest! This Germanstyle lager has a light, bready malt base with a touch of roast that dries the palate and a hint of spice from the Saaz hops.

Perfect with some Bratwurst.

8-Wired’s Aces and Eights Texas Brown Ale has aromas of leather and tobacco with a hoppy kick on the palate that keeps things nice and light.

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 53

BEER & CIDER REPORT

6.5%

HAZY

Behemoth Juice Wayne Hazy IPA 6.1% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $25.99 Behemoth Brewing

Parrotdog Rodney West Coast IPA 6.8% ABV, 440ml RRP $8.99 Parrotdog

The latest release from Auckland-based brewery Behemoth is made with massive amounts of wheat, oats and New Zealand and US hops. Like the name says, Juice Wayne is highly juicy, with flavours and aromas of ripe tropical fruit alongside a hint of coconut.

The Lyall Bay brewery has come up with a cracker of an IPA here. Rodney was evidently a character known for his sleeveless jacket and ability to be never too hot and never too cold – a good balance. The ale is similarly well-balanced.

Bursting with mango, pineapple, pine and resin, the hop flavours never get carried away and are held together with a perfect balance of bitterness. The intensity of the flavour would pair well with burgers or a spicy chicken sandwich.

Renaissance Hazy IPA 6.5% ABV, 440ml RRP $6.99 – also in keg Brandhouse

This hazy IPA was brewed to mark Renaissance’s 15th birthday. It pours a cloudy golden pale colour, offering up a nose full of tropical fruits and juicy citrus hop flavours. Pronounced notes of clementine, peach, papaya and juicy grapefruit. The mouthfeel is soft and the finish is long.

Sawmill 12 Gauge 6.5% ABV, 440ml RRP $9.99 Sawmill Brewing

This is a grunty lager that really does call to mind a sawmill – the nose has notes of sawdust and the malts add a kind of woodiness to the beer. The can, as with Sawmill's Passionfruit Sour (page 52), has been designed with hand painted artworks by longtime Sawmill collaborator Cam Hooper.

54 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

Eagle 10 Trappist Quadrupel Belgian Strong Ale 10% ABV, 330ml RRP $8.99 Eagle Brewing

This is a commemorative brew to mark Eagle Brewing’s 10th birthday. A suitably weighty 10% ABV Trappist Quadruple, it’s described as: “complex, rich and dangerous”. The ale is malty and strong, with complex dark fruit esters brought to the fore by the authentic yeast from a renowned Belgian monastery brewery.

Enjoy fresh, or aged with a washed rind cheese. (Read more about Eagle Brewing and its journey on pg 114.)

Eagle 10 Trappist Quadrupel Belgian Strong Ale is a 10% ABV beer brewed to mark Eagle Brewing’s 10th birthday.

BEER & CIDER REPORT

CIDER Zeffer 0% Crisp Apple Cider 0% ABV, 330ml 4-pack RRP $14.99 Lion

Good George Mango Hazy Cider 4.5% ABV, 946ml RRP $15.99 Good George

Capital Cider First Cab 5.2% ABV, 440ml RRP $7.99 Winelord

This would be one of the best 0% offerings we’ve tasted. While a lot of 0% beers can lose flavour, Zeffer’s new 0% Crisp Apple Cider looks, smells and tastes like cider with none of the flavour profile lost; it’s not too sweet and has a beautiful crispness. Vegan-friendly, gluten-free and only 39 calories per can, this is sure to be a hit over summer. Recommended.

While the hazy craze sweeps the beer world, Good George has widened the pool with a Mango Hazy Cider. In its distinctive 946ml squealer, the haze settles out to provide a gradation in the bottle, so give it a gentle tip before serving. The cider itself is a juicy, mango and apple drop that is best served ice cold.

Here’s a dry, fresh, and crisp cider from Nelson cider brewers Capital Cider. Their First Cab pours pale and the freshly pressed apple aroma leaps from the glass.

Made from locally grown Gravenstein apples, this is a small batch cider that will excite dry cider lovers and leave them wanting more.

Paynter’s Qyte Plummy Cider 4.2% ABV, 330ml RRP $4.49 Hop & Vine

Mack Pear Cider 4.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $4.50 Q Liquid

This pink little number from Hawke’s Bay cidery Paynter’s is a delightful combination of cider apples and three varieties of plum all grown on their family orchards in Hawke’s Bay. A portion of the plums were mash fermented and pressed out as plum wine, and this was mixed with plum juice and a predominantly cider apple blend. Rich aromas of plum and raspberry lead to a full-bodied flavour where apple sweetness is balanced by the tartness of the plums, creating a delicious drinking experience that cries out for a hot summer’s afternoon. Recommended.

There’s something cool about saying you’re drinking a Norwegian pear cider.

Norway? Pears? Who knew? Mack Pear Cider has a bubblegum aroma, rich fruity taste and a cake-like sweetness on the palate. Lovers of sweeter ciders will want to try this one.

Capital Cider Tokyo Rose 5% ABV, 440ml RRP $7.99 Winelord

Capital Cider’s Tokyo Rose Cider is a seasonal cider that is unusually aromatic with nuances of jasmine and lychee, coupled with strawberry. The palate, though dry, is dominated by this perfumed fruit salad and the finish is long.

Peckham’s Farmhouse 5.8% ABV, 440ml RRP $6.99, 750ml RRP $14.99 Peckham’s

Peckham’s Farmhouse is a sharp cider with a dry finish. Pouring a mid-golden brown, it eschews the sweetness found in many mass-market ciders and instead concentrates on the blend of bittersweet and bitter-sharp cider apples it uses.

There’s a touch of oak and a hint of sweetness alongside the subtle farmhouse notes. It’s now in a 440ml can too.

Peckham’s Reserve Dry 8.0% ABV, 440ml RRP $6.99 Peckham’s

Peckham’s Reserve Dry is a super dry, even tart cider from the Moutere orchardists.

This wild-fermented cider has flavours of apple peel with a barnyard character, only a hint of sweetness and some complexity from barrel ageing. It’s newly released in a 440ml can.

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 55

BEER & CIDER REPORT

HARD SELTZER - beer and cider base There’s a new category in town – hard seltzer – and it’s exploded in recent months in New Zealand with a range of local and imported brands. While initial variants have used a spirits base, the latest releases use cider and beer.

Good Tides 4% ABV, 330ml 10-pack RRP $26.99 – available from 12 October.

Asahi NZ

Zeffer Seltzer 4.6% ABV, 330ml 10-pack RRP $28.99 – available from 20 October.

Lion

This new locally made brand is brewed like typical beer but with a stripped back malt base and blended with natural fruit flavours to achieve a very light, refreshing beverage that is low in sugar and lighter in ABV. It’s available in Mango & Passionfruit, Raspberry & Boysenberry, and Peach & Watermelon. Asahi NZ says the Good Tides brand is inspired by the natural purity and beauty of New Zealand’s oceans, and it will donate towards supporting marine habitats.

Hawke’s Bay cidery Zeffer is launching a range of cider-based hard seltzers in three flavours. The new beverages have just 1.65g of sugar per can and are low in calories (94-99 calories per can). They’re also vegan-friendly, gluten-free and made with a strong focus on sustainability and waste minimisation. The new Zeffer Seltzers are available in three flavours: Orange & Grapefruit, Watermelon, and Guava. The range is light, refreshing and full of flavour – from the tart grapefruit, to the delicate watermelon and delicious guava hit. Recommended.

Real Good Seltzer 4.5% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $23.99 Good George

Hamilton brewery Good George has had a busy 2020, adding new beers to the range, diversifying into gin (see page 64) and adding a new cider-based hard seltzer. Real Good Seltzer has launched with Mandarin & Lime and is low sugar, gluten-free and made with real fruit.

Club Setter 5% ABV, 330ml 10-pack RRP $26.99 DB

Fresh from DB comes the new Club Setter brand, offering an elegant pack design and two flavours in a beer-based hard seltzer. DB says its beer seltzers are brewed using the same standard ingredients and processes as other beers, adapted to deliver a lighter seltzer style. Club Setter is low in sugar (1.7 grams per can) and has less than 100 calories per can. It is available in Watermelon & Strawberry, and Tropical.

Pure Piraña 5% ABV, 330ml 10-pack RRP $24.99 DB

Pure Piraña is a fun, new, beer-based hard seltzer brand from DB that is low in sugar (1.7 grams per can) and containing fewer than 100 calories per can. It is available in two flavours: Pure Piraña Lime and Pure Piraña Raspberry.

For distributor details see Distributor Index on page 112.

56 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

OPINION – BEER

Michael Donaldson

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

From brewers to builders The uncertainty caused by COVID-19 for retail and hospitality has seen local brewpubs and taprooms come into their own, as brewers seek to control their own destiny, says Michael Donaldson NEW ZEALAND’S craft brewers are fast learning the truth built into the iconic (and slightly tweaked) Field of Dreams tagline: “If you build it, they will come”*.

Those of a certain age will remember Kevin Costner’s character, Ray Kinsella, clearing a cornfield on his rural Iowa farm to build a baseball diamond and – while the story is more complicated – it finishes with crowds of people turning up to watch a baseball game. It’s an appropriate analogy for the recent growth of brewpubs and taprooms around New Zealand. Build them, and people will come.

The rationale is simple: selling your own product on your premises means more money in your pocket. The not-sosimple bit is the expense that comes with fitting out a brewpub or taproom. That expense is the reason why, for so many years, our biggest breweries were also the biggest pub-owners.

Historically, there were exceptions such as Auckland institutions Galbraith’s, Hallertau and The Shakespeare, but the fact it took Emerson’s more than 20 years to create a brewpub shows how hard it can be.

Both Parrotdog and Behemoth were able to create fantastic brewpub experiences on the back of $2 million crowd-funding efforts, similarly with Eagle Brewing (see more page 114), and Behemoth recently opening Churly’s at the top of Auckland’s Dominion Rd. That said, many of today’s bigger craft breweries started life as brewpubs. Deep Creek blossomed from a small set-up in Auckland’s Brown’s Bay, Good George grew from their original Dining Hall in

Frankton, Hamilton, and the Sprig & Fern model was to invest in a chain of pubs throughout Nelson and Wellington. Some brewpubs remain almost exclusively that, with nearly all their beer sold on-premise.

Fork & Brewer in Wellington is a great example, along with Golden Bear in Mapua, Nelson.

Others might not have brewpubs as such, preferring the taproom model.

Garage Project have their Aro St Taproom across the road from the brewery, as well as a taproom in Auckland. As this is

In many ways, the growth of brewpubs and breweryowned restaurants and taprooms is a reflection of the modern landscape. being written, Epic are working on their taproom in Auckland’s Penrose.

It’s happening in the regional areas as well, with fantastic brewpubs dotted around the country such as McLeod’s at Waipu, Brave Brewing in Hastings, Brew Union in Palmerston North, Altitude in Queenstown, and Sunshine in Gisborne.

At the other end of the spectrum, Moa this year invested heavily in buying the Savor Group of restaurants, including Ostro and Ebisu in Auckland’s Britomart precinct.

The other hugely successful story is Brewtown in Upper Hutt. Based around

the city’s growing brewery community – Kereru, Panhead, Boneface, Te Aro – and helped by a supportive council, Brewtown has evolved into a craft beer theme park. It’s located in the old Dunlop tyre factory, and as well as great places to eat and drink, Brewtown features an ice rink and go-kart track, tenpin bowling, a trampoline park, and paintball field.

In many ways, the growth of brewpubs and brewery-owned restaurants and taprooms is a reflection of the modern landscape: with supermarket shelf space increasingly the domain of competitivelypriced six-packs, it’s much harder for a small craft brewery to get a foot in the door, so it pays to control your own destiny a little more if you can. But it also heralds a return to the past, to a time when the New Zealand beer scene was a collection of independent, distinctive and highly regional breweries.

This new growth is evidenced by the Brewers Guild creating the Ale Trail, an interactive map of breweries, brewpubs and tap rooms around New Zealand. It’s part of a big push for beer tourism – a way of letting people know where to find good beer wherever they travel.

Just as visitors to wineries are not always connoisseurs, the Ale Trail hopes to reach people outside the inner circle of what you might call “beer geeks”.

COVID-19 permitting, this summer there are more reasons than ever to get out and support local. *The original line from the movie was “If you build it, he will come” but popular use as has turned it into “they will come”.

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 57

BEER & CIDER NEWS

Tuatara brewing a world of flavours for Beervana WITH COVID-19 impacting a huge number of events locally and internationally, Kapiti Coast brewery Tuatara says it’s thrilled that New Zealand’s most established beer festival, Beervana, is going ahead in late November and has developed an exciting theme for its 2020 offering: Exotic Fruits.

“Events are one of the fun aspects of being in the craft beer industry,” says Tuatara founder and Master Brewer Carl Vasta. “It’s a time for the most creative, some would say ‘weird and wonderful’ beers,” he laughs. “Beervana visitors are at the educated end of the spectrum.

They’re coming to try something new,

love it or hate it; not the same beers they can try in bars or off the shelf.”

This year, Tuatara’s Exotic Fruits theme will give beer-lovers a taste of the world that’s currently off-limits. Much like the ethos of craft and events like Beervana, travelling the world is all about experiences, trying and tasting what each country has to offer. For those who have experienced some of the world’s exotic fruits, they’ll be able to relive those

memories through Tuatara’s offerings at Beervana, and for those who haven’t it’s a chance to taste them – through beer.

“I’m a bit reluctant to say too much more as there’s still some trial, and very possibly error, with some of our fruits,” says Vasta. “We’re particularly concerned about the Durian. Those that know the fruit will know why.” beervana.co.nz

SHOWCASE

Great time for Good Tides Asahi NZ is launching an innovative new entrant to the ‘better for you’ category with the arrival of Good Tides – a New Zealand beer-based Hard Seltzer with an environmental focus.

Available in three flavours, Good Tides is 4% ABV and low in sugar. It will be available to order from 12 October.

Asahi NZ says Good Tides taps into the growing trend for consumers to consider health and wellbeing when choosing beverages. In New Zealand, this has been seen with sales predominantly captured by the Light RTD segment which has experienced 27.7% value growth MAT, +$38M RSVD1).

Boom time for Hard Seltzers A hard seltzer is a light, pared back sparkling alcoholic beverage often with a hint of fruit flavouring.

While the alcohol can be almost anything from distilled spirits to cider, wine, or malt and sugar ferments, the unifying characteristics are that they are light, refreshing, typically low in sugar and have less calories than the majority of existing RTD, Cider & Beer products.

Sales of Hard Seltzers have exploded in the US

58 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

and now account for nearly half (43%) of all US mixed drinks2 and the segment is larger than the leading spirits category of Vodka. Hard Seltzers are also proving to be one of the most gender-neutral products in the alcohol industry, with an almost 50/50 gender split. In comparison, traditional beer drinkers are two times more likely to be men than women.

Asahi NZ says Hard Seltzers provide an opportunity to take the New Zealand alcohol category growth to another level through broadening the scope of better for you products from the existing spirits stronghold, into beer, cider and wine – covering all consumer taste preferences.

The merchandising recommendation for grocery is to create a Hard Seltzer section (regardless of base alcohol) in the beer section, but with adjacency to cider.

Beer has higher penetration than cider, giving seltzer more opportunity to be seen and shopped.

What is Good Tides Hard Seltzer?

Good Tides is a beer-based Hard Seltzer. It’s brewed like typical beer but with a stripped back malt base and blended with natural fruit flavours to achieve a very light, refreshing beverage that is low in sugar and lighter in ABV. Good Tides is compliant for New Zealand grocery.

What’s Good Tides about?

The Good Tides brand has a strong environmental backbone. It is inspired by the natural purity and beauty of New Zealand’s oceans, and will donate towards supporting marine habitats, such as partnering with Forest & Bird.

Why stock Good Tides?

Good Tides Hard Seltzer represents a huge opportunity for the grocery channel to capitalise on the ‘light and refreshing’, ‘better for you’ trends in the already established 10x330ml can format.

It is an opportunity to trade shoppers up from cider, mainstream and premium beers – driving category value.

Good Tides is a New Zealand brand that stands for something bigger than itself – and consumers are looking for this.

1 Nielsen NZ defined liquor, MAT to 02/08/20 2 IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, Hard Seltzer Report, December 2019

NEW – GOOD TIDES (Out 12 Oct) 4% ABV, 330ml 10-pack RRP $26.99

• • •

Mango & Passionfruit Raspberry & Boysenberry Peach & Watermelon Asahi NZ

BEER & CIDER NEWS

Moa moves to cans

BREWER MOA announced in late September that it has moved its entire “classic” range to cans, in the first step towards a more sustainable future. The rollover to the cans, which feature a new design, began in May 2020.

Moa says it is excited about the new step towards a greater future for drinkers and the brand alike, as New Zealand

continues to adapt to the challenge of a new sustainable world.

The eight classic varieties: Moa Station I.P.A, Dry Hopped Pilsner, Big Sky A.P.A, Pelorus X.P.A, Moa Pale Ale, Original Lager, Wild Coast Black Beer, and Session Pale Ale are now only available in the 330ml can offering.

Moa says that as well as being fully recyclable, cans’ other benefits include faster chilling, protecting beer better from harmful light, and more added convenience for activities such as hunting, hiking, camping, at the beach and bach or on the boat.

There are also multiple benefits for retail partners such as better fridge space utilisation, fewer breakages, and higher stock weight, meaning customers will have more fresh stock available all year round.

CEO of MOA Brewing, Stephen Smith, says, “The market is rapidly moving towards cans and while we are focused on the overall positive environmental impact, it’s great to know it’s also positive for our drinkers and our retailers.”

Moa Brewing Co.

NEW

LOW IN SUGAR* LIGHT AND REFRESHING 3 GREAT FRUIT FLAVOURS *All 3 flavours have 2.4g sugar/100ml

BEER & CIDER NEWS

Special Garage Projects WELLINGTON-BASED INDEPENDENT brewery Garage Project has been busy brewing for good causes over the last few months, supporting New Zealand theatres and live performing arts, and New Zealand Sign Language Week.

In August, Garage Project launched Ghost Light Beer, after working in conjunction with Auckland’s Basement Theatre, Wellington’s BATS Theatre, Christchurch’s Little Andromeda and other independent theatres around the country. Ghost Light Beer was brewed to support venues affected by COVID-19 lockdown closures and restrictions with $1 from every can sold donated to New Zealand theatres.

The name refers to the electric light left illuminated on stage when theatres close their doors, to keep the resident ghosts

*

BEER & CIDER NEWS

happy. During lockdown, these Ghost Lights have been burning bright on stages around the globe.

In September, Garage Project supported New Zealand Sign Language Week with a beer called ‘Talk to the Hand’ featuring original label design by Garage Project’s own Ryan Cassidy and proud member of the Deaf Community.

It’s a cause especially close to the brewery’s heart as it has won the NZ Sign Language Employer Award, which

recognises businesses who demonstrate a commitment to NZSL and to working with deaf employees and individuals.

The beer launch involved taprooms across New Zealand offering the beer alongside NZSL lessons with representatives from Deaf Aotearoa during New Zealand Sign Language week.

Ryan Cassidy, who works as part of the Garage Project production crew, says it was important to him to have a beer brewed not only for NZSL week but specifically for

the Deaf Community. “To have something that we can truly feel we belong to and to celebrate our language with a beer. The art for the label worked in lots of hidden meanings and inside jokes - two main themes are the damage to the hand, and how valuable they are to deaf people. The eyes and mouths on the hands represent our voices, our sounds. This collab reminds me why I love to work here.” garageproject.co.nz

EVErYTHING EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN A PALE ALE CALLED PALE ALE.

MALTY

HOPPY

LIGHT

DArK

sweet

bitter

BEER & CIDER NEWS

Speight’s to Meight’s for Movember SPEIGHT’S IS once again getting behind the annual Movember fundraiser for men’s health issues such as prostate and testicular cancer and suicide prevention. A supporter of the event since 2018, Speight’s says there are strong links between mateship and looking after/checking in on your mates, and that is why the brand is again partnering with Movember. Speight’s has created specially branded Meight’s bottles and themed packaging to replace its Speight’s Gold Medal Ale 330ml 24-pack for a limited time.

Lion

Funding for brewing courses at Otago Polytech The NZQA Brewing Qualifications delivered by Otago Polytechnic have been approved to be funded through the Targeted Training & Apprenticeships Fund, making the courses free until 31 December 2022.

The Brewers Guild says this was achieved through significant advocacy by Otago Polytech, the Brewers Guild and the support of the Brewers Association.

The courses at Otago Polytech were developed after significant industry consultation in 2017-2018 and launched in 2019.

The Guild says that broadly speaking the Level 5 Certificate is equivalent to the IBD Diploma in Brewing and the Level 6 is a significant component of the IBD Master Brewers certificate.

Find out more at central.op.ac.nz/ study/brewing

INSPIRED

BY NATURE WWW.EAGLEBREWING.NZ

BEER & CIDER NEWS

SHOWCASE

Top drops from Capital Cider Co. With its striking shelf appeal and modern fruit-forward cider styles, Nelson’s Capital Cider Co. is building on its strong local following with expanded distribution and new releases.

The cider brand hails from Brightwater and sits in the family-owned Winelord portfolio alongside the Brightwater Gravels and Middle Earth wine labels.

Winelord’s Ryan O’Connell started Capital Cider Co. with his wife Kylie, and company winemaker Trudy Sheild and her partner Simon McGuire, after much

discussion about a gap in the market for a quality, modern cider that was naturally lower in sugar and drier.

O’Connell says Sheild’s talent for cidermaking and Nelson’s abundance of quality fruit meant they were soon off and running. The ciders are made and canned at Winelord’s Brightwater property, using apples sourced from within a couple of kilometres, and with no added water or sugar.

Four ciders make up the Capital Cider Co. core range that launched in 2018

Capital Cider Co. • • • •

Made exclusively from Nelson-grown apples Not from concentrate No added sugar or water Core range: Classic, Dry, Mixed Berry, and Kaffir Lime, Lemon & Juniper • NEW: Tokyo Rose and First Cab – available from October • 440ml cans RRP $6.99 • Also available in keg Winelord (South Island) and Kahurangi (North Island).

and quickly proved popular with locals.

The company has now secured ranging with Foodstuffs South Island and plans to expand further.

Ryan O’Connell says the consumer reaction has been fantastic. “People are looking for products that have a bit of honesty and integrity behind them.

They’re understanding that our products aren’t laden with sugar, and they’re enjoying the 440ml can format as well.”

He says Capital Cider Co’s distinctive branding is a great selling point too. “The packaging is modern with a slight retro vibe that gives a nod to heritage, but the ciders in our core range are classified as ‘modern ciders’,” says O’Connell. “They’re fresh, bright, and apple-driven.

“Part of making the cider was to bridge the gap between craft beer and quality wine – so having fun with your packaging means you can have fun with your products too. As well as our core range, our plan is to have seasonal releases and limited or collaborative releases.”

Two of those new releases – Tokyo Rose and First Cab – are now available with more planned in coming months.

THE GIN

JUGGERNAUT

It’s the boom that keeps on booming and our annual Gin Report is our biggest ever, with more than 200 gins from international brands and New Zealand’s own distillers.

GIN REPORT

NEW ZEALAND 1919 Classic 41% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 1919 Distilling

A classic style gin with a Kiwi twist, using Otago cherries, manuka honey and organic citrus. Light and clean, but complex on the palate with a spiced warmth that develops, freshened by zesty citrus.

1919 Pineapple Bits 41% ABV, 700ml RRP $75 1919 Distilling

This is the first limited release in 1919’s Kiwiana Collection, inspired by a certain much-loved New Zealand confectionery item. Pineapple Bits is a lushly tropical pineapple gin with a subtle chocolate character.

1919 Summer Pink 41% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 1919 Distilling

Pale pink in the glass, this gin has aromas of red berry fruit and a hint of sweetness.

Light and rounded in the mouth with a strawberry ripeness and a thread of honeyed sweetness, balanced with juniper and spice. Juniper and strawberry on the finish.

The Cuckoo by 2 Scientists is a new release using 20 botanicals, which won Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.

2 Scientists – The Cuckoo 47% ABV, From 500ml RRP $POA 2 Scientists

Batch 10 Pink Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.95 The Premium Liquor Co.

A delicately complex gin that uses 20 botanicals in its composition. A juniperforward aroma with citrus zest and subtle spice. On the palate it's layered with juniper, warming spice, citrus and a herbaceous/earthy note leading to a finish of anise and citrus. Awarded Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.

A combination of Batch 10’s London Dry Gin, with bitters and pomegranate.

A fresh, lightly spiced gin.

Ariki Ultra-Premium Gin 45% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Beverage Brothers

Rarotongan vanilla and Tongan coconut give this New Zealand-made gin a Pacific twist, and sit alongside native manuka and classic gin botanicals. Ariki has delicate floral and citrus aromas with a full-bodied, warming flavour and a rich, smooth finish.

Batch 10 London Dry Gin 37% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.95 The Premium Liquor Co.

Black Collar Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 Beverage Brothers

This Northland gin has aromas of juniper overlaid with warm spice and lemon.

Rounded and full in the mouth with a slight sweetness, there is lemon zest, and spice on the palate with a lingering juniper finish.

Black Robin Rare Gin 43% ABV, 750ml RRP $89 Negociants

A fresh, citrus-forward gin with undertones of spice. The zesty citrus contrasts with peppery heat from the addition of native horopito, and spicy warmth of star anise and liquorice.

The team at Batch 10 have put a New Zealand twist on a classic London Dry Gin. This version is smooth and crisp with a hint of citrus.

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 65

GIN REPORT

Blush Rhubarb Gin 37% ABV, 700ml RRP $85 Blush Gin

Broken Heart Quince Gin 30% ABV, 500ml RRP $74.99 Broken Heart Spirits

As the name suggests, this gin has a pretty blush pink hue. Aromas of tart rhubarb mingle with subtle sweetness and juniper notes. It’s rounded and dry on the palate, with a delicate candied sweetness that balances the tart rhubarb flavour.

The golden hue of this gin echoes that of the quince used in its creation. There is 20kg of quince macerated in every 100 litres of Broken Heart Quince Gin, with no additional sugar or other additives. It has a rich fruit aroma and luscious flavour.

Try serving neat as an alternative to dessert wine, with cheese and fruit, or as an adventurous match for pork dishes.

The Bond Store Kawakawa Gin 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $49 The Bond Store

Fresh green aromas leap out of this gin made on the Kapiti Coast. The resinous and earthy nose leads to a smooth, oily palate with intense juniper and a peppery heat balanced with a fresh character.

Lingering juniper on the finish.

Broken Heart No. 8 Rhubarb Gin 40% ABV, 500ml RRP $74.99 Broken Heart Spirits

Broken Heart Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 Broken Heart Spirits

Broken Heart Pinot Noir Gin 40% ABV, 500ml RRP $74.99 Broken Heart Spirits

This gin uses fresh boysenberries and it’s immediately evident in the initial aroma of luscious ripe fruit. It’s light, mouthfilling and full of ripe fruit sweetness, well balanced by a tart character.

This London Dry gin blends 11 botanicals, combining piney juniper with floral notes from South Island lavender, earthy Nelson-grown hops and malt, and spicy notes from pimento and ginger, alongside angelica. Awarded Double Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.

Pinot Noir grapes from Central Otago are added to the Broken Heart Original gin to create this expression with its whisky-like colour. The gin has a slightly honeyed aroma, with subtle sweetness, distinct red fruit character and a hint of tannins on the palate leading to a dry finish.

Blush Hot Toddy 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Blush Gin

Broken Heart Barrel Aged Gin 40% ABV, 500ml RRP $74.99 Broken Heart Spirits

Broken Heart Angel’s Share 40% ABV, 500ml RRP $74.99 Broken Heart Spirits

A winter warmer gin that you could serve year round. It uses the original Blush Rhubarb Gin and creates an apple crumble-like experience by adding fresh apple, currants, cinnamon, cardamom and clove.

Six months in French Chardonnay oak mellows the original Broken Heart Gin and gives it pronounced oak aromas and flavour with a smooth, slippery mouthfeel.

This latest addition to the Broken Heart range is inspired by the original Broken Heart Gin, but was created as a collector’s edition as each 200-bottle batch differs, thanks to Master Distiller Joerg Henkenhaf tweaking the botanicals each time. Our Batch #1 sample has a fresh, juniperforward aroma with a hint of minerality.

Crisp, clean and balanced with whispers of cardamom and citrus and a soft finish.Awarded Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.

Blush Boysenberry 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $85 Blush Gin

Broken Heart Navy Strength 57% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99 Broken Heart Spirits

A more botanical-rich (and higher ABV) version of the original Broken Heart Gin. This Navy Strength expression uses 40% more botanicals to create a more intense version for cocktail making.

66 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

Rhubarb is macerated in Broken Heart Gin to create subtle rhubarb tartness on the nose, and a lingering rhubarb flavour.

GIN REPORT

Bureaucrats The Bureaucrat 41% ABV, 700ml RRP $75 Bureaucrats Gin

Championz Gin 40% ABV, 750ml RRP $79.99 Beverage Brothers

Curiosity Pinot Barrel Sloe 27% ABV, 500ml RRP $74.99 Beverage Brothers

A warm, woody aroma with classic juniper and coriander, developing into fruit cake spices too, with cinnamon, nutmeg and subtle aniseed. On the palate the gin is complex: light and delicate with the spices to the fore and a lingering aniseed finish.

Kiwi Spirit Distillery in Golden Bay makes this small batch gin in a London Dry style. An aromatic blend of spices makes it subtly sweet and floral with a soft, smooth finish of angelica and liquorice.

The team at Curiosity imports sloe berries from the UK and steeps them in Curiosity Gin for several months using a barrel previously used to age Otago Pinot Noir. The gin is sweetened with natural sugar before bottling. It has ripe berry sweetness on the nose, with a hint of marzipan. Rich, bittersweet fruit in the mouth, yet light on the palate, with juniper undertones.

Bureaucrats The Doyenne 41% ABV, 700ml RRP $75 Bureaucrats Gin

A clean, light aroma that calls to mind fresh Asian flavours – lemongrass, lime and subtle star anise all feature.

These continue on the palate, which is beautifully delicate and finishes with a lingering lemongrass flavour. Awarded Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.

Bureaucrats Black Doris Plum 38% ABV, 700ml RRP $75 Bureaucrats Gin

Luscious, slightly tart Black Doris plums with a hint of sweetness dominate the aroma of this gin. The rich plum fruitiness really develops on the palate, alongside juiper and a hint of spice. A soft, mouthfilling gin that avoids being overly sweet; a deliciously dry, lingering finish of plum.

Curiosity Curious Dry 40% ABV, 500ml RRP $79.99 Beverage Brothers

Using a base spirit made from Canterbury grain, this gin has a rich and complex aroma but is light and refreshing on the palate. Its herbal characters come from an array of native botanicals such as kawakawa, horopito, manuka and tarata (lemonwood).

Curiosity Negroni Special 55% ABV, 500ml RRP $99.99 Beverage Brothers

Juniper is macerated and vapour infused to intensify its flavour for this higher strength gin that was created to complement a Negroni and provide body to other cocktails. Time in new French oak gives it a woody character with a hint of vanilla sweetness. Also notes of spice and orange zest. Awarded Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.

Curiosity Recipe #23 42% ABV, 500ml RRP $79.99 Beverage Brothers

The single malt base spirit (made from Canterbury grain) used for this gin means the initial aroma immediately calls to mind whisky, rather than gin. But as it opens up, the tell-tale piney juniper quality emerges. It uses 11 botanicals, including manuka from the East Coast, Gisborne citrus and Otago lavender to create a clean, rounded gin with complex spicy undertones of star anise, cinnamon and cardamom.

Curiosity Ruby Gin 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Beverage Brothers

Fresh Otaki rhubarb stalks are infused in Curiosity‘s Curious Dry Gin to create this new pink version. It has an intense aroma of freshly cut rhubarb, leading to a palate of rich stewed rhubarb character and a dry, lingering rhubarb finish.

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 67

GIN REPORT

Damson Collection Damson Plum Gin Liqueur 15% ABV, 375ml RRP $37 The Dam Fine Gin Company

Crafted in the syle of a sloe gin, there's a rich, sweet red fruit aroma with a hint of marzipan. Rounded and flavoursome on the palate, full of luscious fruit and a lip-smacking sweetness. Named World's Best Fruit Liqueur at the World Liqueur Awards 2020.

Dancing Sands Barrel Aged Gin 48% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Federal Merchants

Three months in a combination of new French oak and 14-year-old Murderer’s Bay Gold Rum barrels gives this pale golden gin a bold oak aroma and flavour, with a hint of sweetness alongside notes of juniper, manuka and spice.

Dancing Sands Dry Gin 44% ABV, 700ml, RRP $79.99 Federal Merchants

Double distilled and vapour infused, this gin has fresh aromas of green manuka leaves and juniper, and is creamy on the palate with warming cardamom, pepper and a long liquorice finish.

Dancing Sands Sun Kissed 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Federal Merchants

Fresh strawberries and rhubarb sourced from the Golden Bay area are infused in Sacred Spring Dry Gin to create a gin that is aromatic and fresh. Candied strawberry notes balance the tart rhubarb character.Â

68 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

Denzien Te Aro Dry 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $79 Denzien Urban Distillery

Exhibit A 42% ABV, 278ml RRP $125 and 652ml RRP $250 Exhibit A

An elegant, sophisticated gin with aromas of resinous juniper, warm spice and a hint of delicate citrus. Clean, light and rounded on the palate with juniper and spice to the fore, notes of orange and a peppery heat.

Lingering juniper finish.

A classic London Dry style gin presented in one of the most striking vessels around, thanks to Exhibit A's design-led background. This vegan-friendly gin is juniper-forward with balanced spice and fresh citrus on the palate, leading to a light and lingering finish. The addition of green tea adds a subtle herbal character.

Denzien Our Coast 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $87 Denzien Urban Distillery

A classic juniper-forward style but with a hint of brine thanks to Marlbrough sea salt and native kelp in the botanical mix.

The minerality persists on the palate, which is pleasingly oily, alongside resinous juniper and warming spice. The finish is of liquorice with a breath of salt.

Good George Day Off Gin 45% ABV, 750ml RRP $69 Good George

The first spirits offering from Hamilton brewers Good George has aromas of mandarin with a herbal character. It has a rich mouthfeel full of juniper and spice and a lingering finish.

Denzien Smoke & Embers 44% ABV, 700ml RRP $98 Denzien Urban Distillery

Good George Day Off Feijoa Gin 42% ABV, 750ml RRP $69 Good George

There's a dark quality to this whiskyinspired gin, which has aromas of juniper and subtle smoke. The delicate smoke continues in the mouth, alongside warming spice. The team at Denzien used chipotle peppers and habanero chillies to impart the smoke and heat characters.

Serve neat to appreciate all its elements.

Wow. This gin captures feijoa in all its intense, freshly cut juiciness. The full-on feijoa continues on the palate alongside a note of citrus. Light and rounded with a lingering feijoa finish.

Hastings Distillers Albertine 47% ABV, 500ml RRP $95 Hastings Distillers

There are 38 botanicals in this certified organic gin, which just won Gold at the IWSC 2020. A complex, perfumed aroma of delicate florals, spice and citrus opens up to a palate of exotic spice balanced by a fresh, zesty character. Serve neat to best appreciate all its layers.

GIN REPORT

Hastings Distillers East Block 200 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $75 Hastings Distillers

Imagination Rhubarb & Raspberry 38% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Imagination

Island Gin Original 43.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $95 Island Gin

Fresh, intense lime on the nose of this certified organic gin leads to a clean and refreshing palate of lime and juniper with a hint of spice. The lingering finish is of zesty lime.

This pinky red gin has layered aromas of tart rhubarb and sweet red berry. It has a rounded mouthfeel; clean and light with well-balanced rhubarb and berry.

It has a long dry finish with just a hint of sweetness.

A citrus-forward gin with floral notes alongside juniper and coriander spice.

The use of manuka and bush honey blends from the distillery's home on Great Barrier Island add depth and a rounded mouthfeel. Island Gin's beautiful kĪnainspired recycled glass bottle received the Innovation Award at this year's NZ Spirits Awards.

Imagination Damson Plum & Blackberry Gin Liqueur 32% ABV, 700ml RRP $64 - back in stock 2021 Imagination

A luscious golden pink hue in the glass, this gin has jammy aromas of sweet fruit and a marzipan character. The palate is soft and rounded and full of sweet, ripe dark fruit with a hint of tartness. The finish is long and sweet.

Imagination Reikorangi Triple Distilled Dry Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Imagination

A clean, fresh aroma with intense juniper, delicate citrus and a subtle spicy note.

The palate is oily with a slight sweetness, warm liquorice spice and a citrus character. The finish is of lingering juniper and warm spice. Awarded Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.

Imagination Black Barn Syrah Barrel-Aged Gin 44.2% ABV, 200ml RRP $34 and 700ml RRP $89 Imagination

The Imagination team aged their original dry gin in French oak barriques that once held Black Barn Vineyard's Syrah to create this barrel-aged expression. It has aromas of red fruit, glacé cherries and a hint of sweetness, leading to a palate full of peppery syrah character, oak and red berries with a lingering finish.

Island Gin Navy Strength 57% ABV, 700ml RRP $110 Island Gin

An intense expression of Island Gin's original gin, ideal for cocktails and mixed drinks. Citrus flavours and a backbone of delicate honeyed sweetness from the manuka bush blends sourced from Great Barrier beekeepers.

Juno Extra Fine Gin 40% ABV, 200ml RRP $30, 700ml RRP $88 EuroVintage

The signature gin from New Plymouth distillers Jo and Dave James has a rounded aroma with juniper and lemon zest to the fore. It is elegant and light on the palate with fresh citrus, juniper and delicate orange blossom, and a subtle note of liquorice on the finish.

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 69

GIN REPORT

Karven Dry Gin 40.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $75 Quench Collective

Lavender Hill Lavender Infused Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69 Lavender Hill

Lighthouse Hawthorn Edition 57% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.95 Foley Wines

This small-batch gin combines classic botanicals with native manuka flowers and lemon myrtle to create a smooth, citrus-forward expression with lifted flavours of lemon and grapefruit, slight sweetness and a warming undertone of cinnamon.

This gin’s pretty floral character comes from an infusion of English Lavender oil, made from flowers hand-harvested at Lavender Hill’s Riverhead property north west of Auckland. Owners Jason and Trish Delamore process the oil in their own large steam still. An elegant gin with aromas of juniper, subtle citrus and a sweetly floral hint. The lavender becomes more apparent on the palate, yet is still delicate. Rounded with a hint of spice and a long finish.

A stronger expression of the original Lighthouse Gin, at a higher 57% ABV. The more intense botanical character makes it ideal for classic cocktails.

Karven Raspberry Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $80 Quench Collective

Part of Karven’s ‘Distillers Reserve’ range, this gin uses raspberries picked near the distillery in rural Puhoi, north of Auckland.

Pale pink with aromas of juniper and a hint of fruit sweetness that lingers on the palate.

KJ & Co. No. 6 Gin 40% ABV, 750ml RRP $69.99 Brandhouse

A new gin using classic botanicals with a citrus slant of kaffir lime leaf and zest from grapefruit, mandarin and lime. Initial aromas of sweet spice follow onto the palate with a lingering citrus finish.

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Lavender Hill Saffron Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $78 Lavender Hill

This striking straw gold gin has a hint of earthy saffron overlying the classic juniper aroma. It’s warm on the palate with a distinctive, lingering saffron flavour and a hint of spice.

Lighthouse Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.95 Foley Wines

A consistently award-winning gin from one of New Zealand’s first craft distillers.

Lighthouse uses a blend of 10 botanicals with spring water from Palliser Bay. The gin is smooth and fresh, with notable citrus characteristics from Yen Ben lemon.

Awarded Gold at the IWSC 2020.

GIN REPORT

Little Biddy NZ Botanical Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Reefton Distilling Co.

This gin by Reefton Distilling Co has a rich and complex aroma of liquorice, cassia and resinous juniper. It leads to a palate full of West Coast rainforest character with locally foraged Douglas fir, native botanicals and zesty citrus to boot.

Little Biddy Gin – Black Label 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $189.99 Reefton Distilling Co.

A more concentrated expression of Reefton Distilling’s Little Biddy Gold Label (below). It has a fresh aroma underpinned by the subtle sweetness of caramelised limes. Smooth and rounded on the palate with warm spices, subtle heat of pink peppercorns and freshness of the lime character.

Little Biddy Gin – Gold Label 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $169.99 Reefton Distilling Co.

There’s a delicate sweetness from caramelised limes underlying the bright, fresh aroma of this gin from Reefton Distilling, which features locally foraged kahikatea, snow moss and toatoa. The palate is light and fresh with an edge of minerality, leading to warm spices.

Little Biddy Pink Gin 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $94.99 Reefton Distilling Co.

A vibrant pink gin made with West Coast tayberries and blueberries. Intense berry aroma with a complex forest floor quality that hints at the local kanuka and tarata botanicals. The palate is layered with a subtle sweetness and a dry quality that develops into warm spice with a hint of orange. The finish is warm spice with a hint of berry.

The National Distillery Co. Adorn Beauty Gin 44% ABV, 750ml RRP $84.99 The Premium Liquor Co.

The National Distillery Co. Verdigris Copper Distilled Dry Gin 44% ABV, 750ml RRP $79.99 The Premium Liquor Co.

This gin was inspired by botanicals found in luxury New Zealand skincare. It’s a delicately floral gin that uses native flax seed, rose petals, organic rosehip and chamomile. It’s balanced with a hint of sweetness and a subtle, lingering florality.

An approachable easy-drinking London Dry-style gin with lemon peel and native New Zealand flax seed (harakeke). It has classic pine and citrus character with underlying depth from New Zealand orris root.

The National Distillery Co’s Hemp Gin was named Best Overall Gin at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.

The National Distillery Co. Adorn Beauty Rose Gin 42% ABV, 750ml RRP $84.99 The Premium Liquor Co.

A pretty pink expression of the original Adorn Beauty Gin (above), this version has the addition of rosewater to add to the lingering floral character.

The National Distillery Co. Hemp Gin 45% ABV, 750ml RRP $94.99 The Premium Liquor Co.

Toasted hemp hearts (the inner seed of the hemp plant) and lashings of Hawke's Bay lemon peel give this unique gin its distinctive smoky, toasted character and fresh citrus note. Awarded Gold, Best NZ Gin and Best Overall Gin at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.

Reid + Reid Barrel Aged Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $70 Mineral

Ageing for three months in ex-Martinborough Pinot Noir French oak gives this gin a sepia hue and a rich, mellow aroma with a hint of sweetness in the background. On the palate it has peppery notes, complex warming spice and a subtle lingering sweetness.

Reid + Reid Native Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $65 Mineral

A dry gin with a fresh, peppery aroma thanks to horopito and kawakawa (also known as ‘bush basil’). It has a rounded, smooth mouthfeel and a warming finish.

Reid + Reid Rev Dawson’s Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $65 Mineral

This gin is named after one of New Zealand’s leading Prohibitionists, who also happens to be the great-great-grandfather of Reid + Reid’s Stewart and Chris Reid.

It has a juniper-forward aroma with underlying woody spice leading to a light, clean palate full of juniper, zesty citrus and a subtle peppery character. A classic dry style.

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GIN REPORT

The Sundown gin range is a new release of gins from The Premium Liquor Co. available in three different expressions.

The Riot 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 Riot & Rose Spirits

Rose & Twig Blueberry 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 The Premium Liquor Co.

Scapegrace Gold 57% ABV, 700ml RRP $125 Hancocks

A heady aroma of spice accompanies the juniper in this gin, while on the palate the citrus comes to the fore with mandarin and orange, and an underlying spicy heat from star anise and cardamom. Smooth yet robust.

Natural butterfly pea gives this gin its distinctive indigo hue, while blueberries add a bittersweet fruit character. Adding tonic or lemonade will change the colour to a deep pink.

A juniper-forward style, this gin features a sweetness thanks to three layers of citrus (orange, lemon and tangerine). It won the London Dry Gin Trophy at the IWSC 2018.

The Rose 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 Riot & Rose Spirits

A soft, lifted aroma of citrus and florals.

Smooth on the palate with flavours of rose and delicate spice. Light with a gently warming finish.

Roots Marlborough Dry Gin 45% ABV, 700ml RRP $85 Mineral

This gin from Elemental Distillers is made from sustainable neutral base spirit, with organic hops from Motueka, Gisborne grapefruit zest, Hawke’s Bay coriander seed and wild gorse flower from Marlborough. It has a juniper-forward palate followed by a fresh grapefruit and hop zest balanced with aromas of kawakawa and gorse. It finishes long and clean with a silky mouthfeel and lingering coriander. Awarded Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.

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Rose & Twig Pomegranate 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 The Premium Liquor Co.

A dry English-style gin with subtle integration of pomegranate floral notes, to create a distinctive pink expression.

Scapegrace Black 41.6% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99 Hancocks

This innovative addition to the Scapegrace range is a naturally black flavoured gin that changes colour when mixed with tonic. It has aromas of juniper and earthy notes with a hint of sweetness that lead to a palate full of floral character, crisp and with citrus and a touch of spice. The finish is sweet and earthy.

Scapegrace Classic 42.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99 Hancocks

Using 12 botanicals and Southern Alps water, this gin has intense aromas of juniper, orange peel and deep spice.

Juniper and citrus lead on the palate, which is crisp but smooth.

Sir Winston Classic 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $75 1919 Distilling

A collaboration between Sir Winston Gin, 1919 Distilling and The Churchill gin bar in Auckland. Made using Lapsang tea (said to be Sir Winston Churchill's favourite) this gin balances smoke, citrus and juniper.

Designed to be sipped neat or served with tonic.

Sir Winston Rosa 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $75 1919 Distilling

Another collaboration between Sir Winston Gin, 1919 Distilling and The Churchill gin bar in Auckland, this expression is made using rose petals to create a delicate, aromatic gin. Fresh floral notes on the nose persist on the palate alongside fruit, juniper and citrus.

GIN REPORT

The Source 47% ABV, 750ml RRP $120 Cardrona Distillery

Sundown Dry Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 The Premium Liquor Co.

Victor Gin Kaffir Lime 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $82.99 Thomson

Aromas of juniper and citrus are balanced with an almost perfumed note. On the palate, this vapour-distilled gin is delicate, fresh and zesty, with the addition of seasonal locally foraged rosehip (first brought to the Cardrona Valley by Chinese immigrants) adding a regional character.

A juniper-forward gin in a classic dry style that uses kawakawa and horopito extracts. Aromas of zesty lime and lemon with a hint of floral. The palate is rounded with juniper and cardamom and the finish is light and refreshing.

Lifted, zesty kaffir lime notes pour out of this gin, which is based on the original Victor Gin by Thomson. The kaffir lime character continues on the palate alongside resinous juniper and pairs beautifully with the lemongrass and coriander botanicals. A fresh lime finish.

The Source Felton Road Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir ‘Pink’ Gin 47% ABV, 750ml RRP $150 Cardrona Distillery

Made to support Breast Cancer Awareness month, $5 from every bottle sold is donated to Breast Cancer Research.

The Source Pink Gin has been aged in Felton Road ex-Pinot Noir barrels, and offers lifted citrus with hints of red fruit.

Limited numbers available.

Sundown Black Doris Plum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 The Premium Liquor Co.

This mid-pink small batch gin uses a blend of five botanicals and is naturally flavoured with Black Doris plum. It has a plummy aroma with a marzipan character, fruity palate and soft finish.

Sundown Grapefruit & Elderflower 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 The Premium Liquor Co.

This gin has an almost rose-gold hue and a lusciously intense grapefruit aroma. The juicy citrus continues in the mouth with a delicate floral note from the elderflower.

Lingering grapefruit on the finish with underlying florals.

Victor Gin Original 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $75 Thomson

The White Sheep Co. Sheep Milk & Honey Gin 42% ABV, 500ml RRP $69.99 Beverage Brothers

With a very slightly pale yellow tint to its appearance, this gin has a soft, delicately creamy aroma with a slightly honeyed (almost toffee) sweetness. It’s silky, full and rounded on the palate with delicious flavours of crème brûlée. Ideal served neat or as a dessert martini.

A citrus freshness accompanies the juniper on the nose in this gin, while the palate is delicate, clean and refreshing with notes of lemon, lemongrass, cardamom and coriander.

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GIN REPORT

AUSTRALIA Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin 37.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Tickety-Boo

With wine-producing Yarra Valley as their home, the team at Four Pillars took advantage of the local product and steeped Shiraz grapes in their Rare Dry Gin to create this unique expression. It has aromas of fresh pine needles and spice, and a peppery, dense raspberry character.

The palate is sweet, with long juniper and spice characters to finish. It is unfiltered and bottled a deep purple that turns iridescent pink when mixed with tonic or soda.

Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin 41.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Tickety-Boo

Described as “a truly modern Australia gin”, this is a classic dry gin that combines spice and citrus. Cinnamon and star anise add rich fruitcake tones, Tasmanian pepperberry leaf creates warmth and lemon myrtle is a delicate alternative to lemon peel. Whole oranges used in the blend offer a highly aromatic nose and palate that supports the spicy botanicals.

Four Pillars Navy Strength 58.8% ABV, 500ml RRP $89.99 Tickety-Boo

Native finger limes, fresh ginger and turmeric are added to the mix in this Navy Strength expression from Four Pillars. It has lifted aromatics of lime curd, pine needles, and fragrant spices with a vanilla character. The palate is intense but still very clean.

Four Pillars Olive Leaf 43.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Tickety-Boo

This is the latest addition to the awardwinning Four Pillars range and uses olive leaf and oil sourced from Cobram Estate in northern Victoria, along with other botanicals including coriander seed, rosemary, bay leaf, lemon myrtle, macadamia, lemon and grapefruit. It has a savoury quality and is ideal for a dirty Martini or Spanish-inspired gin and tonic.

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Hemp Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

Manly Spirits Coastal Citrus Gin 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 EuroVintage

This dry gin from Australia was the first to market there using hemp as a key botanical. The hemp creates a savoury back note on the palate, with juniper, cardamom, coriander, lemon and liquorice adding freshness and underlying spice.

A gin designed to capture “rock pools, sea spray and summer time”. Earthy citrus notes from Lemon Aspen (a native tree), lemon myrtle and Meyer lemon partner with fresh coriander leaf to give a punchy citrus hit, which is offset by the delicate savoury flavours from local sea parsley.

Ink Gin 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Tickety-Boo

This gin pours a striking light indigo colour and transforms to brilliant violet when tonic is added. Butterfly pea is the key to the colour-changing trick and makes its presence felt in the gin with a subtle herbal note alongside the warm spice, pepper and zesty citrus from lemon myrtle leaf and sweet orange peel.

Manly Spirits Australian Dry Gin 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 EuroVintage

A classically Australian dry gin that uses coastal and marine foraged botanicals such as sea lettuce, finger lime and anise myrtle, in keeping with its Northern Beaches home in Sydney. It has aromas of fruity pepper with juniper and delicate citrus. The palate is full of soft spice and gentle pepper with a lingering complex finish.

Manly Spirits Lilly Pilly Pink Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 EuroVintage

One of Manly Spirits biggest-selling gins, this sugar-free pink expression was inspired by the vibrant summer berries of the native Lilly Pilly (known as ‘monkey apple’ in New Zealand) and the rambling edible pink flowers that grow in the coastal dunes of Sydney’s Northern Beaches. It also uses rosella flowers and nasturtium. The gin has a classic juniper-forward nose with a balanced palate of soft raspberry notes, leading to a dry earthy finish with native limes and blood orange.

Never Never Southern Strength 52% ABV, 500ml RRP $79.99 Proof & Co

A higher strength version of this Australian distillery’s Triple Juniper Gin, with more intense angelica, coriander and lemon characters. Aromas of pine mix with bright citrus and earthy angelica.

A full-flavoured gin, juniper leads on the palate with pepperberry spice and cinnamon warmth on the finish.

GIN REPORT

Never Never Triple Juniper 43% ABV, 500ml RRP $64.99 Proof & Co

Ki No Tea Kyoto Dry Gin 45.1% ABV, 700ml RRP $140 Pernod Ricard

A combination of steeping, pot and vapour distillation showcase juniper in this gin. On the palate it has a bright citrus character, intense juniper and earthy undertones of angelica, orris root, and woody spice. The finish is long, complex and dry with lingering juniper.

Created in collaboration with an historic tea-grower and blender based in the famous Uji region south of Kyoto, this gin uses super-premium Gyokuru and Tencha teas. It has a delicately sweet aroma, which is echoed on the palate. Notes of white chocolate followed by juniper lead to a long, clean finish of green tea.

JAPAN Etsu 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Tickety-Boo

Made on the Japanese island of Hokkaido, this gin has floral and vegetal aromas, with persistent notes of yuzu. It’s fresh and well-balanced on the palate, peppery with hints of green teas and berries. Sansho pepper on the finish with yuzu aromas.

Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin 45.7% ABV, 700ml RRP $120 Pernod Ricard

Distinctive Japanese botanicals give this gin its unique character. The botanicals are grouped into Citrus, Tea, Herbal, Spice and Fruity & Floral and macerated in premium rice spirit before being distilled individually. This gin has a lifted zesty aroma of yuzu with a hint of pepper. The palate is fresh and light with spice and a finish of warm ginger.

Ki No Bi ‘Sei’ Kyoto Dry Gin 54.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $140 Pernod Ricard

A high-proof bottling based on the original Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin (see above) designed for use in cocktails. This blend highlights the maximum intensity of each botanical.

Roku 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99 Beam Suntory

Six Japanese botanicals (sakura leaf, sakura flower, gyokuro tea, sencha tea, sanshō pepper and yuzu) are distilled individually then blended with eight traditional gin botanicals to create Roku.

The gin has aromas of juniper, with spicy pepper and an undertone of green tea.

It is smooth on the palate with initial citrus freshness of the yuzu giving way to intense pepper spice with a hint of delicate green tea. The hexagonal shaped bottle reflects the six Japanese botanicals.

CHINA Peddler’s Gin Co. 45.7% ABV, 750ml RRP $85 Proof & Co

Described as “the world’s first Shangai craft gin”, Peddler’s is a vapour-infused gin using Sichuan pepper, Buddha’s hand (a type of citrus) and lotus flower.

ENGLAND Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin 43.3% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Proof & Co

This gin is made from a wheat grain copper-pot still spirit infused with juniper, dried Seville orange peel, coriander, clove, cassia bark and cardamom. It has a juniper-rich aroma with a hint of cardamom, orange blossom and cinnamon. A creamy mouthfeel with a palate of juniper and subtle spice.

Lingering spice on the finish with slight orange peel character.

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GIN REPORT

Beefeater 24 45% ABV, 700ml RRP $47.99 Pernod Ricard

Beefeater Pink 45% ABV, 700ml RRP $42.99 Pernod Ricard

Beefeater Master Distiller, Desmond Payne (MBE), created this gin after being inspired by tea’s potential as a botanical during a visit to Japan. Sencha tea and Chinese green tea give clean, green notes to this gin, which also features grapefruit peel (to retain Beefeater’s classic citrus qualities) alongside coriander, orris root and angelica. The ‘24’ in the name refers to the fact the botanicals are steeped in the spirit for 24 hours before distillation.

Beefeater’s Pink expression combines natural strawberry flavour with citrus and classic juniper botanicals.

Beefeater Blood Orange 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $42.99 Pernod Ricard

A new gin from Beefeater and its Master Distiller Desmond Payne (MBE), that uses vibrant blood orange for a fresh expression. Aromas of fresh citrus and intense blood orange lead to more of the bitter-sweet fruit on the palate alongside classic juniper and angelica, developing into a long, rich finish. The blood orange colour also holds when mixed with tonic.

Beefeater London Dry 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $47.99 Pernod Ricard

Beefeater London Dry is a quintessential London dry gin made with big juniper character and strong citrus notes. It is still made to the original recipe created by Beefeater founder James Burrough, using bold juniper, zesty Seville orange and lemon peel.

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Bloom Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99 Federal Merchants

A fresh, fragrant gin with distinctive aromas of chamomile, honeysuckle and pomelo. Light and floral on the palate with a touch of sweetness and a smooth finish.

Bombay Bramble 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $51.99 – out November Lion

This new release from Bombay Sapphire uses an infusion of fresh blackberries and raspberries to create a rich and vibrant berry fruit flavour with no added sugar or artificial flavours.

Bombay Sapphire 40% ABV, 1L RRP $56.99, 700ml RRP $41.99 Lion

The distinctive ice-blue bottle of Bombay Sapphire is a staple behind bars around the world. The characteristics of its 10 botanicals are captured using vapour infusion. Flavours of juniper and citrus lead on the palate, along with spice from liquorice and coriander and underlying light woody notes.

Bombay Sapphire English Estate Limited Edition 41% ABV, 700ml RRP $49.99 Lion

A limited edition release from Bombay Sapphire designed to capture the heart of the English countryside. It’s infused with a blend of pennyroyal mint, rosehip and toasted hazelnuts. The gin is full of bright citrus notes invigorated with mint.

Boodles 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 EuroVintage

Boodles is distinct from many other gins in that it contains no citrus botanicals, as the original distillers expected a “proper drink” to include a slice of lemon or lime.

It is made from a spirit distilled from British wheat, with nutmeg, sage and rosemary balancing out the juniper.

Bulldog Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 EuroVintage

Bulldog’s distinctive spiked collar bottle references the punk rock era of modern England, while the London Dry gin inside was designed to capture the spirit of the original British bulldog, Winston Churchill.

A subtle juniper character sits alongside delicate floral and citrus aromas and flavour. A smooth gin with a clean finish.

GIN REPORT

Chase Elegant 48 Gin 48% ABV, 700ml RRP $91.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

This gin is made using rare varieties of apples from the 200-year-old orchards at Chase Distillery in the Herefordshire countryside. Hops, elderflower, Bramley apple, angelica root, orange and lemon peels, plus wild botanicals add to the delicate qualities of the gin, which has aromas of juniper, citrus, and floral characters. Elegant, crisp and fruity with subtle apple undertones. The finish is clean, aromatic and complex.

Chase GB Extra Dry Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

Chase Distillery in Herefordshire copper pot distils its own potato vodka with 10 classic gin botanicals to produce its GB Extra Dry Gin. It has aromas of citrus and spice, with flavours of juniper, lemon and underlying rich spice, with a dry finish.

Chase Hedgerow Elderflower Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $91.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

A floral and crisp elderflower gin with balanced juniper, subtle spice and floral sweetness.

Chase Oak-Aged Sloe & Mulberry Gin 29% ABV, 500ml RRP $74.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

Wild hedgerow sloe berries from Herefordshire and mulberries are gently macerated in Chase GB Extra Dry Gin and then aged in Rhône Valley red wine oak casks. The gin has aromas of sweet ripe blackcurrants, redcurrants, stone fruit and rich botanicals. The mouthfeel is smooth and rich, with sweet, fresh flavours of plummy stone fruit balanced with a touch of tartness. A long finish, with subtle oaky undertones.

Gordon’s new Sicilian Lemon is a Mediterranean twist on a 1931 recipe by Gordon’s and offers zesty lemon balanced with peppery juniper.

Chase Pink Grapefruit & Pomelo Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $91.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

Cotswolds Dry Gin 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA Whisky Galore

Fresh citrus flavours from the peels of pomelo and pink grapefruit are combined with Chase’s GB Extra Dry Gin. A floral, zesty gin with intense tartness on the palate, fresh grapefruit peel flavour and subtle juniper.

A dry gin made with nine botanicals, including locally sourced lavender. The distillery uses 10 times the botanical quantity of most gins, meaning it is likely to cloud when ice or tonic is added due to the high levels of natural oils and flavours that have been retained. The gin is sweet and piney with an earthy background; a hearty gin with a herbaceous quality as well, lifted by citrus and cooling eucalyptus. A recommended serve includes pink grapefruit and a bay leaf.

Chase Rhubarb & Bramley Apple 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $91.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

A gin that calls to mind classic rhubarb and apple crumble. Cold pressed English rhubarb and Bramley apples grown on the Chase Distillery farm in England’s Herefordshire give a fresh, tart character to the gin, which also has warm spice undertones of coriander, clove, ginger and cardamom.

Chase Seville Marmalade Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $91.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

A note on the bottle suggests this gin is ideal for a Breakfast Martini and its intense marmalade characters certainly play to that idea. It has delicate orange peel aromas and an intense bitter orange marmalade flavour with a refreshing lift.

A lingering bitter orange finish.

Gordon’s Gin 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $42.99 Lion

A consistently awarded classic London Dry gin – refreshing and juniper-forward with zesty citrus. Smooth on the palate.

Gordon’s Pink Gin 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $42.99 Lion

A blush-pink gin that combines Gordon’s Gin with natural fruit flavours of raspberries and strawberries, with the tang of redcurrant.

Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $42.99 – out October Lion

A new release from Gordon’s, the Sicilian Lemon expression is a Mediterranean twist on an original 1931 recipe by Gordon’s and uses only natural flavours.

A palate of complex zesty Sicilian lemon is balanced with peppery juniper.

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GIN REPORT

Greenall’s Wild Berry 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $42.99 Federal Merchants

Hayman’s Royal Dock Navy Strength 57% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Hancocks

This pink-hued gin has subtle aromas of red fruit balanced with rounded juniper notes and fresh citrus. On the palate there is citrus with underlying fruit and delicate sweetness on the finish.

This gin was first supplied to the English Admiralty in 1863. It has a subtle juniper aroma; on the palate the juniper intensifies, balanced with citrus and spice and gives way to a lingering finish of pepper and liquorice.

Half Hitch Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Hancocks

The key botanicals in this gin are black tea, bergamot, wood, hay and pepper. It has aromas of juniper and a citrus note from the bergamot with an undertone of pepper. On the palate there is a fresh note of sweet orange, balanced with earthy black tea. The finish is of subtle cinnamon and fresh lemon zest.

Greenall’s Blood Orange & Fig 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $42.99 Federal Merchants

A new expression from British brand Greenall’s, which infuses its original London Dry Gin with blood oranges and fig, using no additional sugar or sweetener. The bittersweet blood orange balances the sweetness of the fig to create a fruity, refreshing gin.

Greenall’s Original London Dry 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $42.99 Federal Merchants

A classic London Dry gin with rounded juniper notes and fresh, punchy citrus.

It’s smooth on the palate with citrus and spice. A lasting finish of delicate bitterness and residual sweetness.

Greenall’s Blood Orange & Fig gin is a fruity, refreshing new release from the British brand.

Hayman’s Dry Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $49.99 Hancocks

A classic London Dry gin using 10 botanicals steeped in English wheat spirit prior to distillation. Fresh, crisp and with a lively citrus finish.

Hayman’s Sloe Gin 26% ABV, 700ml RRP $49.99 Hancocks

Hayman’s version of this British classic has an intense plummy aroma with a hint of almond and delicious fruit flavours.

A complex, warming finish.

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Martin Miller’s Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 EuroVintage

A small-batch English gin blended in Iceland, to take advantage of that country’s pure spring water. It is pot distilled using two separate distillations, giving a balance of citrus and juniper. It has delicate floral aromas alongside juniper and a hint of citrus, which continue on the palate, with spice characters from cardamom and peppercorn.

Martin Miller’s Westbourne Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 EuroVintage

A higher strength gin created for the UK bar trade, it has an emphasis on the spicier, peppery notes of cassia and nutmeg, making it ideal for classic cocktails.

Martin Miller’s 9 Moons Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $109 EuroVintage

The first cask-aged gin from Martin Miller, this is matured for nine months in American oak bourbon barrels. The slight vanilla sweetness from the oak enhances and amplifies the botanicals, with citrus notes and light oak in the finish.

GIN REPORT

Martin Miller’s 26 Moons Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $149 EuroVintage

Opihr European Edition 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 Federal Merchants

Plymouth Sloe Gin 26% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 Pernod Ricard

Ageing in a single ex-Madeira cask for 26 months gives this gin a pale pink hue, slight vanilla sweetness and a dry freshness. It has citrus characters on the palate with soft floral notes in the finish.

A bold savoury-led gin with balanced burnt orange and bitter notes. It has smooth soft perfume notes with mature rounded orange notes and a woody, earthy finish. A smooth, rounded London Dry gin; soft camphor balanced with sweet smoky liquorice-type woody notes and a clean finish.

A classically English gin, from a classic English distillery. Plymouth’s Sloe Gin has clear aromas of sloe berries; fruity with notes of sweet cherry and a slight scent of almonds. On the palate it’s smooth, fruity and full-bodied with a balanced sweetness and acidity. The finish is long, fresh and fruity.

Opihr Far East Edition 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 Federal Merchants

Portobello Road No. 171 Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 EuroVintage

A bold, intense and richly spiced gin from the Far East. Invigorating warm spice notes of Szechuan peppers and a background of lemony thyme and lavender. Smooth, rounded London Dry gin with rich pungent spices that creates an intense warm mouth feel.

A selection of classic botanicals such as orris, lemon and bitter orange peels, nutmeg and cassia are blended with a base spirit distilled from English wheat to create what the gin’s creators call a salute to “London’s distillers of the past”. Solid flavours of juniper, citrus and coriander.

Plymouth Gin 41.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99 Pernod Ricard

Seagers Dry Gin 37.2% ABV, 1L RRP $36.99 Asahi Beverages NZ

A classic British gin that offers a rich, fresh aroma of juniper followed by notes of coriander and cardamom. It’s smooth, creamy and full-bodied with a slight sweetness and lemony bite, followed by an elegant, aromatic finish.

Aromas of juniper and citrus at the fore, Seagers has a light, slightly sweet flavour and a hint of warming spice.

No. 3 London Dry Gin 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA Whisky Galore

No. 3 is a London Dry gin made especially for Berry Bros. & Rudd, Britain’s oldest wine and spirit merchants, and is named for their address at 3 St. James’ Street, London. The gin itself is produced by De Kuyper Royal distillers in Holland, and is heady with the aroma and taste of juniper, floral notes and plenty of citric zing and a gingery spice of coriander.

Opihr 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 Federal Merchants

This gin takes its name (pronounced o-PEER) from a legendary region on the ancient Spice Route and its recipe is inspired by the exotic spices traded, including spicy cubeb berries from Indonesia, black pepper from India and coriander from Morocco. Aromas of rich spice, with a perfumed character and bursts of citrus. Cumin and cardamom provide a warm earthy background balanced with grapefruit peel. Slight sweetness with warming spice and a long finish of black pepper and spice.

Silent Pool Gin 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $99 EuroVintage

This gin is made with 24 botanicals and water from the Silent Pool – a lake in the UK’s Surrey Hills. A rich, clean gin with layers of lavender and chamomile and notes of citrus and kaffir lime. Locally sourced honey adds a touch of sweetness.

Well-balanced with a smooth finish.

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Sipsmith London Cup 29.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $61.99 Beam Suntory

Star of Bombay 47.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $86.99 Lion

Tanqueray Rangpur 41.3% ABV, 700ml RRP $56.99 Lion

In the style of a punch, Sipsmith London Cup is made from the Sipsmith London Dry Gin infused with Earl Grey tea, borage, lemon verbena and a host of other botanicals. The aroma is sweet with orange and a background of cardamom.

Gentle sweetness on the palate and finishes dry with complex spice.

A bolder expression of the original Bombay Sapphire, this version has two additional botanicals: ambrette seeds from Ecuador and dried bergamot orange peel from Italy’s Calabria region. Star of Bombay uses slower vapour infusion and distillation to create a more intense gin with richer aromas and deeper flavours.

This citrus-forward expression from Tanqueray uses Rangpur lime which, despite the name, is actually a cross between a mandarin and a lemon. It adds the zestiness of lime and the juiciness of mandarin orange to the gin.

Sipsmith London Dry 41.6% ABV, 700ml RRP $81.99 Beam Suntory

Tanqueray 47.3% ABV, 1L RRP $56.99 Lion

A classic London Dry gin with intense juniper and delicate citrus on the nose.

Juniper leads on the palate with lemon and subtle spice. A lingering citrus and juniper finish.

Widely regarded as the quintessential London Dry Gin, Tanqueray is beloved by bartenders the world over. It has aromas of juniper with a subtle citrus character. Clean and dry on the palate with intense juniper and liquorice that lingers on the finish.

Sipsmith Sloe Gin 29% ABV, 500ml RRP $71.99 Beam Suntory

Sipsmith freezes wild sloe berries to break the skins, then rests them in its London Dry Gin for three to four months. The resulting gin has aromas of marzipan and sweet, rich red fruit, while on the palate there is jammy red fruit and more marzipan character.

Sipsmith V.J.O.P. 57.7% ABV, 700ml RRP $121.99 Beam Suntory

As the name indicates, juniper takes the lead role in this higher strength gin (V.J.O.P. stands for Very Junipery Over Proof) with three times the juniper used in Sipsmith’s London Dry. It has an intense juniper aroma and flavour, with an undertone of rich spice.

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Thomas Dakin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Federal Merchants

A juniper-led classic style with sweet orange and citrus notes, English coriander and a peppery, savoury finish from the unique botanical addition of red cole (horseradish).

Warner’s Elderflower Gin 40% ABV, 200ml RRP $29.99 and 700ml RRP $89.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

This gin is distilled with Sevilla orange essences to create a gin that balances the bittersweet taste of Seville oranges with the complexity of Tanqueray London Dry Gin.

A delicate expression of Warner Edwards rural farm distillery in the UK, this gin is infused with fresh elderflowers. These are handpicked on the property and go from field to bottle in just a few hours. A balanced gin that is smooth, sweet and delicately fragrant with summer elderflower.

Tanqueray No. Ten 47% ABV, 1L RRP $99.99 Lion

Warner’s Honeybee Gin 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

An elegant gin that uses whole fresh citrus fruit during distillation. Aromas of sweet, fresh grapefruit lead to a soft, viscous, rounded mouthfeel. An elegant finish with distinct chamomile.

Honeybee Gin features 28 natural botanicals and is infused with honey sourced locally, and from Warner Edwards’ own hives at their UK farm distillery. The gin is floral and zesty with a lingering, gently sweet finish.

Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla 41.3% ABV, 700ml RRP $56.99 Lion

GIN REPORT

Warner’s Joules Apple & Pear Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

Warner’s Rhubarb Gin 40% ABV, 200ml RRP $29.99 and 700ml RRP $89.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

Warner’s Spring Blossom Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

A gin full of classic botanicals as well as apple and pear juice, calling to mind late harvest evenings. It has aromas of pear and fresh elderflower, with black pepper and macadamia. The palate is rich with cardamom spice, lychee and juniper leading to a finish of fresh, sweet orchard fruits

This gin can claim royal connections, as it’s made using a crop of rhubarb grown originally in the kitchen garden of Buckingham Palace during Queen Victoria’s reign. The rhubarb juice is extracted using a traditional fruit press and blended with Warner’s Harrington Dry Gin to create a blush pink expression that is sweet and tangy.

A limited edition floral gin created to celebrate early spring 2020 at Warner’s farm distillery. It has subtle floral aromas with lavender and notes of grapefruit and elderflower, leading to long-lasting sweet mandarin and berry flavours and a finish of rose, lavender and sweet berries.

Warner’s Lemon Balm Gin 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

A fresh, herbaceous and zesty dry gin that uses key botanicals freshly harvested from Warner’s own farm surrounds, where they grow lemon balm, lemon verbena and lemon thyme.

Warner’s London Dry Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

A soft, sweet, floral nose with elderflower, spicy cardamom and gentle lemon.

Juniper is upfront on the palate, leading to orange notes and a finish of sweet mint.

Warner’s Raspberry Gin 40% ABV, 200ml RRP $29.99 and 700ml RRP $89.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

A gin inspired by the farm hedgerows around Warner’s historic farm surrounds in Northamptonshire. Each bottle contains one-third fresh raspberries, blackberries and hand-picked hedgerow elderflowers.

It’s a jammy, vibrant gin with initial juniper and coriander that gives way to the sweet flavours of the hedgerow fruits.

Warner’s Sloe Gin 30% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

Sloe berries are handpicked from hedgerows on Warner Edwards UK farm distillery site and steeped in Harrington Dry Gin to create this intensely fruity gin.

Not overly sweet, it has notes of cherry and almond.

Warner’s Strawberry & Rose Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

A lusciously aromatic and fruity gin that sums up an English summer. This limited edition seasonal gin is made with a quarter real strawberry juice and fresh roses. It has aromas of strawberry jam, juniper and orange oil, leading to a palate of delicate rose and crème brûlée with nutmeg. The finish is rose blossom and strawberry compote.

Widges 41.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Proof & Co

A gin developed by spirits industry figure Jason “Widge” Williams of Proof & Co to be a gin for craft bartenders, with its slightly higher ABV and bright botanicals.

It’s a classically juniper-forward gin with an orange and cardamom character.

GUERNSEY Wheadon’s Rock Samphire and Pink Grapefruit Gin 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $89 Glengarry

A uniquely boutique gin from the island of Guernsey. It has fresh, ripe grapefruit on the nose and the zesty citrus continues on the palate, which is smooth, with a mineral edge from the rock samphire.

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IRELAND Dingle Gin 42.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA Whisky Galore

A vapour-infused gin made in Ireland’s south west. It’s distilled in a hand-beaten copper pot still using nine locally grown botanicals such as rowan berry, bog myrtle and heather alongside the classic juniper and angelica.

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 The Premium Liquor Co.

This gin takes its name from two key botanicals used in its creation: Drumshanbo (Meadowsweet) and Chinese Gunpowder tea, which is a green tea that has been slowly dried and carefully rolled into shiny pellets. The flavour is bold and bright with a slight spicy freshness.

Glendalough Rose Gin 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 Tickety-Boo

In addition to more traditional botanicals, this gin is made with distillations of three different roses, creating its natural pretty pink shade and giving it layered floral characters. The aroma is juicy and tangy rather than sweet, and the gin is light on the palate, where the rose element becomes more pronounced with a beautiful, delicately floral lift.

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Glendalough Wild Botanical Irish Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 Tickety-Boo

A seasonally-inspired gin that uses fresh botanicals from the mountains in Ireland’s County Wicklow. The botanicals are gathered and then distilled at Glendalough Distillery the next day to create a gin that captures the seasons.

Fresh floral aromas lead to flavours of juniper, citrus and pine, summer flowers and hints of autumn fruit, with a warming spice-driven finish.

Graham Norton’s Own Irish GiN 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 EuroVintage

In an expansion of his successful winemaking collaboration with New Zealand company Invivo, UK talk show host Graham Norton turned his hand to gin in 2019. It is small batch distilled in West Cork and uses 12 botanicals, some locally foraged. It has aromas of kaffir lime and juniper that continue on the palate, with citrus notes and a crisp finish.

Classic gin botanicals are accompanied by gooseberry, elderflower, rose hips and fuschia flowers.

Graham Norton’s Own Pink Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 EuroVintage

Made with Irish grain, this pink gin draws its flavour from a combination of 12 botanicals including rose petals, kaffir lime and rose hip. The gin is made in West Cork, and locally foraged fuchsia flowers add a delicate aroma, while an infusion of roses and cranberry give the gin its blush pink colour.

Method & Madness Irish Micro Distilled Gin 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $72.99 Pernod Ricard

There are 16 botanicals in this Irish gin, led by Black Lemon (dried limes) and Irish gorse flower. There is deep, dense citrus on the nose alongside juniper, a hint of sweetness and a floral lift. The palate is light, oily and mouth-filling, with flavours of ripe citrus. Lasting notes of juniper and subtle spice.

SCOTLAND The Botanist 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99 Hancocks

The botanical heritage of Islay, the southernmost island of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides, is the focus of this gin, in which 22 local botanicals (including tansy, hawthorn and bog myrtle) are added to nine classic gin aromatics. The gin is rich, intense and full-bodied yet smooth, with complex floral aromas.

GIN REPORT

Dunnet Bay Rock Rose Autumn 41.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

Dunnet Bay Rock Rose Sloe Gin 29% ABV, 500ml RRP $64.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

This autumn edition of Rock Rose Gin from northern Scotland’s Dunnet Bay Distillery uses blackberries, raspberries and blaeberries (bilberries) from the local area, as well as the distillery’s home-grown Vietnamese coriander and nasturtium flowers. A warm gin full of berry flavour and light spice.

Dunnet Bay’s Autumn Edition Gin is used as the base for this sloe expression, which includes elderberries, blaeberries (bilberries), and sloe berries. It’s sweetened with muscovado sugar to create a thick, dark sloe gin that is jammy and tart, yet smooth and rich.

Dunnet Bay Rock Rose Dry 41.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

The Dunnet Bay gins from Scotland offer a range of distinctive classic and seasonal releases.

Darnley’s Original Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 Glengarry

There’s a fresh, slightly sweet aroma to this gin with a lifted floral note from elderflower and an underlying thread of resinous juniper. It’s rounded and smooth on the palate, full of bright, zesty citrus.

Darnley’s Spiced Gin 42.7% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 Glengarry

There’s subtle spice with a touch of orange on the nose of this gin, leading to a smooth palate full of warming cinnamon and nutmeg and a lingering peppery heat.

A flavourful and fresh gin with zest and berry characters. Local botanicals such as rowan and hawthorn berries, sea buckthorn and rhodiola rosea (the rock rose) are hand-foraged from the cliffs and forests of Caithness in northern Scotland.

Dunnet Bay Rock Rose Navy Strength Gin 57% ABV, 700ml RRP $99.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

The higher ABV version of Rock Rose has a strong warm pine release at the front with notes of lemon sherbet. The middle palate has bold berries that give way to the deeper earthier notes of angelica and orris.

Dunnet Bay Rock Rose Old Tom Pink Grapefruit Gin 41.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

Organic pink grapefruit peel gives this classic Old Tom gin its zesty character with a touch of sweetness from muscovado sugar.

Dunnet Bay Rock Rose Spring 41.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

Locally foraged ingredients are designed to capture the sense of spring in northern Scotland’s Caithness. The Rock Rose Spring edition uses gorse flowers for a coconutty aroma, dandelion for earthy, liquorice flavours and coltsfoot for sweetness. Additional cardamom and water mint in the distillation bring balance and add freshness.

Dunnet Bay Rock Rose Summer 41.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

Distilled using ingredients from the Dunnet Bay Distillery gardens and rockery to create a seasonal expression of Rock Rose Gin. A citrus-forward gin using lemon balm, clover, lemon thyme, pineapple sage, meadowsweet and elderflower.

Dunnet Bay Rock Rose Winter 41.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

The hero botanical in this winter edition gin from Dunnet Bay Distillery is spruce tips, which lend an earthy, slightly citrusy character to the classic dry gin style.

Calling to mind bracing winter walks and chilly nights, this is a juniper-led, earthy gin with fragrant pine notes.

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GIN REPORT

Gin Brands 2 Scientists

The two scientists behind this local brand describe it as an "experimental project" crafted by hand at the Coromandel Distilling Company. Their gold medal debut The Cuckoo addresses the environmental problem of single-use glass bottles, by selecting, sandblasting and repurposing spirits bottles for a sea-glass finish before hand-sealing with cork and wax. The result is a rare, original New Zealand Dry Gin that insouciantly nests in the glassware of others. (Just like the bird.)

1919

Soren Crabb launched his Auckland distillery two years ago and prides himself on making his spirits from scratch.

The distillery’s name was inspired by the prohibition vote in New Zealand, which took place in December 1919 and was a close call – with just 50.3% of the vote against.

Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin

Hendrick’s Gin 41.4% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Federal Merchants

Isle of Harris 45% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA Whisky Galore

The use of cucumber and rose petal infusions give Hendrick’s its distinctively delicate quality, which has become much loved by aficionados the world over.

Its aroma has a hint of floral alongside the juniper, while on the palate there is freshness from the cucumber and exotic Turkish Delight from the rose. Complex, smooth and refreshing.

This gin embodies the elemental nature of its island home in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. Its maritime character derives from the local, hand-gathered sugar kelp seaweed that is its defining botanical. The kelp combines with eight other botanicals to create a smooth and complex gin.

Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice 43.4% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Federal Merchants

A variation on the much-admired Hendrick’s Original house style from its creator, Master Distiller Lesley Gracie. This is the first release from her experimental projects, dubbed the ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’. Inspired by the Summer solstice, when the Earth is at its maximum tilt towards the sun, the gin is infused with an array of floral essences, including orange blossom. A bright take on the original Hendrick’s expression.

Red Door 45% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA Whisky Galore

Red Door gin is produced in the Speyside family-owned Benromach distillery.

Distilled in ‘Peggy’, the distillery’s handmade copper pot gin still, the base spirit is vapour-infused with local botanicals including some that are uniquely Scottish such as rowanberry and sea buckthorn.

A zingy citric flavour is joined by floral notes (heather) and an edge of earthiness.

Adding raspberries to a G&T serve brings out the gin’s fruity character.

A British spirits brand based in Kent, England. Founded in 2011, it also produces Ableforth’s Rumbullion, Cold Distilled Absinthe and Cherry Brandy.

Ariki

New Zealand company Ariki takes its name from the M ori word for a paramount chief or leader, also known on other islands of Polynesia as Ari’i (Tahiti) and Ali’i (Samoa, Hawaii). The company says its refers to its position as the Pacific region’s first ultra-premium spirits brand.

Ariki produces gin and vodka, both using Rarotongan vanilla and Tongan coconut, and supports organic growers in Polynesia.

Batch 10

A New Zealand spirits company based in Puhoi, north of Auckland. Batch 10 launched in 2017 with a honey bourbon and has since grown its range to include gin.

Beefeater

This famed English gin was first produced in 1876 by James Burrough, who named it for the Beefeaters at the Tower of London. Initially distilled in Chelsea, then in Lambeth, Beefeater moved to Kennington, still its home today, in 1958. Desmond Payne became Master Distiller in 1995 and remains in his role today. Beefeater is owned by Pernod Ricard.

Black Collar

This Northland distillery launched in 2017 and produces award-winning gin, rum and vodka.

Black Robin Rare Gin

Red Door gin is produced in the Speyside family-owned Benromach distillery.

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Part of the spirits range from New Zealand company Simply Pure, which also makes Fiordland Blue Duck Rare Vodka.

Simply Pure is a champion of ‘sustainable luxury’ and ethical consumption, and donates a percentage of profits from the sale of its products to Forest & Bird, which works to protect wildlife like the Black Robin and Blue Duck featured on its bottles.

GIN REPORT Bloom

Cardrona Distillery

Dingle Whiskey Distillery

Bloom London Dry Gin is distilled at the G&J Distillery in England’s north-west, which has been operating since 1761 and is the oldest continuous gin distillery in the world. Master Distiller Joanne Moore (one of the world’s first female Master Distillers) oversees the brand.

Other brands produced at G&J include Opihr, Greenall’s and Thomas Dakin.

After opening in 2015, Cardrona Distillery in the Cardrona Valley has quickly made a name for itself in artisan spirits. Its range comprises vodka, gin and limited edition liqueurs.

The Dingle Whiskey Distillery is an independent family-owned craft distillery that opened in 2012. It’s named for the port town of Dingle, in Ireland’s south west, where it is located. Its initial focus was on whiskey, but it now also makes award-winning gin and vodka.

The Bond Store

Based on the Kapiti Coast, the Bond Store is a family business specialising in spirits and liqueurs. Its range includes limoncello, gin and vodka.

Blush

Chase Distillery

A single estate distillery established by potato farmer William Chase on his working farm in England’s Herefordshire. Chase Distillery makes its own base spirit for its vodka and gins from potatoes grown on site.

The distillery’s first vodka was made in 2008.

Citadelle

Blush Gin was created in Auckland by restaurateur Elliot McClymont, and engineer and former publican Chris Thomas in late 2017. Blush also makes a vodka.

The gin brand of Maison Ferrand, a Cognacproducing House taken over nearly 30 years ago by craft distiller Alexandre Gabriel. He launched Citadelle in 1996 and it was the first in France’s artisanal gin movement.

Bombay Sapphire

Cotswolds

Bombay Sapphire was launched in 1987 and has grown to become one of the world’s most famous gins, in its distinctive blue bottle.

‘Bombay’ references gin’s popularity in India during Queen Victoria’s rule (her image appears on the label), while ‘Sapphire’ refers to the Star of Bombay, a 182-carat sapphire on display at the Smithsonian Institute.

Bombay Sapphire is owned by Bacardi and is produced at historic Laverstoke Mill in Hampshire, England.

Cotswolds Distillery opened in 2014 and was the first full-scale distillery in the famed Cotswolds area of England, which runs through five counties and is famed for its rolling hills and quintessentially English villages. It specialises in single malt whisky but also makes gin and a range of small batch releases.

Curiosity Gin

Drumshanbo

A brand that’s part of The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim in rural northwest Ireland.

Dunnet Bay

Husband and wife team, Martin and Claire Murray, produce a range of spirits from their Dunnet Bay distillery in Caithness on the north coast of Scotland, including the Rock Rose range. Rock Rose takes its name from the local botanical Rhodiola rosea, a rose found on the coast, where Vikings once harvested it as a source of strength and vitality.

Elemental Distillers

Marlborough’s Elemental Distillers first launched with a range of three boutique bitters and went on to launch their first gin in mid-2019. They have a micro-distillery and tasting room in Rapaura.

Elephant

Distilled, manufactured and bottled in the UK, Boodles is named after an exclusive 250-year-old private London gentleman’s club in St James Street, which can claim Winston Churchill and Ian Fleming as past members.

This New Zealand brand launched after four friends with backgrounds in the food, beverage and dairy sectors got together and bought a still in late 2015, keen to see if they could develop distinctly New Zealand spirits. The Spirits Workshop is now a small batch craft distillery in Christchurch producing Curiosity Gin, Crux Vodka, rum and single malt whisky.

This range of gins is made in Germany, yet takes its inspiration from Africa – particularly the tradition of a ‘sundowner’, the south African term for a sunset cocktail after a hard day’s work. Its botanical line-up includes ingredients unique to Africa, such as baobab. Elephant Gin gives 15 per cent of all proceeds to two African elephant foundations to support the preservation of African wildlife.

The Botanist

The Dam Fine Gin Company

Empress Gin

Made on Islay, the southernmost island of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides, The Botanist is described as an exploration of Islay’s botanical heritage and uses 22 botanicals that are foraged by hand.

This Hawke’s Bay brand is part of The Damson Collection, first started in 2007 and now owned by Fiona Tomlinson. Its range includes food products as well as the awardwinning liqueur.

A Candian gin brand inspired by the tea service at the historic Fairmont Empress Hotel in British Colombia. Its recipe includes an Empress tea with other botanicals to create its distinctive colour.

Broken Heart

Dancing Sands

Etsu

Master Distiller Joerg Henkenhaf first released Broken Heart gin several years ago following the death of the close friend with whom he had first created it. The pair, both from Germany, had wanted to create a gin that captured the essence of their new homeland. Queenstown-based Broken Heart Spirits has since grown to include new gins, as well as a spiced rum, and vodka and is available in 19 countries.

Dancing Sands Distillery in Nelson’s Golden Bay makes gin, vodka and rum using water from an aquifer that feeds the famed Te Waikoropupu Springs (“The Place of the Dancing Sands”) which is regarded as the clearest spring in the world. Owner Ben Bonoma describes the water in their gin as “the ninth botanical”.

This gin is made at the Asahikawa Distillery on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Boodles Gin

Bulldog Gin

This London Dry gin was created in the USA in 2007 by entrepreneur Anshuman Vohra, to capture the spirit of the original British bulldog, Winston Churchill, whom Vohra greatly admired. Its distinctive heavy glass bottle with spiked collar references the punk rock era of modern England. Bulldog expanded into Europe in 2009 and was acquired by Campari Group in 2017.

Bureaucrats Gin

Born in the country’s bureaucratic heart, the Wellington team behind this brand launched their first gin, The Bureaucrat, in August 2018.

Darnley’s

Brother and sister William and Isabella Wemyss are behind Darnley’s Gin, which is made in a farm cottage in the Kingdom of Fife on the East coast of Scotland. It uses a range of botanicals, some of which are grown in the cottage garden.

Denzien Urban Distillery

Wellington’s first inner city gin distillery launched in late 2018 in Lombard Lane. Its first release, Te Aro Dry Gin, was awarded Best New Zealand Gin and Best Overall Gin at the NZ Spirits Awards 2019.

Exhibit A

Exhibit A Gin is part of a new New Zealand design brand launched in 2020 that aims to create perfect experiences by forging collaborations between artists, thinkers and makers. Founder Sara Bruce also created My Exhibition, an online collection of curated vintage items.

Four Pillars

One of Australia’s leading craft distillers, Four Pillars is based in Victoria’s Yarra Valley.

Founded in 2013, its stated aim is bring modern Australia flavours to gin-making.

Gabriel Boudier

Founded in France in 1874, Gabriel Boudier is a Dijon-based producer of spirits and liqueurs.

Ginarte

An Italian gin brand inspired by art. Its botanicals include those used by artists to make pigment for their paints. The bottles feature a range of artworks on the side panels.

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GIN REPORT Gin Mare

Hayman’s

Kyoto Distillery

The Gin Mare brand was launched in 2010 and the Italian gin’s distillery is in a 13th century chapel located in an ancient fishing village between the Costa Brava and the Costa Dorada, south of Barcelona. It is strongly associated with the Mediterranean, using botanicals such as Spain’s arbequina olive, Italian basil, Greek thyme and Turkish rosemary.

A family-owned gin distilling business that traces its roots back to London in the 1860s and makes the Haymans the only family of original English gin makers still distilling today.

Kyoto Distillery is Japan’s first dedicated artisanal gin distillery. It is based in the south of Kyoto City and uses local botanicals in its range of gins.

Hemp Gin

Larios

First created for a university assignment, Hemp Gin was the first Australian gin to use hemp as a key botanical. It is distilled and bottled in Sydney.

A Spanish gin brand that traces its origins to Malaga on the Mediterranean coast, where a distillery was established in 1866. The distillery was bought by the third Marques de Larios, who founded Casa Larios in 1916.

Glendalough

The Glendalough Distillery, south of Dublin, was set up by five friends keen to revive Ireland’s craft distilling heritage. It produces gin, whiskey and traditional Irish poitín. The distillery’s labels features Saint Kevin of Glendalough, a holy man who founded a monastic settlement in the area in the 6th century. Glendalough was bought by Mark Anthony Brands (owners of White Claw hard seltzer) in late 2019.

Good George

Hamilton brewery Good George was founded in 2011 and has grown to become a major player on New Zealand’s local beer scene. It launched its first gins in 2020.

Gordon’s

This famous English brand was first created

by Alexander Gordon at his London distillery in 1769. It is now made at Cameron Bridge Distillery in Fife, Scotland and is owned

by Diageo.

Gracias a Dios

Mexican artisan distillers Gracias a Dios (GAD) are best known for their range of mezcal, which they make in the state of Oaxaca. They also make three gins under their GAD brand.

Graham Norton’s Own

The gin range from UK talk show host Graham Norton, made in partnership with New Zealand’s Invivo & Co. The two gins (Irish Gin and Irish Pink Gin) are produced by West Cork Distillers, near Norton’s home.

Greenall’s

First produced more than 250 years ago, Greenall’s Original London Dry Gin still uses its original recipe. It is made at G&J Distillery in England’s north-west, which has been operating since 1761 and is the oldest continuous gin distillery in the world.

G’Vine

A French gin made at Maison Villevert, a 16th century family estate just outside Cognac in southwestern France. Made with grape spirit, the G’Vine gins are designed to capture nuances of the vineyard.

Half Hitch

Half Hitch established its micro distillery in Camden Lock, once the heart of London’s gin distilling and warehousing industry. The name Half Hitch refers to the strong rope knot used to moor barges along the lock during the industrial era.

Hastings Distillers

Founded in 2019, Hastings Distillers is an artisan distillery run by Kate Galloway and partner David Ramonteu, who both have winemaking backgrounds. They are making New Zealand’s first certified organic spirits and liqueurs.

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Hendrick’s

The recipe for Scottish gin Hendrick’s was developed by Master Distiller Lesley Gracie in 1999, when parent company William Grant & Sons was looking for a new spirit to add to its portfolio. It uses infusions of rose and cucumber to create its unique flavour profile.

Husk Distillers

A ‘paddock to bottle’ distiller based in Australia’s NSW. Husk launched with an agricole rum made from cane grown on the family’s farm, and also produces Ink Gin. Imagination

Friends Chris Charteris and Simon Wilson launched their New Zealand gin brand Indiginous in March 2019, but rebranded to Imagination in mid-2020. The distillery is on the Kapiti Coast (in the original Tuatara Brewery site) and their range of gins aims to highlight indigenous/locally sourced ingredients. Each gin also features artwork by a different tattoo artist.

Island Gin

Andi Ross is the owner/distiller of Island Gin on Great Barrier Island. The distillery has a focus on sustainability: sourcing local ingredients, using a solar-powered bottling line and using bottles made from recycled glass. Her first products launched in late 2019 and her bottle design won the Innovation Awards at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.

Isle of Harris

Isle of Harris Distillery is in the small village of Tarbert on Scotland’s Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides.

Juno

An award-winning New Zealand gin brand established in Taranaki in early 2017 by husband and wife team Jo and Dave James.

It has a strong focus on locally grown, seasonal botanicals and the couple are part of a project working towards New Zealandgrown juniper berries too.

Karven

New Zealand craft distillers Karven launched in late 2016 and produce a range of smallbatch spirits in Puhoi, north of Auckland. The range includes gin, vodka, vermouth, absinthe and amaro.

Kiwi Spirit Distillery

A family-owned and run distillery in Nelson’s Golden Bay that makes a range of spirits and liqueurs.

KJ & Co

A New Zealand small batch distillery based in Marlborough.

Lavender Hill

Jason and Trish Delamore own Lavender Hill in Riverhead, north west of Auckland.

As well as operating a B&B and farm, they also produce two gins (one using awardwining lavender oil they make from their own lavender) and a limoncello using their own lemons.

Le Gin De Christian Drouin

Maison Drouin is an historic estate in Normandy, France. It was best known for its calvados before third generation Guillaume Drouin joined the family business and saw the potential for a gin based on the apples from the estate’s orchards.

Lighthouse Gin

Established in 2005, award-winning Lighthouse Gin was one of the first distillers on New Zealand’s now burgeoning craft distillery scene. It takes its name from the Cape Palliser lighthouse on the southernmost tip of the North Island and is produced in Martinborough. Its most recent accolades include Gold for Lighthouse Gin at IWSC 2020.

Malfy

The Malfy distillery is in the Piedmontese town of Moncalieri in Italy. Established in 1906, Torino Distillati is run by the Vergnano family.

Malfy is known for its use of coastal grown Italian lemons in its distillations.

Manly Spirits Co.

Located on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Manly Spirits Co. has a built a reputation as Australia’s coastal craft spirits producer, using locally sourced marine and coastal foraged botanicals.

Martin Miller’s

This small-batch English gin was created in 1999 by entrepreneur and bon vivant Martin Miller, who died in 2013. It is distilled in England and then blended with pure Icelandic spring water. Martin Miller’s Gin is one of the most highly awarded gins in the world.

McQueen and the Violet Fog

This gin brand is owned by family owned and run Sovereign Brands, a global wine and spirits company. McQueen and the Violet Fog is made in Jundiaí, Brazil, and uses 21 botanicals gathered from all over the world. It is made in batches of just 500 litres (55 cases) each time.

Method & Madness

This micro-distillery at the Midleton Distillery in County Cork is based on a collaboration by a team of masters and apprentices in distilling, blending and maturation. It is owned

by Pernod Ricard and overseen by Jameson’s Head Distiller, Brian Nation. Method & Madness also makes a range of whiskeys.

GIN REPORT

Verano Lemon 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 Federal Merchants

Citadelle Reserve 45.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $99.99 Proof & Co.

G’Vine Floraison 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $75.99 EuroVintage

A fruit flavoured gin infused with Spanish lemons and zesty lemon peel to create intense lemon aromas and a zest citrusfilled flavour.

Distiller Alexandre Gabriel was one of the first to release an aged gin, with his Citadelle Reserve in 2008. After several years of experimentation, he perfected his recipe by adding yuzu, génépi (wormwood) and bleuet (cornflower) and resting the gin for five months in five different types of barrels: acacia, mulberry, cherry, chestnut and French oak. The gin is then blended and refined in an eight-foot tall, egg-shaped oak barrel. Citadelle Reserve has aromas of dried spice, herbs and juniper. It is silky in the mouth with spice, pepper and notes of lemon zest, ginger and almond.

Made with grape spirit at a 16th century family estate in the heart of Cognac country, G’Vine Floraison aims to capture springtime in the vineyard. Its signature botanical is the flower of the grapevine, which exists for just a few days before maturing into a grape berry. These flowers are handpicked, macerated in the grape spirit and then distilled before being blended with nine botanicals. Its floral aroma has an almost vanilla sweetness.

The flavour is rounded and smooth, leading to a warming finish of liquorice, ginger and nutmeg.

Citadelle Original is an artisanal French gin using 19 botanicals including violet and blackcurrant.

Created as a richer, intensely aromatic alternative to dry gins, G’Vine Nouaison uses a range of fruit, aromatic and spice botanicals with its grape distillate.

Verano Watermelon 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 Federal Merchants

This fruit pink gin is infused with a handmade distillate of fresh Spanish watermelon. It has a delicately sweet flavour and refreshing finish.

FRANCE Citadelle Original 44% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 Proof & Co.

An artisanal French gin using 19 botanicals; among them violet, iris and blackcurrant. Creator Alexandre Gabriel uses a patented progressive infusion method in which each botanical is infused in an alcohol made from French wheat.

This creates an elegant gin that is soft and smooth. Subtle aromas of juniper and citrus continue on the palate alongside notes of pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon.

The distinctive bottle was inspired by 18th century France.

Gabriel Boudier Saffron Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Tickety-Boo

The distinctively earthy aroma of saffron sits alongside piney juniper in this vibrant gold gin. It has a rich spiced flavour with an underlying earthiness, complex spice and a hint of sweetness.

G’Vine Nouaison 45% ABV, 700ml RRP $75.99 EuroVintage

Le Gin de Christian Drouin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 Hancocks

Made by a house specialising in French calvados, this unique gin has a luxurious aroma that calls to mind caramelised apples and rich fruit. It incorporates 30 apple varieties and complementary aromatics such as rose, lemon, ginger and cardamom. On the palate the juniper is subtle, while the sweet apple flavour continues with a hint of delicate rose, underlying warming spice and a soft finish.

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 87

GIN REPORT Monkey 47

Reefton Distilling Co.

Sipsmith

This gin’s origins trace to southern Germany’s Black Forest region, where it is still made today. Following World War II, a British commander in the Royal Air Force (Monty Collins) was living in Berlin and sponsoring an egret monkey while helping with the rebuild of Berlin Zoo. He later moved to the Black Forest and, finding an abundance of juniper, pure water and herbs, developed his gin recipe. It was unearthed years later alongside a bottle labelled ‘Max the Monkey – Schwarzwald Dry Gin’. The ‘47’ refers to the number of plant ingredients used in the gin’s distillation.

Launched in October 2018, Reefton Distilling Co. was founded by Reefton local Patsy Bass and is based in the historic West Coast town where it also has a tasting room. Locally foraged botanicals are used in the range of gins. Reefton Distilling Co. also produces vodka, whisky and liqueur.

Craft distillers Sipsmith made their name in 2009 when they became the first traditional copper gin distillery to open in London in nearly 200 years. Their gins found early success with trade and consumers and in 2017 Beam Suntory took a controlling interest in the brand with plans to accelerate global growth.

Sipsmith also makes a barley vodka.

The National Distillery Company

This Napier-based craft distillery released its first gins in mid-2019. It is based in the Art Nouveau building formerly known as The National Tobacco Company in Ahuriri and its tasting room is due to open in 2021. Its Hemp Gin was awarded Best New Zealand Gin and Best Overall Gin at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.

Never Never Distilling Co.

A leading Australian craft distillery based in Adelaide. Its name was chosen to evoke the Australian spirit of adventure.

No. 3

This gin was made for Berry Bros. & Rudd, Britain’s oldest wine and spirit merchants, and is named for their address at 3 St. James’ Street, London. The gin itself is produced by De Kuyper Royal distillers in Holland.

Opihr

A gin brand inspired by the ancient Spice Route. Its name (pronounced o-PEER) comes from a legendary region on the route. Opihr is distilled at the G&J Distillery in England’s north-west, which has been operating since 1761 and is the oldest continuous gin distillery in the world.

Peddlers Gin

A Chinese craft gin made in Shanghai using organic botanicals are foraged from locations such as Sichuan, Yunnan, Xinjiang and Gansu for a distinctively Eastern flavour.

Portobello Road No. 171

Three friends (and former bartenders and restaurateurs) created Portobello Road No. 171 Gin in London in 2011. The trio had earlier bought the city’s historic Portobello Star pub and converted the upstairs into a gin museum experience – the Ginstitute – where they developed the gin.

Plymouth Gin

Plymouth Gin was established in 1793 and is still made today in the oldest working gin distillery in England: The Black Friar’s building, which dates back to the 1400s. It’s one of the oldest buildings in Plymouth, and protected as a national monument.

Red Door

Red Door gin is produced by the familyowned Benromach distillery on the fringes of the Speyside region in Scotland. Distilled in ‘Peggy’, the distillery’s hand-made copper pot gin still, the base spirit is vapour-infused with local botanicals including some that are uniquely Scottish such as rowanberry and sea buckthorn.

88 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

Reid + Reid

Kiwi brothers Chris and Stewart Reid founded Reid + Reid Dry Gin in 2016, inspired by the thriving UK craft distilling scene. The distillery is based in Martinborough.

Riot & Rose

Riot & Rose comprises two signature gins, with each referencing an era in which gin was at the fore: the 1740s in the midst of the London gin riots, and the 1920s. Riot & Rose is based in Marlborough.

Rose & Twig

A New Zealand brand small batch gin brand launched in 2019.

Roku

The premium gin brand from Japanese distillery Suntory (now Beam Suntory).

Suntory was founded in 1899 and is the No.1 whisky distiller in Japan, known for its flagship single malt whisky “Yamazaki”, “Hakushu” and the blended whiskies “Hibiki”.

In 2014, Suntory Holdings acquired Beam Inc. to create Beam Suntory, the world’s third largest premium spirits company.

Rutte

The Rutte family first started distilling spirits in Holland in 1872 and still hand-makes its gins and genevers in the same room where founder, Simon Rutte, concocted his first spirits. It is the smallest distillery in Holland.

St. George

California’s St. George Spirits was founded in 1982 by master distiller Jörg Rupf. Regarded as a leader in the American craft spirits movement, the distillery’s portfolio has grown to include single malt whiskey, agricole rum, absinthe, gin, vodka, brandy and liqueur.

Scapegrace

Three New Zealand friends launched Rogue Society Distilling Co. in 2014 and its two gin expressions quickly became some of the top sellers in New Zealand, also garnering international awards. A trademarking issue with a US brewery saw Rogue Society change its name to enter the European market and in early 2018 its gins were renamed ‘Scapegrace’, which is an 18th century word for ‘rogue’, ‘free-spirit’ and ‘libertine’.

Spacegrace Gold was awarded Best London Dry Gin at the IWSC 2018.

Seagers

The London style dry gin first made by Seager Evans and Co, a London-based wine and spirits company established in 1805.

Silent Pool Distillers

This English distillery is on Albury Estate in the Surrey Hills and takes its name from the nearby Silent Pool, famed as the place where a local woodcutter’s daughter drowned while trying to escape the advances of King John in the 13th century. A group of friends built the distillery on the banks of the spring-fed pool where the award-winning gin is made.

Tanqueray

Tanqueray was developed in the 1830s by Charles Tanqueray, a clergyman’s son who chose not to follow the family calling and instead opened a distillery in Bloomsbury, London. His recipe, which Tanqueray still uses today, used just four botanicals: juniper, angelica root, liquorice and coriander seeds.

The brand is owned by Diageo.

Thomas Dakin

One of the more recent gin offerings from London, this gin is named after one of England’s 18th century gin pioneers.

Verano

A Spanish-inspired gin range made in Scotland. The Verano brand is owned by William Grant & Sons.

Victor

The gin brand from New Zealand craft distillers Thomson, which was established by husband and wife team Rachael and Mathew Thomson in 2010. They initially blended whiskies and distilled single malt at their distillery in Riverhead, in Auckland’s north west, then added Victor gin to the range of spirits in August 2017.

Warner’s

An English craft distilling company specialising in small-batch artisan gins. Warner Edwards operates from a 200-year-old barn on Falls Farm in the village of Harrington, Northamptonshire and uses the farm’s natural spring water in its spirits.

Wheadon’s

A family business on the island of Guernsey that makes premium artisan gin distilled in very small batches, using seasonal infusions inspired by the maritime environment. The gins are produced in traditional copper stills in the cellar lounge of the Bella Luce Hotel in St Martins by proprietor Luke Wheadon.

The White Sheep Co.

Sam Brown launched this New Zealand brand in early 2019, using sheep’s milk as the basis for his gin, vodka and cream liqueur. White Sheep Co. uses small batch fermentation and a traditional copper still.

Widges Gin

Widges was developed by spirits industry figure Jason ‘Widge’ Williams, who is creative director at spirits company Proof & Co. Widges is distilled at Langley Distillery in England.

GIN REPORT

GERMANY Elephant Dry Gin 45% ABV, 500ml RRP $79.99 Federal Merchants

A subtle juniper aroma with herbaceous notes. A complex but smooth palate of floral, fruit and spice flavours.

Elephant Sloe Gin 35% ABV, 500ml RRP $79.99 Federal Merchants

Fresh sloe berries are combined with Elephant Dry Gin to create a rounded, lightly sweet and fruity gin with a warm red hue. It has a rich fruit aroma with a slight note of marzipan, while on the palate it is slightly sweet with intense fruit flavours.

Elephant Strength Gin 57% ABV, 500ml RRP $94.99 Federal Merchants

HOLLAND

A stronger expression of the Elephant London Dry Gin, this version amplifies the aroma and flavours of the botanical blend.

Rutte Celery Gin 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99 Hancocks

Monkey 47 47% ABV, 500ml RRP $89.99 Pernod Ricard

An array of 47 botanicals go into this gin, which has its origins in southern Germany’s Black Forest region. Aromas of freshly crushed forest floor herbs sit alongside the juniper. On the palate there are herbaceous flavours with rounded warmth from the spices.

Monkey 47 Sloe Gin 47% ABV, 500ml RRP $89.99 Pernod Ricard

The sloe gin expression from Monkey 47 uses wild-growing, hand-picked sloe berries from Germany’s Black Forest.

These are macerated in Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin and left to rest for four weeks, creating a richly flavoured sloe gin.

The Rutte family has used celery in its gins since it began distilling in the Netherlands in the 1870s. This is a light, citrusy gin distilled from seven classic gin botanicals, including its signature celery. It is dry, with a hint of lemon and a fresh celery note.

ITALY Ginarte 43.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 EuroVintage

Inspired by art, this gin is made with plants used by Renaissance artists to create coloured pigments for their painting, such as Calamint, safflower, mignonette, rubia and indigo. Other botanicals include angelica, lavender, hibiscus, elder flowers, pine buds, mountain pine and pine needles to produce a clean and complex gin.

Malfy Originale 41% ABV, 750ml RRP $58.99 Pernod Ricard

Aromas of juniper, coriander and anise lead to a crisp, dry palate with complex flavours of juniper, liquorice and a hint of citrus.

Malfy Rosa 41% ABV, 750ml RRP $58.99 Pernod Ricard

A pale pink gin with bright, fresh aromas of citrus, rhubarb and spicy anise. The Sicilian pink grapefruit and Italian rhubarb used in its creation provide a rich citrus flavour, with a tart note and a long citrus finish.

Malfy Con Arancia 41% ABV, 750ml RRP $58.99 Pernod Ricard

Sicilian blood orange peel in the distillation of this gin helps to create its deep ruby red colour. Aromas of orange blossom with a background of juniper; flavours of rich, bittersweet citrus with a long finish.

Malfy Con Limone 41% ABV, 750ml RRP $58.99 Pernod Ricard

A citrus-forward gin that uses the peels of Italian coastal-grown lemons in its distillation. Aromas of citrus and juniper with flavours of anise, citrus and coriander.

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GIN REPORT

SPAIN Gin Mare 42.7% ABV, 700ml RRP $75.99 EuroVintage

Spanish citrus and herbs are at the heart of this gin, which combines Arbequina olives, thyme, basil and rosemary in its creation. It has rich aromas of citrus, fennel and juniper, with a soft, rounded juniper-led flavour and a finish of intense botanicals and spice.

Larios 12 40% ABV, 1L RRP $46.99 Beam Suntory

A citrus-dominant blend of 12 botanicals, among them orange, mandarin, tangerine, lemon, lime, orange blossom, graperfruit and clementine. A delicate citrus aroma with subtle juniper notes leads to a palate of intense citrus and juniper with slightly spiced character from the nutmeg and coriander.

Larios Citrus 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $46.99 Beam Suntory

The addition of Mediterranean oranges gives this gin an intensely fruity aroma and flavour. Vibrant citrus on the palate with balanced sweetness.

Larios Dry Original 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $38.99 Beam Suntory

A blend of classic gin botanicals, creating a juniper aroma with a hint of citrus.

Clean and dry on the palate with a balance of juniper and citrus, and a lingering citrus finish.

Larios Rosé 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $46.99 Beam Suntory

An intensely sweet strawberry aroma leads to a palate of fruit sweetness and subtle citrus with a lingering sweet finish.

USA St George Botanivore 45% ABV, 750ml RRP $85.99 Proof & Co

A vibrant gin with floral, herbaceous and citrus characters thanks to an array of botanicals, including bergamot peel, Seville orange peel, Citra hops and fennel seed.

St George Terroir Gin 45% ABV, 750ml RRP $85.99 Proof & Co

A lush and aromatic gin inspired by San Francisco’s wild surrounds and using local Douglas fir and California bay laurel.

Notes of sage and with a hint of citrus alongside classic gin botanicals.

CANADA Empress 1908 42.5% 700ml RRP $79.99 The Premium Liquor Co.

Made using butterfly pea blossoms, this indigo coloured gin transforms into vivid violet when tonic or citrus is added. Its juniper aroma is underpinned by a savoury warmth from the butterfly pea, cinnamon and ginger. The palate is juniper-forward with fresh grapefruit balanced by delicate rose.

MEXICO Gracias a Dios Oaxaca Agave Gin 45% ABV, 750ml RRP $89.99 Tickety-Boo

This gin from Mexico’s renowned Gracias a Dios mezcal distillery uses their classic agave spirit as the base, which is then triple distilled with juniper and eight botanicals from the Oaxaca region, including avocado leaf, yerba santa, cacao and Oaxaca tangerine.

BRAZIL McQueen and the Violet Fog 40% ABV, 750ml RRP $74.99 Brandhouse

This small batch Brazilian gin uses 21 botanicals sourced from around the world, including Indian basil, calamansi, and Brazilian açai to create a gin that is smooth, complex and well-rounded.

For distributor details see Distributor Index on page 112.

90 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

OPINION – SPIRITS

Dominic Roskrow

UK-based world spirits expert Editor - Explore Whisky Australia

Is this the ‘Me too’ moment for the whisky world?

The latest edition of the Whisky Bible by writer Jim Murray has ignited a storm of controversy, with claims of sexist language and attitudes, as Dominic Roskrow explains.

HAS THE world of whisky reached its ‘Me too’ moment? If it has, good; it’s about time.

The issue arises because of the publication of this year’s Whisky Bible, a comprehensive review of hundreds of whiskies, nosed, tasted and written about by internationally acclaimed writer Jim Murray.

Every year there is some controversy or other – no other whisky writer can stir up international media coverage quite like Murray. This year, though, is different; former Scotchwhisky.com Editor Becky Paskin launched a very personal and vicious attack on Murray, accusing him on social media of sexism, objectifying women, and encouraging misogyny. Her views were picked up

by Forbes in America and The Times in London, unleashing a storm of abuse against Murray.

Some distilleries have somewhat opportunistically publicly supported Paskin, and London’s Whisky Exchange has censored him, delisting the Whisky Bible, a move that I have an issue with, as it goes against every instinct for me to allow someone else to decide what I read.

More blowback will undoubtedly follow.

None of the claims against Murray are new, but in the current climate it is very important that the issue is addressed properly and maturely. My initial reaction 92 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

“The language in the Whisky Bible is sexist, seedy, and totally unacceptable.” was to write to Paskin personally, offering my support, but choosing to opt out of a public response.

That’s not good enough. To say nothing is to be complicit. Me particularly, because on the back of Whisky Bibles going back several years I have been quoted as saying Jim Murray is the best whisky writer in the world.

I don’t know if the quote is on the 2021 issue as I haven’t seen it. But I still

believe that to be true. He is colourful, funny, opinionated and very, very committed to his cause. I know him better than most (though still not that well) and he’s a very complex and intriguing individual. He is as genuine as it’s possible to be.

But let’s not beat around the bush: he is a dinosaur, out of touch with an evolving and dynamic world of whisky, which he treats with disdain. And the language in the Whisky Bible is sexist, seedy, and totally unacceptable. He did himself a disservice trying to defend it.

It says everything that the only person who has backed him publicly is ageing white male American spirits writer Robin Robinson.

This shouldn’t turn into a witch hunt against Murray, though. Let’s call out the whole issue of sexism in whisky, and the patronising and unacceptable treatment of women at all levels of the whisky world.

Murray has many friends and followers in Australia and New Zealand (there is a direct correlation between the number of his fans and the number of miles away from Scotland they are). But both countries have some of the best bar managers and drinks experts in the world, and many are women.

We have a choice now. In which camp are you happiest?

SHOWCASE

Fresh for summer – Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon Following the huge success of Gordon’s Pink in New Zealand, distributor Lion is launching new Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon, which looks set to take summer by storm.

Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon gin is a Mediterranean twist on an original 1931 recipe by Gordon’s, made with high quality ingredients and using only natural flavours. It will be available as a full strength spirit (37.5% ABV, 700ml), and a premix with soda (4% ABV, 250ml).

Lion says that Sicilian Lemon has the capacity to recruit new unique drinkers into the category, and has already scored brilliantly in concept testing.

In consumer research, Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon gin tested ‘Outstanding’ – putting it on par with Gordon’s Premium Pink, but with more equal female and male appeal.

Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon is also less sweet than most other flavoured gins, therefore filling a gap in the category.

The Gin category in New Zealand is worth $46 million and is up 23.3% MAT. Gin premix is worth $18 million and is up 54% MAT, which is largely driven through Gordon’s.* Gordon’s Pink Gin has a value of over $2M+ after being in market for less than 18 months. Gordon’s Pink Gin & Soda 12 x 250ml is the biggest SKU in Gin Premix after less than a year of being in market, overtaking Gordon’s London Dry & Tonic 12 x 250ml in the last quarter*.

Lion says the new Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon offers the perfect option for those who want something between the dryness of Gordon’s London Dry, and the sweeter profile of Gordon’s Pink.

Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon has the capacity to recruit new unique drinkers into the category, and has already scored brilliantly in concept testing… “[I] often want to join in with the gin craze.

However, I find London dry gins too bitter and the flavoured gin offering’s too sweet. I wish there were accessible and tasty drink options, particularly within gin, that felt different to the norm.”

“I like the branding and packaging. I already drink Gordon’s Pink gin and am a big fan. I love lemon flavoured products and think it would be very refreshing [tasting]. It is also good value for money when compared to other similar products.”

“I love lemon flavour, and gin is very refreshing [tasting] so the combination of both together with some fizz sounds relaxingly enjoyable.”

Lion *Nielsen MAT week 1/07/20

NEW Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon Gin – out 15 October

Full Strength (37.5% ABV, 700ml): Complex zesty Sicilian lemon flavours balanced perfectly with Gordon’s original botanicals, including peppery juniper berries, to deliver a crisp and juicy refreshing taste.

RTD (4% ABV, 250ml): Fresh, zesty and juicy lemon taste complemented by an easydrinking Gordon’s gin note, with a light and dry finish.

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 93

SPIRITS NEWS

Top marks for Kiwi distillers at IWSC NEW ZEALAND distillers walked away with three Gold Medals at the prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) in September.

Newcomers Hastings Distillers joined craft spirit veterans Lighthouse Gin and previous trophy winners Scapegrace

in receiving Gold for their gins – each scoring 95 points out of 100 from the IWSC judges.

Lighthouse Gin distiller Rachel Hall says the win for their Lighthouse Batch Distilled Gin can be attributed to the fact every batch of gin has the same

attention to detail, delivering the same handcrafted taste in every bottle.

“This win is a huge achievement and one we are all incredibly proud of. It demonstrates all the hard work everyone has put into the gin over the years,” says Hall.

The Winners Gold Medal Albertine Gin Hastings Distillers Batch Distilled Gin Lighthouse Gin Scapegrace Classic Scapegrace Distilling Silver Medal Coffee Infused Vodka Liqueur Jumping Goat Liquor

Original Gin Broken Heart Spirits Scapegrace Gold Scapegrace Distilling Bronze Medal Angel’s Share Gin Broken Heart Spirits Black Barn Syrah BarrelAged Gin Imagination East Block 200 Gin Hastings Distillers Koakoa Limoncello Tirau (The Bond Store)

L’Opera Liqueur Hastings Distillers Pinot Noir Gin Broken Heart Spirits Scapegrace Vodka Scapegrace Distilling Gin and Tonic Bronze Roots Marlborough Dry Gin Elemental Distillers Full results at iwsc.net

SHOWCASE

A new chapter opens for Mount Gay Mount Gay, the world’s oldest running rum distillery established in 1703, has unveiled a new chapter for the brand in 2020.

Harnessing over 300 years of experience, Mount Gay has reset the brand to pay homage to its rich heritage of passing down craft and expertise in Barbados, the birthplace of rum.

In doing so, Mount Gay says it will embrace more transparency, providing an in-depth look into the brand and its rum, and will look to the future ensuring continued innovation and growth honouring the genuine rum tradition of Barbados.

This includes a new tagline “More Than A Rum”, and revamped packaging to create consistency across the portfolio whilst divulging more information about each rum, allowing consumers to understand what they are buying and drinking at a glance.

With the introduction of Master Blender Trudiann Branker (pictured below) in April 2019, the distillery’s and Barbados’ first

female master blender, Mount Gay began a new stage in the distillery’s rich history. In her new role, Branker revisited Mount Gay’s core blends while taking into account the steadfast brand loyalty. As a result, Branker has created a new blend for Mount Gay Black Barrel and an enhanced blend for Mount Gay XO, both of which she is thrilled to debut to global markets this year.

“It is an honour to be at the forefront of the exciting changes that Mount Gay will see in 2020,” says Branker. “I’m proud not only to be the first female master blender in Barbados but to be part of the team that will take Mount Gay from strength to strength.”

Mount Gay Managing Director, Raphäel Grisoni, says the brand reset is an important step change for Mount Gay as it explores and showcases its roots while embracing its people, land and heritage.

“We are confident that the changes we make now will cement Mount Gay’s position as a leading high-end rum brand for many years to come. It is with great honour that I have worked alongside Trudiann and the entire team at the distillery to consider each change that we have made along the way is the right one.”

Trudiann Branker will continue to develop limited editions with a new release of 1703 Master Select and a new Master Blender collection due out before the end of 2020.

Hancocks

94 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

SPIRITS NEWS

Mezcal and Japanese gin join Pernod Ricard Pacific spirits mix PERNOD RICARD is now distributing Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal and gins from Japan’s Kyoto Distillery in Australia and New Zealand.

Both specialty prestige brands joined the portfolio in September, as part of the company’s Les Nouveaux Distillers arm, which specialises in fine spirits from around the world.

Pernod Ricard say the two brands join the portfolio at a time when the gin and tequila/mezcal categories represent some of the fastest growing spirits segments in Australia and New Zealand, with the fastest growing price point being above $501.

It says Del Maguey will complement the Olmeca Altos tequila brand by bringing a craft mezcal to the group. Del Maguey was founded 25 years ago by Ron Cooper through deep cultural relationships with Zapotec Mexican Indian producers in the remote villages of Oaxaca, Mexico. It is the first producer to credit each of its mezcals to the village where the liquid is made. Pernod Ricard joined forces with Del Maguey in 2017.

Native continues to soar As Aotearoa’s first Hard Sparkling, Native has continued to impress with their real fruit flavours – and with summer approaching, they’re now introducing 10-packs and a new tropical flavour to their range.

The family-run business has also built a name for themselves in being a refreshing way to make a difference, with sponsored kiwi P manawa (the first kiwi chick hatched in 2019) released into the wild in early September this year.

Native stockists and followers have supported the little kiwi from hatch to release, with more New Zealand species being added to Native’s conservation contribution list this year.

Available through distribution partners or direct, Native is excited to continue to build momentum as a local company supporting Aotearoa’s native species.

With keg options also available, you will likely see their mascot, the p wakawaka, popping up on taps across the country as their flavours carry on championing New Zealand’s biggest beer and wine events. For pricing email orders@nativesparkling.nz nativesparkling.nz nativesparkling

In April this year, Pernod Ricard created an investment partnership with The Kyoto Distillery. Renowned for exquisite spirits, Japanese gin has been rising in the super premium space due to the credibility and demand created through the nation’s whisky producers.

Pernod Ricard Pacific Commercial Managing Director, Kevin Mapson, said Del Maguey and The Kyoto Distillery ranges represent an exciting opportunity for the Pernod Ricard spirits portfolio.

“Our team is looking forward to sharing and accelerating these brands across Australia and New Zealand both on and off premise. It’s a promising time for both the gin and tequila/mezcal categories as the industry and consumers look for what’s new to serve and drink particularly in this super premium space that both The Kyoto Distillery and Del Maguey specialise in,” Kevin said.

IRI National AU & NZ Liquor Data to MAT 12/07/20 1

Pernod Ricard

96 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

SHOWCASE

A velvet touch from Disaronno The latest addition to the popular Disaronno range is available in New Zealand with the arrival of new Disaronno Velvet.

Italy’s popular liqueur takes on an unexpected nuance in this creamy, velvety expression, which is presented in an elegant and contemporary white bottle.

The new Disaronno Velvet is just 17% ABV, creamy with an intense aroma, and should be served over ice to enhance its fresh taste.

EuroVintage

PICK BOLDLY LIGHT, refreshing, & ripe for the sippin'

D R I N K R E S P O N S I B L Y. Whiskey Specialty, 35% Alc. by Vol. (70 proof.) Jack Daniel Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee. JACK DANIEL’S is a registered trademark. ©2020 Jack Daniel’s. All rights reserved.

LAUNCHING NOVEMBER

SPIRITS NEWS

NZ Spirits Awards 2020 THE SECOND New Zealand Spirits Awards attracted 261 local and international entries for 2020, with organisers managing to facilitate the competition amid COVID-19 delays. The judges tasted the entries over an intensive three days, with the trophy results announced at a virtual awards ceremony in August.

Gin was the largest category with 91 entries, followed closely by whisky with 86.

New Zealand distillers The National Distillery Company took out the hotly contested gin category with their Hemp Gin beating local and international contenders to sweep both trophies for Best New Zealand Gin and Best Overall Gin. The New Zealand Spirits Awards are hosted jointly by industry bodies Distilled Spirits Aotearoa and Spirits New Zealand.

For full medal results see spiritsawardsnz.nz

The Champion Trophy Winners Gin Best New Zealand In Category The National Distillery Company Hemp Gin Best Overall In Category The National Distillery Company Hemp Gin Vodka Best New Zealand In Category 42 Below Passion Best Overall In Category 42 Below Passion Botanicals And Other Spirits Best Overall In Category Herradura Ultra Anejo Liqueur Best New Zealand In Category Sovrano Caffelisir Best Overall In Category Sovrano Caffelisir

SHOWCASE

New Essenza from S.Pellegrino Iconic Italian sparkling water brand S.Pellegrino is launching a brand new range of sparkling flavoured water made with 100% natural ingredients, no artificial flavours and zero calories.

S.Pellegrino Essenza is a blend of unique fruit flavours specially crafted in S.Pellegrino’s signature, gentle bubbles.

Available in sleek cans, the new range offers three different combinations: Lemon & Lemon Zest - intense citrus aroma, fine and elegant flavour with surprising freshness. Perfectly paired with lighter, more delicate dishes such as fish, salads, fresh greens and fruit.

Tangerine & Wild Strawberry - intense aromas and captivating flavour balanced by the minerals of S.Pellegrino water with a slight tingling of bubbles. Matches with medium flavoured dishes such as cooked vegetables and white meat, tomato pasta and ice cream.

Dark Morello Cherry & Pomegranate - a stronger aroma of fine red fruits, this flavour matches best with intense dishes such as red meats, chocolate desserts and rich sauces.

S.Pellegrino Essenza RRP $19.99 (8-pack) Federal Merchants

98 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

Rum Best New Zealand In Category Helmsman Spiced Rum Best Overall In Category Havana Club Anois 7 Year Rum Brandy Best Overall In Category Martell XO Whisky Best New Zealand In Category Thomson Whisky South Island Peat Single Malt Best Overall In Category Talisker 10 Year Old New Zealand Innovation Awards Winner Island Gin Highly Commended Begin Distilling – Juno Trailblazers’ Four-Pack Lunatic And Lover Botanical Rum Silver Batch No. 1

New Yellow Rose Outlaw Bourbon Distributor Eurovintage has added a new bourbon to its portfolio with the arrival of Yellow Rose Outlaw Bourbon (700ml 45% ABV). It’s made in Houston from 100% Texas yellow corn and aged in small American oak barrels with the 15-20°C temperature swings in the that part of the state giving it unique characteristics.

Outlaw Bourbon has an intense aroma of rich caramel and vanilla with a hint of floral; rich and sweet on the palate with a long finish of caramel and vanilla.

EuroVintage

nor t h island : sales @imag inat ion.nz | sout h island: orders@punkyd ist ro.com

SPIRITS NEWS

PGF Loan supports Reefton Distilling Co. expansion REEFTON DISTILLING Co. is welcoming Government backing to assist with its distillery expansion and help create jobs in the West Coast town.

Rural Communities Minister Hon Damien O’Connor and Regional Economic Development Minister Hon Shane Jones announced in late September that Reefton Distilling Co. will receive a $928,000 Provisional Growth Fund loan to help relocate its distillery to larger premises and to buy the equipment needed to expand operations.

Since opening its distillery two years ago, Reefton Distilling Co. has built strong demand for its Little Biddy Gin, Wild Rain Vodka and fruit liqueurs.

It has quickly outgrown its current space and, following a successful capital raise in March 2020, purchased land and buildings in Reefton. This new facility will meet the immediate and longer-term needs of future growth, providing space for increased production including a brewhouse and still room, storage and plant room.

The expansion project will also allow the distillery to host even greater tourist numbers through its cellar door and popular visitor experiences, all of which it says will have a positive effect on the local economy.

The relocation and fit-out of the distillery will provide local construction jobs and significant spend in the region. Construction work is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2021.

SHOWCASE

New releases arrive from Jack Daniel’s Jack Daniel’s distributor Hancocks has two new releases from the iconic US whiskey distillery: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple and the third release in the Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Legacy Series.

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple blends a crisp green apple liqueur with Jack Daniel’s Old No.7 whiskey for a fresh taste. It’s a new experience of Jack Daniel’s that is bold, refreshing and exceptionally smooth.

Jack Daniel’s Legacy Edition 3 is the latest in a series that celebrates Jack Daniel’s high standard of quality and his Fine Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey. The label itself is inspired by a pre-Prohibition design, a visual nod to one of Jack’s most enduring lessons: “Every day we make it, we’ll make it the best we can.”

The illustration of the grain doesn’t depict the predominant ingredient in the mash bill, corn, but rather barley or rye, perhaps because of the elegant way that they surround Jack’s trademark with laurels of a sort.

Jack Daniel’s Legacy Edition 3 has aromas of soft ripe fruit with green apple peel and warm oak.

The taste is of caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak, creating a rich mouthfeel that leads to a peppery spice and a smooth finish of toasted oak and warm brown sugar.

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple 35% ABV, 700ml RRP $42.99 Jack Daniel’s Legacy Edition 3 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99

Hancocks

100 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

Reefton Distilling Co. Shareholders AGM

With Reefton Distilling Co.’s expansion having already created a further seven to eight full time jobs, additional roles are expected to be created in early 2021. The new development will also provide education and training opportunities for young people through part time employment, work experience and internships.

Founder and Chief Executive Patsy Bass shared the information with shareholders at the company’s AGM just after the PGF loan announcement from the Government. “We intend to continue to help put Reefton on the map as a destination, highlighting its heritage nature by re-telling the rich history of our town and its people through our brand stories. We are proud to have helped to make Reefton a place to stop and to stay.” reeftondistillingco.com

SHOWCASE

Eyecatching additions to Juno range Taranaki’s Juno Gin have added to their popular and award-winning Extra Fine Gin and quarterly-released seasonal gins with a new coffee vodka called Vesta and a Navy Strength gin at 55% ABV. Vesta Coffee Vodka This new vodka is named for the Roman goddess of hearth, fire and home – who is also, incidentally, the sister of Juno.

According to mythology, Vesta strides that gap between home and heaven. She warms cold nights and ignites celestial fires. She satisfies and sparks, kindles and quickens. What better way to depict the end result of a coffee martini?

Vesta Coffee Vodka uses singleorigin beans from the Oromia Region of Ethiopia, supplied by Ozone Coffee (another Taranaki business with a global reach), infusing its blackberry, raspberry and dark chocolate notes.

The vodka won silver at the recent 2020 London International Wine & Spirits Awards and was described by judges as “creamy coffee, almost chocolate, with a minerality that works well”.

“We initially made this vodka on request from Ozone Coffee,” explains Dave James, co-founder of Juno Gin. “We loved it, they loved it, and everyone who tried it wanted to know when it would be available, so eventually we had to let

the cat of the bag and release Vesta to the world.”

Juno Navy Strength Gin Juno’s new gin is a unique recipe that, along with an increase in alcohol volume from Juno’s usual 40%, boasts the addition of New Zealand native plants such as kawakawa, horopito, mairehau and manuka.

“While our Extra Fine Gin offers a sense of delicacy, Navy Strength really carries a punch,” says co-founder Jo James. “It has a real flavour of Aotearoa’s

Juno’s new Vesta Coffee Vodka is named for the Roman goddess of hearth, fire and home. bush – spicy and aromatic with strong herbal notes.”

Both Vesta Vodka and Juno Gin Navy Strength are available in 700ml and 200ml bottles.

Juno Seasonal Gin Four Pack The third release to hit the shelves this spring from Juno Gin is the annual release of their Seasonal Gin Four Pack (pictured left). This year entitled “A Year of Change”, it features all of the 2020 seasonal gins in 200ml bottles presented in a stunning display box.

All four of those gins picked up medals at the recent NZ Spirits Awards. While Spring 2020 won Gold, Autumn and Summer both won Silver and Winter won Bronze. Jo describes each of the gins: “Summer has soft herbaceousness and lightly floral flavour; Autumn has orange and pepper (horopito); Winter has spiced quince and rhubarb (a real mid-winter Christmas treat), and the new Spring Gin is refreshing, slightly bitter, green.” junogin.co.nz

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 101

SPIRITS NEWS

Tui goes hard ICONIC KIWI brand Tui has released a range of hard soda RTDs, following on from its Tui Bourbon and Cola and Tui Vodka Lime and Soda. The new range features local fruit extracts and parent company DB says it caters to drinkers who are interested in the increasingly popular easy drinking lower-sugar RTD style.

Inspired by the global drinks trend of ‘hard’ or ‘spiked’ sparkling water beverages (often known as ‘hard seltzers), Tui Hard Sodas have a refreshingly light taste profile with a dry, sharp soda finish. They are made using a blend of vodka, sparkling water, local fruit extracts and flavours.

Sean O’Donnell, DB Breweries Marketing Director, says the range is meeting a need in the market.

“The Tui Hard Soda range looks to satisfy the growing trend towards lower sugar RTD products, through a no-nonsense Kiwi mainstream brand. We know Kiwis’ tastes are changing, with the white spirits RTDs category value growing by 35.3% in the last year, and now making up 45% of Total RTDs1 value sales in New Zealand. We see this being driven predominantly by lower sugar styles.

The Tui Hard Soda range uses only natural ingredients and flavours, with sweetness added from apple juice concentrate.

All products contain only 2.2 to 2.3 grams of sugar per 100ml.

Tui Hard Sodas is available in Waikato Raspberry, Lime and Soda; Otago Peach, Apple and Soda; and Gisborne Orange, Mango and Soda.

5% ABV, 330ml can 10-pack RRP $25.99 1Nielsen Scantrack, White Spirit RTDs, for the 52 week period ending July 5th 2020, for the Total NZ Like For Like Defined Liquor channel

DB

SHOWCASE

Greenall’s new Blood Orange & Fig Gin With orange set to be this year’s big flavour in gin, distributor Federal Merchants is launching new Blood Orange & Fig Gin from Greenall’s.

Blood Orange & Fig Gin joins the popular Greenall’s Wild Berry and Greenall’s Original London Dry gins already available in New Zealand through Federal Merchants.

Greenall’s Blood Orange & Fig Gin taps into the growing popularity of orange flavoured gins and sees Greenall’s Original London Dry Gin infused with natural, blood oranges and an exotic twist of fig. The result is a crisp and refreshing gin that offers a citrusy take on the original classic London Dry Gin, but still contains zero-sugar, as with all Greenall’s flavoured gins.

A versatile expression, Greenall’s Blood Orange and Fig Gin has a light orange hue and is best enjoyed over ice together with premium tonic water or lemonade and sliced blood orange to garnish – making it a simple serve suited to summer social occasions.

Russell Kirkham, Marketing Director for Quintessential Brands UK, Greenall’s brand owner, comments, “Our Greenall’s zero-sugar flavoured gins have proven to be a hit in the UK, especially Greenall’s Wild Berry which was one of the top five performing spirits of 2019. With research showing a clear consumer demand for orange flavoured gins, we’re excited to be adding Blood Orange & Fig into the mix – a flavour that we’re confident will be a huge hit this summer!

“Unlike many other flavoured gins on the market, Greenall’s is unique in the fact that all our flavoured gins contain zero-sugar. As consumers are becoming increasingly mindful of the sugar they consume, this is something that has contributed to the success of the range and will no doubt ensure that Greenall’s Blood Orange & Fig stands out from competitors when it hits shelves.”

Federal Merchants

SPIRITS NEWS

New face for Odd Company RTD BRAND Odd Company has added a white rum variant to its range, after launching in New Zealand in February.

Named ‘The Total Package’, the new addition is a blend of white rum, pineapple, lime and coconut.

It joins the three existing Odd Company variants: The Fancy One (gin, cucumber and lime with sparkling water), The Party Guy (vodka, lemon, lime and yuzu with sparkling water) and The Cheeky One (vodka, peach and passionfruit with sparkling water). Like the other drinks in the range, The Total Package features a unique character on the can that distributor DB says is a light-hearted play on qualities that people might see in themselves, or others.

Sean O’Donnell, DB Breweries Marketing Director, says Kiwis are embracing the suite of Odd Company products. “Since Odd Company launched in February, the brand has seen phenomenal success with The Cheeky One claiming the third bestselling product in 10-pack can White Spirits RTDs1, an emerging ‘new wave’ of lower sugar RTDs. “Kiwis clearly like the new brand, so we thought it was time to introduce a new flavour…The Total Package is packed with tropical flavour, yet only has approximately 2.1g of sugar per 100ml – which is about half the sugar compared to the rest of the range (which was already on the lower side compared to the RTD market),” says O’Donnell. “Rum

was a natural choice for the new variant, as it is the second most popular spirit used in RTD2 launches.”

Nielsen Scantrack, 10PK Can White RTDs, for the 13 week period ending July 12th 2020, for the Total NZ Like For Like Defined Liquor channel 2 Mintel, July 2017 – June 2020, ANZ/EUR/NOAM, Rum was the 2nd most commonly used spirit in RTD launches.

1

DB The Odd Company – The Total Package: White Rum, Pineapple & Lime with Sparkling Water 5% ABV, 330ml can 10-pack RRP $25.99.

SHOWCASE

Premium new premixes from The Kraken The Kraken Black Spiced Rum is releasing a premium premix in two flavours in October, available through New Zealand distributor Thirsty Camel.

The Kraken & Cola and The Kraken & Dry both come in a distinctive 330ml glass bottle that makes a bold statement, while still communicating the premium cues of the original full strength parent bottle, which is adored by its fanbase around the world.

The premix has been specially formulated for the Australasian palate.

As such, the Kraken & Dry is a reflection of the perfect bar serve – the Kraken Storm – with bespoke dry ginger ale and a hint of natural lime that recreates the in-venue experience for consumers in the comfort of their own home.

Matthew Jamieson, The Kraken Brand Manager, says, “The Kraken Black Spiced Rum is already New Zealand’s bestselling black spiced rum and the premix will open up more drinking

104 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

occasions for Kraken drinkers. Our drinkers have been asking for a premix for a while now, so we know it will be well received in this convenient format as it hits shelves around the country from October 2020.

“We undertook extensive research amongst our target audience to make sure we got the flavour profiles and the proposition just right. Everything about The Kraken is distinctive – its name, its packaging, its design and especially its

flavour – so it was important the premix stayed true to the brand and matched in character and appeal. It has been expertly paired with Dry and Cola in the right ratio so consumers can enjoy the premium barquality serve at home.”

The Kraken & Cola, The Kraken & Dry 5.5% ABV, 330ml 4-pack RRP $21.99

Thirsty Camel

W

NE FEVER-TREE PREMIUM INDIAN TONIC WATER NOW AVAILABLE IN CANS.

Available in a convenient 8 x150ml pack.

SPIRITS NEWS

SHOWCASE

Personalised Glenfiddich gifting Now in its second year, Glenfiddich’s personalised labels are the perfect opportunity to offer shoppers a way of adding a special message to a bottle, capturing this trend in-store.

The programme is available year-round and across the entire Glenfiddich range, up to and including the 21-Year-Old. It has also recently been updated to include Glenfiddich’s new bottle and Experimental Fire & Cane.

Point-of-sale is readily available and shoppers are simply directed to www.gflabels.co.nz where labels are created and dispatched by post.

Since its launch, the programme has been found to support traditional gifting seasons as well as driving everyday gifting opportunities, such as birthdays and weddings.

With the ability to add a special message to their purchase, Glenfiddich has also seen that shoppers are more likely to spend money on a higher aged bottle.

For retailers looking to sell more aged whisky in their store, personalised labels justify the space given to the increased range and facings.

Retailers wanting in-store support and POS to promote Glenfiddich’s personalised label programme should contact their Federal Merchants & Co Account Manager.

Federal Merchants

DISTILLED FROM TIME HONOURED TRADITIONS

nationaldistillery.nz

DRINKSBIZ WITH PALS

Hanging out with Pals After just a year in market, Kiwi brand Pals is one of the fastest growing products in the popular ‘better for you’ RTD category. We talk to the Pals team about its meteoric rise to the top.

What sort of gap in the market did you see for Pals?

Before launching anything new to market we felt we needed to be solving a problem, and as everyday consumers ourselves those were: • a lack of options in the alcohol space that cater to the growing importance around what we’re putting in our bodies: what we drink, what we eat and how it makes us feel. It was slim pickings for the ever-growing base of ‘health-conscious’ consumers, and especially aligning this with a product of premium taste and quality.

• finding a genuine brand that consumers can truly connect with and feel a part of; a brand that brings people together and is the connection between people and good times. We wanted to create something that represented the intangible feeling of how we hang out with our mates – a product that we could share with our pals.

We made sure that quality was the driver behind all decisions when it came to the product and the brand.

What’s the philosophy behind Pals?

Our mantra, and what we hope our brand conveys, is that Pals stick together – through the good times and bad, each is part of the rich tapestry of friendship. We don’t take things too seriously. Pals is about having fun with your mates. Pals is fun, humorous but also a little more astute, a cut above the rest. We wanted to create a brand to be shared and the name Pals is the platform for this. Aesthetics with products is so important now, our product had to stand out and people had to be proud of what they were drinking.

How have consumers responded?

It’s been an extremely busy first 10 months for the brand, but we aren’t complaining, we are so grateful and appreciative for what Pals has achieved in such a short period of time. Pals was a brand that was created to be shared, it’s all about bringing people together and having some fun. We make sure we stay very engaged with our customers over all platforms.

We are currently looking at different ways to engage with our Pals and share the love even more over the coming months, so watch this space.

How did the tagline ‘The Best Tasting One’ come about?

We have a few different taglines that we created, but ‘The Best Tasting One’ was created by our customers. We started hearing it more and more, not just from

Nick Marshall and Mat Croad of Pals

social media but also from the trade and in general social environments. We guess this was the easiest way for consumers to differentiate Pals within a growing ‘better for you’ RTD category, where new brands are being launched at a rapid pace.

What sets Pals apart from other RTDs in the market?

We took particular care when formulating each Pals flavour to ensure that we were using the highest quality ingredients we could source.

Instead of artificial flavours we used a natural alternative and wherever possible we use real fruit extracts. We also use very high quality spirits, which give a silky smooth finish to each sip. This isn’t the standard method within the category because it is far more difficult and expensive to source, but it gives Pals a superior quality alcohol.

It also means we didn’t have to try and hide the alcohol taste with extra flavours or sweetness, and has the added bonus of being gluten-free and vegan-friendly too.

We were under no illusion that at the end of the day we’re making an RTD, not a ‘health tonic’, so the #1 priority, along with using high quality ingredients, was that it had to taste exceptional. The only form of sugar in Pals comes from apples grown in sunny Hawke’s Bay. Pals are low sugar and low calorie, starting from 31 calories per 100ml. We are fully transparent with our ingredients and full nutritional information can be found on both our cartons and website.

We’ve gone the extra mile with all aspects of the product and as a result our customers organically created the tagline ‘The Best Tasting One’.

Pals – the lowdown • Launched October 2019 by the team behind Master of Ceremonies Wine • 0 to 600+ retail stockists in the first eight months with customerled demand • 0 to 17k Instagram followers in eight months • Consumer-generated tagline “The Best Tasting Ones” creating a unique advantage in market as the standout product in the fast growing ‘better for you’ category

Pals – the products • NEW: ‘Vodka, Central Otago Peach, Passionfruit & Soda’ now available • 4 x existing SKUs • Made from Hawke’s Bay apples • Low sugar (from 0.9g per 100ml) • Low calories (from 31 calories per 100ml) • No artificial colours, sweeteners or preservatives • All natural flavours and real fruit extracts • Gluten-free and vegan-friendly • 5% ABV, RRP $28.99 per 10-pack Federal Merchants drinkpals.co.nz @pals_nz

DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 107

SPIRITS NEWS

The Great Gorse Gathering of 2020 MARLBOROUGH DISTILLERY Elemental headed to the hills in September for its annual gorse flower foraging expedition, to gather the botanical for its Roots Dry Gin. A group of friends and local volunteers donned double thick leather gloves and headed out in 4x4s to a local forestry plantation in Marlborough’s Kaituna Range. The site has a 180 degree view of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley and some easily accessible mature gorse bushes.

The day of picking and sorting was rounded off with a gourmet barbecue and a bit of gin sampling. Elemental’s Ben Leggett says they’re now planning for their Great Annual Grapefruit Appeal in October. elementaldistillers.com

SHOWCASE

Opihr spices it up Federal Merchants is releasing two new expressions of Opihr this month, each with a distinct taste profile based on intriguing culinary flavours from around the world.

The two areas of the world highlighted in the Opihr Regional Editions Collection all featured in the Ancient Spice Route, which inspired the creation of Opihr in 2012.

The new Regional Editions see Opihr take a culinary approach to flavour, bringing the tastes of each region to the fore, giving consumers the opportunity to discover new and interesting flavour combinations that complement the London Dry Gin style rather than overpower it.

Containing key ingredients unique to each region, each expression introduces intriguing flavour trends from that area, taking the drinker on a journey of discovery with every sip. The brand’s story and links to the Ancient Spice Route is highlighted through an illustrated map of the respective region on the label of each bottle.

A journey with Opihr The journey starts in China with the Opihr Far East Edition, which sees the rich flavours of Szechuan pepper and smoky ajwain create an intense, warm mouthfeel. Mixed with tomato juice, Worcester sauce, tabasco, lemon juice,

108 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

olive brine and black pepper, Opihr Far East Edition makes a delicious Spiced Red Snapper.

The Opihr European Edition sees cascarilla bark blended with fragrant myrrh to create an aromatic and fragrant gin. This edition pairs perfectly with sweet vermouth and Campari to make an aromatic Spiced Negroni.

Federal Merchants

Opihr European Edition Cascarilla bark & fragrant myrrh

Appearance: A clear, bright liquid Nose: A bold savoury-led gin with balanced burnt orange and bitter notes. It has smooth, soft perfume notes with mature rounded orange notes and a woody, earthy finish.

Taste: A smooth, rounded London Dry gin; soft camphor balanced with sweet smoky liquorice-type woody notes and a clean finish.

Opihr Far East Edition Szechuan pepper & smoky ajwain

Appearance: A clear, bright liquid Nose: A bold, intense and richly spiced gin from the Far East. It has invigorating warm spice notes of Szechuan peppers and a background of lemony thyme and lavender notes.

Taste: A very smooth, rounded London Dry gin with rich pungent spices that creates an intense warm mouthfeel.

MEET YOUR NEW PAL

@ PALS_NZ

SPIRITS NEWS

English elegance for summer from Bombay Sapphire

SHOWCASE

ICONIC GIN brand Bombay Sapphire has created a new gin designed to capture the essence of summer in the English countryside with new Bombay Sapphire English Estate Limited Edition.

The new release will be available in New Zealand through distributor Lion.

It infuses Pennyroyal mint, rosehip and hazelnut (toasted) – all of which can be found in the hills and hedgerows of England – with the original Bombay Sapphire. It’s a bright yet delicate take on the classic Bombay Sapphire gin.

Bombay Sapphire English Estate Limited Edition 700ml RRP$49.99 Lion

New Alizé Pineapple for Summer New from distributor Federal Merchants is Alizé – a premium, French vodka and Cognac blended with passionfruit and other exotic natural flavours. The new Alizé Pineapple is the ideal partner for cocktails or served straight up over ice for a refreshing new summer option.

Created in the South West region of France in the 80s, Alizé pioneered the art of blending French spirit with natural fruit, forming a new drinks category.

Intensely unique and inviting, Alizé Pineapple is a tropical infusion of ripe pineapple and passionfruit delicately blended with premium French vodka.

Serve Alizé Pineapple on the rocks or with premium spirits, fresh juices and mixers.

Federal Merchants

SHOWCASE

Plum job for Imagination Imagination distilling’s popular Damson Plum & Blackberry Gin has sold out in record time this year. With the successful launch of the unique gin during winter 2019, the imagination team had set out to bulk up the available supply for 2020, but fans have swooped quickly.

Earlier in the year, Imagination co-owner Chris Charteris commented: “I don’t think we will ever get it to year-round SKU because we use only freshly picked, New Zealand Damson Plums, but we hope to get it through to Christmas.” Those hopes fell well short, however, when the planned increased supply still saw the bottles fly off the shelves in just four months.

The unique way the plums are sourced also creates a lot of interest, using social

110 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

media and word of mouth to source the distinctive fruit. “Damson plums have a rich New Zealand history for gin and jam, and since they are too bitter for supermarket shelves, they are mainly found in people’s backyards,” Chris says.

Early in the year, the imagination team launch “The Great Damson Plum Hunt” on social media to find home gardeners as their only suppliers, and in doing so creating a community vibe around the product. “Last year we had five home gardens and this year we had over 20 supplying us. The people that influence each of our products are a big part of what we are about.” imaginationgin.nz

TASTE YOU’VE BEEN

Proudly distributed by

To order, please email: info@thirstycamel.co.nz thirstycamel.co.nz

DISTRIBUTORS DIRECTORY

Distributors 1919 Distilling

021 024 22067 1919distilling.com

2Scientists

2scientists.co

Asahi Beverages NZ 09 298 3000 asahibeverages.co.nz

Astrolabe Wines

03 577 6794 astrolabewines.co.nz

Beam Suntory

0800 69 23 37 beamsuntory.com

Behemoth Brewing

09 948 0425 behemothbrewing.co.nz

Beverage Brothers

03 390 1377 beveragebrothers.co.nz

The Dam Fine Gin Company

0800 326 779 thedamsoncollection.co.nz

DB Breweries 0800 746 432 db.co.nz

0800 369 463 dnfinewine.com

Eagle Brewing 03 341 6849 eaglebrewing.nz

Emerson’s

03 477 1812 emersons.co.nz

Emporium Brewing

Epic Brewing 0800 212 337 epicbeer.com

EuroVintage

03 314 8699 theboneline.co.nz

0800 388 766 eurovintage.co.nz

Brandhouse

Exhibit A

03 442 0819 brokenheartspirits.com

Bureaucrats Gin

021 243 4424 bureaucratsgin.co.nz

Cardrona Distillery 03 443 1393 cardronadistillery.com

Coca-Cola Amatil 0800 262 226 ccamatil.co.nz

The Crater Rim

03 359 1148 thecraterrim.co.nz

Good George Brewing

Moana Park Estate 06 844 8269 moanapark.co.nz

Sawmill Brewery

09 422 6555 sawmillbrewery.co.nz

Hãhã Wine

Moët Hennessey

Sprig & Fern

07 846 9364 goodgeorge.co.nz

Dhall & Nash

The Bond Store

Broken Heart Spirits

jane@riotandrose.com riotandrose.com

0800 699 463 hancocks.co.nz

021 285 1551 denzien.nz

03 319 5897 emporiumbrewing.co.nz

0508 468 688 brandhouse.co.nz

09 367 9472 moabeer.com

06 833 7814 hahawine.co.nz

blushgin.co.nz

The Boneline

Moa Brewing

09 620 2497 gogreenbeverage.com

Denzien Urban Distillery

Blush Gin

info@thebondstore.co.nz thebondstore.co.nz

Go Green Beverages

exhibitabrand.com

Hancocks

Hastings Distillers

Oh So Pretty Wines

Imagination

orders@imaginationgin.nz

04 384 8077 parrotdog.co.nz

Island Gin

Peckham’s Cider

09 429 0690 islandgin.com

Kahurangi Estate

Otu Wine

Parrotdog

03 543 2959 peckhams.co.nz

Pernod Ricard

03 543 2980 kahurangiwine.com

0800 655 550 pernod-ricard-nz.com

Kono

Proof & Company

04 546 8648 kono.co.nz

Lavender Hill

Finery Cocktails

Lion

Long Cloud Wines & Spirits

Foley Wines

03 572 8200 sales@foleywines.co.nz

021 145 5871 shannon@longcloudwines. co.nz

Garage Project

Marisco

027 535 0917 garageproject.co.nz

09 522 9684 marisco.co.nz

Giesen

Middle Earth

03 344 6270 giesen.co.nz

03 542 4145 middleearthwine.com

Glengarry

Mineral

112 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

Taylor Brown

09 215 6650 otuwine.com

0800 107 272 lionco.com

0800 733 505 glengarry.co.nz

Negociants

0800 634 624 negociantsnz.com

Hop and Vine

09 412 5275 lavenderhill.co.nz

info@finepeople.co.nz finerycocktails.co.nz

03 544 8675 sprigandfern.co.nz

ohsopretty@outlook.co.nz

Federal Merchants

0800 846 824 federalmerchants.co.nz

0800 226 650 moethennessey.com

06 870 3991 hastingsdistillers.com 03 348 8278 hopandvine.co.nz

021 183 2356 mineralwine.co.nz

Riot & Rose

09 447 3801 taylorbrown.co.nz

Terrace Edge

info@terraceedge.co.nz terraceedge.co.nz

The Premium Liquor Co 09 975 7432 premiumliquor.co.nz

Thirsty Camel

info@thirstycamel.co.nz thirstycamel.co.nz

Thomson Whisky

021 626 636 thomsonwhisky.com

Tickety-Boo Liquor 09 377 7597 tickety-boo.co.nz

Tony Bish Wines

auckland@ proofandcompany.com proofandcompany.com

06 650 3353 tonybishwines.co.nz

Punky Distribution

Tuatara Brewing

03 662 9974 punkydistro.com

Q Liquid

09 636 7730 qll.co.nz

Q Wines

0508 TUATARA tuatarabrewing.co.nz

Villa Maria

0800 505 656 villamaria.co.nz

Vintners NZ

021 349 400 jules@qwine.co.nz

0800 687 9463 vintners.co.nz

Quench Collective

Whisky Galore

0800 946 326 quenchcollective.co.nz

0508 WHISKY trade.whiskygalore.co.nz

Radburnd Cellars

Whitehaven

06 651 1815 radburndcellars.co.nz

Reefton Distilling

03 732 7083 reeftondistillingco.com

021 738 315 whitehaven.co.nz

Winelord

03 542 4145 middleearthwine.com

Proudly imported & distributed by

Whisky Galore

p: 0800 944 759 trade@whiskygalore.co.nz

LAST ORDERS – EAGLE BREWING

Eagle Brewing marks a decade Earthquakes, awards, COVID and crowdfunding: Canterbury’s Eagle Brewing has been through a lot since launching ten years ago.

As they prepare to celebrate their 10 th anniversary, the brewery team talks about the journey so far.

Who’s behind Eagle Brewing and how did it come about?

Dave Gaughan is the brewing mastermind behind Eagle Brewing, having decided to take a new direction in life away from his engineering background. This was in 2010 and the business was built around having the family involved in the growth and future direction of the company.

How will you celebrate the brewery’s 10th anniversary?

We’re brewing a 10% ABV Belgian Strong Ale to mark the decade. Despite having Europe on his doorstep for most of his life, it took Dave until 2019 to visit Belgium, where his favourite beer styles have been created over hundreds of years. We’ll also have a birthday party for Eagle Brewing at the Brewpub in Kaiapoi.

What have been some of the highlights over the past 10 years?

Moving into our own brewery in 2012 after contract brewing for a few years, winning the Champion Stout in the New World Beer & Cider Awards 2016, having our Untamed Pilsner crowned Champion Lager in 2017 at the Brewers Guild Awards and then finally

realising the dream of owning a Brewpub.

Eagle Brewing’s home is a magnificent building right on the edge of the river in the regenerating town of Kaiapoi.

What have been some of the challenges?

Some of the biggest challenges along the way were in overcoming the obstacles that the Canterbury earthquakes threw up. Financing our growth was also a big one, with us wanting to remain familyowned and not having shareholders being part of the decision making. Of course, this changed when we were presented with the opportunity of creating a purpose-built Brewpub and we went out for crowdfunding to get the project off the ground. This was perhaps our biggest business challenge: bringing in the hospitality side to co-exist with the brewery, designing and building new premises, and managing the move 25km north without affecting our supply to market.

Why did you open a brewpub?

The dream of opening a brewpub was there pretty much from the start in 2010.

The dream of opening a brewpub was there pretty much from the start in 2010.

Brewing and selling from the same venue made sense to us as you can showcase your work at its best, launch new beers and talk directly to the drinkers. People also love the fact the beer is being made alongside where they are sitting drinking it. It doesn’t get any more local than that. Since opening the Brewpub in Kaiapoi, our business has started to get more buy-in from people who had never tried the beers or who had simply never heard of us before.

What has 2020 been like for Eagle Brewing so far?

2020 has been yet another challenging year, particularly as we opened the Brewpub in March 2019 and were pinning our progression in growth on having a successful summer 2019-2020 season.

As we mostly focused on bar and restaurant/café sales, we were hit pretty hard by the closure of venues by COVID. We have come through okay, but not unscathed. The challenge now is to maintain business stability and look for new opportunities presented by what has happened to the economy.

What are the plans for Eagle Brewing from here?

Our future plans are still open to change as we look to see how the dust settles post-COVID. We are sure to be looking at more penetration into supermarket retail and export is something we have done very little of, so that is another opportunity that we will look at closely this year. Maybe expansion of the Brewpub concept too.

Read more about Eagle Brewing’s 10th Anniversary brew in the Beer & Cider Report on page 50.

114 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020

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