OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2022 DRINKSBIZ.CO.NZ
Victoria Wells Editor – Drinksbiz victoria@drinksbiz.co.nz
THIS TIME last year, when I sat down to write my Editor's letter for the issue it was raining in Auckland (no change there), and the city was in a Level 3 lockdown as the Delta variant added to our already substantial COVID woes.
Twelve months later, and we don't even have a COVID Traffic Light system any more, masks are no longer daily attire (although I still seem to find them in every nook and cranny of my car) and New Zealand's borders are open to the world. I even dusted off my passport and went on an overseas holiday a couple of months ago, for heaven's sake.
At times, it felt like we'd never get back here again, but we've come out the other side and summer is on the way. While there are certainly still economic challenges, the country is open for business.
This summer will also mark a shift in a different way. There's a good chance
that more customers will be toasting the festive season with a non-alcoholic beverage at the work Christmas do, or picking up a 6-pack of zero alcohol beers for their mate's barbecue.
The non-alcoholic drinks market in New Zealand has seen a huge change in the last 12 months.
flurry of non-alc beer launches from our local brewers, alongside an increasing range of 0% wines, spirits and RTDs.
For this issue's feature, 'The Zero Boom' (pg 28), I spoke to several industry folk about how they've seen this category take off in the last year in New Zealand and where they see it going.
And then at the other end of the spectrum, we also have our annual Gin Report in this issue (pg 60). In fact, if you're reading the print copy of Drinksbiz, you may have noticed a little more heft than usual – that would be down to the fact it's our biggest ever Gin Report, with just over 350 gins from New Zealand and around the world.
The non-alcoholic drinks market in New Zealand has seen a huge change in the last 12 months, with more open discussion across mainstream and social media around mindful drinking and a
So, whether it's a zero percenter, or a Navy Strengther, we've got you covered.
Enjoy the issue, Victoria.
I can never go past an Albariño and this one from Marlborough’s Nautilus is just the ticket with seafood over summer. Or a bowl of olives. Heck, even just on its own, on the back deck in the sunshine. (Pg 35)
The perfect party beer to mark a decade of brewing for the Hamilton crew. Happy 10th birthday Good George! (Pg 51)
The Vicar's Son Holy Spirit Navy Strength
Akin to a religious experience, this intensely flavoursome gin from award-winning (and tiny) Auckland distillery The Vicar’s Son is a must-try. It won the Trophy for Best Overall Contemporary/Navy Strength Gin at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022. (Pg 79)
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
ADVERTISING Roger Pierce advertising@drinksbiz.co.nz +64 274 335 354
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PAIR WITH THE PREMIUM EAST IMPERIAL RANGE, PROUDLY MADE IN NEW ZEALAND.
Hancocks extensive premium Gin portfolio boasts fine brands from around the world including England, Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
A celebration of Gisborne wine, alongside local food and live music across three vineyard venues. firstlightwineandfood.co.nz
A festival on the Wellington waterfront that celebrates the ‘wild’ side of New Zealand beer and cider with sours, farmhouse styles and everything in between. funkonthewater.nz
A line-up of craft brewers from across New Zealand over two days at Forsyth Barr Stadium craftbeerfestivals.co.nz/dunedin/home
A consumer wine tasting event to be held at Shed 10 on Queens Wharf on the Auckland waterfront. winetopia.co.nz
Friday 4 - Sunday 13 November
FAWC! Summer – Hawke’s Bay Hawke’s Bay’s signature culinary festival F.A.W.C! Food and Wine Classic returns with more than 50 events across 10 days, with a range of producers, artisans, chefs, winemakers and craft brewers. fawc.co.nz
A festival of gin, with a focus on New Zealand distilleries, alongside a few international brands, at Abbeville Estate. gindulgence.co.nz
A family-friendly festival with more than 100 varieties of cider to try at Founders Park in Nelson. nzciderfestival.com
The inaugural outdoor Beers in the Park festival will be held at Victoria Park in the city’s CBD. The one-day event will showcase craft breweries, local wineries, street food, and live music. beersinthepark.co.nz
Note: While event details were correct at time of print, we recommend checking individual event websites for the latest updates.
THE FESTIVE season is fast approaching, and award-winning non-alcoholic drinks brand Lyre’s has solutions for non-drinkers and mindful drinkers all wrapped up.
With a growing number of people choosing either not to drink, or to drink more mindfully, bars, restaurants and liquor retailers are increasingly expected to have enjoyable non-alcoholic alternatives available. This is especially true in the lead-up to Christmas, a season when over-indulging can be all too easy.
At a time when a glass of bubbles or celebratory cocktail are all part of the fun and festivities, Lyre’s is the ideal way to provide a sophisticated adult alternative to alcohol.
Lyre’s alcohol-free Classico Grande sparkling and range of alcohol-free classic spirits are ideal for catering for nondrinking customers who don’t want a juice or soft drink, or for when it comes to gifting during the holiday season.
For liquor retailers, bars and restaurants, Lyre’s is the perfect partner this festive season.
This year, Lyre’s is launching a festive season promotion with the tagline: ‘Celebrating unforgettable moments. Make it a Lyre’s’, which will be supported in-store and online in the lead-up to Christmas.
At the heart of the promotion is Lyre’s award-winning Classico Grande, which has been crafted in the style of an Italian sparkling. With flavours that are distinct and contemporary, it stands alone as a premium non-alcoholic celebration in a bottle.
For gifting at retail, Lyre’s Classico Grande will be available with a stylish gift box and will retail at under RRP $20.
Not everyone will be ordering alcohol this festive season – be ready with sophisticated alternatives from award-winning Lyre’s…
Lyre’s award-winning Classico Grande has been crafted in the style of an Italian sparkling.
wide variety of premium non-alcoholic cocktails, like a Negroni or Margarita.
Partner with Lyre’s Corporate and group functions are always in high demand over the festive season too and Lyre’s is the perfect partner when it comes to ensuring everyone is catered for.
A Lyre’s non-alcoholic drinks package option for set menus, or as stand-alone offerings on drinks lists helps to maintain spend per head for guests who are choosing not to drink, and adds to their enjoyment of the event.
With mindful drinking on the rise, more consumers will be seeking the perfect gift for the non-drinker in their lives too and Lyre’s has a wide range of beautifully packaged gift sets, including glassware and cocktail kits.
For trade inquiries visit lyreswholesale.co.nz
Presented in a traditional sparkling wine bottle with cork and cage closure, Lyre’s Classico Grande is also the perfect way for bars and restaurants to offer a sophisticated option that includes non-drinkers and mindful drinkers in celebrations meant to be enjoyed by all.
Mix it up with Lyre’s Lyre’s range of 17 alcohol-free classic spirits are also ideal over the holiday season when it comes to gifting, or expanding non-alcoholic offerings on drinks lists.
The Lyre’s range is crafted to taste just like the originals (such as gin, rum, bourbon and vermouth) but without the alcohol and can be used to craft a
Bouquet: Alluring, lifted lime with notes of fresh peach and Granny Smith apple skin on the nose. Appealing floral and musk tones add complexity.
Palate: Generous aromatics continue in the glass; classic green apple tartness followed by a soft richness of pear, peach and red apple on the palate. Chalky fine acids are present to clean the palate and get you ready for the next glass.
Serve Lyre’s Classico Grande chilled in a flute or coupette. Add Lyre’s Italian Spritz, soda and orange for a perfect nonalcoholic Amalfi Spritz.
Discover Lyre’s full range of crafted premium non-alcoholic spirits and recipe inspiration at Lyres.co.nz, Lyre’s Facebook or Instagram
lyres.co.nz @ lyresspiritco facebook.com/LyresSpiritCo
A LAW change that will help to streamline the process required for wineries to sell samples at the cellar door was drawn from the Members’ Bill Ballot in late September.
The Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Cellar Door Tasting) Amendment Billl was proposed by MP for Kaikōura and National’s Viticulture spokesperson Stuart Smith. Smith’s electorate encompasses New Zealand’s biggest wine region of Marlborough.
“[The Bill] will plug an important gap in the old legislation so that winery cellar doors can now charge visitors for wine samples without having to secure a separate on-licence and all the costs associated with that,” says Smith. “While this may be a small change, it will make a big difference to New Zealand’s wineries.”
Under the current Act, those with an off-licence cannot charge for tasting samples, while those with an on-licence can charge, but must have a “reasonable range of food” available for sale and consumption on the premises.
“New Zealand’s $2.5 billion wine industry has grown remarkably over the past 20 years, particularly the cellar door
tourism experiences,” says Smith. “By tidying up the legislation and allowing wineries to charge for samples without obtaining an on-licence, it will encourage more cellar doors to open for the enjoyment of tourists and those wanting to taste New Zealand wines – a big boost for our small wineries in particular.”
New Zealand Winegrowers has welcomed the drawing of the Bill, saying that winery cellar doors are an important part of wine tourism, but are being held back.
“The current legislation is out of date,” says Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers. “It either forces wineries to give wine away for free, or forces them to go through significant cost and time to acquire and maintain a separate on-licence.
“We are hopeful that through the
parliamentary process we can get modern, fit-for-purpose legislation that will support wine tourism in the winemaking regions throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.”
He says it will make a big difference to the more than 600 small wineries in New Zealand, in particular. “Winery cellar doors have been hit hard by the collapse in international tourist numbers over the past two years. This regulatory change would ensure that they can provide exemplary winery cellar door services to both domestic and international tourists, without the unnecessary extra red-tape.
“Additionally, by allowing charging for tastings, the industry sees this as consistent with the low-risk winery cellar door licensing status and supporting responsible consumption,” says Gregan.
THE ENERGY Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) is helping New Zealand breweries reduce their energyrelated emissions through a newly launched Brewing Decarbonisation Pathway.
The five-step pathway, endorsed by the Brewers Guild of New Zealand, supports breweries through knowledge sharing and encourages collective action to reduce the industry’s contribution to climate change. While the end goal is to move away from fossil fuels, the pathway focuses on
achievable steps to improve existing processes, equipment and operations that will make the transition simpler and more cost-effective.
“Businesses across New Zealand contribute around 40% of our energy-related emissions, and it is not only our biggest businesses who can be looking at their role in this,” says Nicki Sutherland, EECA Group Manager, Investment and Engagement. “Many small to medium-sized businesses currently rely on fossil fuels like gas and coal so we are working with specific sectors like brewing
to help them tackle the problem.”
Breweries are one of the first sectors to be supported through EECA’s Sector Decarbonisation Programme.
“What’s great for brewing is that there is a high proportion of addressable energyrelated carbon emissions,” said Sutherland. “There are breweries in New Zealand that have made fantastic progress with emissions reduction, but it is by taking a sector-wide approach and being open to sharing industry knowledge and expertise with their peers, that brewing really is paving the way.”
By signing up, breweries gain free access to bespoke tools, resources, and best-practice advice, developed with support from industry experts, which can help reduce operational costs and energy-related emissions.
Among the resources on offer is a bespoke ‘Energy Benchmarking Tool’, specifically for New Zealand breweries, that helps to measure energy use and energy intensity and compare these to an industry benchmark.
Find out more through the Brewers Guild or via eeca.govt.nz
LIQUORLAND HAS appointed retail media solutions company HYPER as its exclusive retail media network partner.
The resulting partnership will see HYPER deploy internal high-definition 65” and 55” digital screens across Liquorland’s 135-store network. These screens will be available for both supplier and third party advertisers to purchase from 1 October 2022.
HYPER CEO Ben Partington said: “We’re extremely proud to partner with New Zealand’s number one specialist liquor retailer. The value the Liquorland media network will bring to advertisers looking to access such a defined shopper segment is exceptionally compelling.”
Bar Albert features art deco-inspired décor, an open-air deck, private event space and sweeping views across the city.
The voco hotel’s food and beverage concepts and outlets, including Bar Albert, have been designed in consultation with globally-recognised consultant Shane Giles from Blue Salt.
Head Mixologist and Bar Manager, Chelsey York, says she is excited to be joining the team at Bar Albert and serving cocktails in the speakeasy-inspired space.
“I’ve designed balanced cocktail menus that feature seasonal produce and are approachable for everyone. I love getting behind the bar and making new unique syrups, dehydrating fruits, creating mixes, and clarifying punches.”
The bar’s seasonal cocktails are named after central Auckland streets, with the Eden Crescent cocktail featuring Roots Dry Gin, Yellow Chartreuse, house-made pistachio and rosewater orgeat, a spray of rhubarb bitters, and a garnish of dried rose petal. Bar Albert is open Tuesday to Saturday from 4pm.
baralbertauckland.com
WITH JUST under a year until kick-off in the Rugby World Cup 2023, Asahi Beverages says it is busy brewing up once-in-a-lifetime experiences for New Zealanders to enjoy through Asahi Super Dry’s status as a Worldwide Partner and the Official Beer of Rugby World Cup 2023.
It will be the first time a Japanese brand has joined the Rugby World Cup commercial family.
The world’s third-largest sporting event will attract an anticipated viewing audience of nearly 860 million viewers when it kicks off on 8 September 2023 in France.
Asahi Beverages Oceania Group CEO Robert Iervasi says excitement is building. “Our own team is very excited to be involved with Rugby World Cup 2023 in France, rugby’s most prestigious tournament, as a
Worldwide Partner. We share rugby’s passion and core values and are looking forward to activating and creating truly lifelong memories for not only those that attend the tournament in person, but who follow it with friends and family at bars, clubs and at home here in New Zealand.”
Through its inaugural partnership, Asahi Super Dry drinkers can win double tickets and hospitality at stadia in France as well as once-ina-lifetime, behind the scenes and on-field experiences that general ticket holders won’t have access to.
Asahi NZ says that Asahi Super Dry is growing more quickly than the overall premium beer market in New Zealand and its support of Rugby World Cup 2023 is expected to lift demand and awareness even higher.
GM of Media Chris Burton says: “While Liquorland’s suppliers are likely to make up the bulk of the advertiser base, this channel is unique by retail media standards in that it also caters for external companies and brands looking to engage Liquorland’s audience of over one million shoppers per month.”
The announcement comes as Liquorland also confirms that the ‘Henry’s’ banner will move to the Liquorland brand and operating model. This change will see Liquorland become the largest organised specialist liquor network in New Zealand, with over 160 stores as early as January 2023.
Liquorland Head of Marketing & CX, Angela Hurst says “We’re thrilled to partner with HYPER to take our in-store experience to the next level, and further toward what good retail looks like. Providing our customers with engaging, in-the-moment messaging at the point of purchase consideration will be a powerful sales tool for our suppliers and stores.”
NEW ZEALAND’S largest independent spirits brand, Scapegrace, has announced the release of its highly anticipated first limited-edition range of Single Malts.
Scapegrace Managing Director Daniel Mclaughlin had confirmed earlier this year that Scapegrace acquired an awardwinning single malt whisky distillery four years ago and has been quietly putting down whisky since then.
That news came as the company announced its $25m distillery project, which began construction in mid-2021 on a 36-hectare site overlooking Lake Dunstan in Central Otago.
The team is now finally ready to unveil Scapegrace Single Malt.
“Back in 2014 when we launched the brand, we knew Single Malt would be part of our strategic direction,” said Mclaughlin.
There are four limited release expressions in the first Scapegrace Single Malt release.
Cask Type: Virgin French Oak Aged: 5 Years
Tasting Notes: Cinnamon, cloves with rich creamy vanilla. Buttered toast.
Cask Type: Virgin French Oak Aged: 3 Years
Tasting Notes: Citrus blossom and poached pears. Elegant all-spice.
Cask Type: Virgin French Oak Aged: 3 Years
Grain Type: Manuka Smoked – NZ Laureate Tasting Notes: Warm smoky embers, mocha and bitter chocolate.
Cask Type: Bulgarian Oak
Aged: 3 Years
Tasting Notes: Baked apples and stewed plums. Vanilla sponge dessert.
As Scapegrace edges closer to its core expression the brand will offer an ongoing collage of rare, interesting Limited Release Single Malt products. Each expression will be released in chronological order in collectable, individually numbered bottles, never to be repeated or extended.
Every limited release is brought to life with a unique story and emotive expression which is linked to the brand, and the specific single malt variant.
The location of the new distillery provides Scapegrace with the perfect climate and water quality for producing whisky. The 45th parallel (the halfway point between the Equator and South Pole) runs directly through the distillery site, giving extremes in hot and cold temperatures – an optimum environment for ageing whisky.
Once complete, the new property will include its new head office, bottling hall, barrel warehousing and full circular brand and hospitality precinct. The distillery will, in time, produce the entirety of its current portfolio of super premium gin and vodka.
Co-founder and Marketing Director of Scapegrace, Mark Neal says, “Our Single Malt journey has a real focus on pioneering the movement of New Zealand Single Malt Whisky on the global stage. With a great ambition to showcase New Zealand Single Malt to the world, we are thrilled to release our first ever allocation.
“The release will be brought to life in October when we launch our international campaign.”
Scapegrace Single Malt - 46% ABV 700ml RRP $119- $129.
Distributed by Hancocks scapegracedistillery.com
“With a great ambition to showcase New Zealand Single Malt to the world, we are thrilled to release our first ever allocation.”
LION NEW Zealand says it has reduced its carbon emissions by 10%, meeting its carbon emissions reduction commitments as part of its Toitū net carbonzero organisation certification.
Lion announced it had gone carbon zero in 2021 and is the first and only largescale beverages company in New Zealand that is carbon zero. It has completed its 2021 greenhouse gas emissions audit for Toitū net carbonzero certification showing a 10% reduction in emissions from its baseline year of 2019.
Lion’s carbon zero status covers all its New Zealand manufacturing sites including The Pride, Speight’s, Emerson’s, Panhead, Little Creatures Brewery, Wither Hill’s Vineyard and Winery, Havana Coffee Works, and its hospitality venues and offices as well.
LOW TICKET sales and pressures on the hospitality sector were among the reasons that organisers cancelled cocktail festival Highball this year.
In a statement at the end of August, the Wellington Culinary Events Trust (WCET) said that it had made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s festival, which had been scheduled to take place in the capital from 23-24 September 2022.
Established in 2019, Highball has been an up-and-coming festival for the WCET, which is the not-for-profit trust behind the highly successful Visa Wellington On a Plate (VWOAP) and Beervana events. WCET said that the legacy of Beervana and VWOAP has meant another strong year for its two biggest events, despite ongoing challenges for the events and hospitality industry.
The WCET says that it will continue working with the hospitality industry to align Highball with other VWOAP activities in 2023.
Craig Baldie, Lion New Zealand’s Country Director, said that as part of its carbon zero commitment and target aligned with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, Lion plans to reduce its carbon emissions year on year. “To that end, we have projects underway to improve the heat efficiency and refrigeration systems within our breweries, and to improve the sustainability and associated emissions from the packaging we use.
“To compensate for the emissions we cannot yet reduce or eliminate, we invest in
FUNLAB IS expanding to Christchurch with Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq and Holey Moley Golf Club scheduled to open in October.
The venues are located in Christchurch’s EntX complex, just below HOYTS, and offer arcade-games, crazy-golf courses, and 8-lanes of bowling in one precinct.
“The concept behind these two spaces is all about embracing nostalgic, unique fun – a chance to enjoy a social experience that really counterpoints our hugely digital lives,” says CEO of FunLab, Michael Schreiber.
FunLab also has a Holey Moley Golf Club at Auckland’s Viaduct, and Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq in the Westfield Newmarket complex.
Schreiber says the decision to launch in Christchurch was a response to the
accredited projects that prevent or remove carbon emissions from the atmosphere.”
Lion’s Steinlager product range has also continued to be Toitū net carbonzero product certified and is the only beer brand in New Zealand that is carbon zero across its full life-cycle.
Lion’s net carbonzero certification is part of Lion’s broader Group sustainability strategy which targets a 55% reduction in emissions by 2030 from a 2019 baseline, 100% renewable electricity by 2025 and no plastic labels on products by 2030.
vibrant rejuvenation of the city centre.
“When choosing where to next launch Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq and Holey Moley in New Zealand, we were excited by Christchurch as a city that is thriving in revitalised growth – we’re thrilled that our two hit entertainment spaces are set to elevate and add excitement to EntX in the city centre.”
The hybrid opening is part of a wider relaunch of EntX Christchurch, the entertainment complex situated in the heart of the CBD.
As Drinksbiz went to print, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq and Holey Moley were scheduled to open to the public on 7 October.
AS THE warm weather approaches make sure your business is ready to offer the crowds delicious frozen cocktails with help from Kiwi company Frozen Drinks, which offers cost-effective, efficient frozen drink-making solutions.
Frozen Drinks provides locally made beverage products and Italian dispensing machinery to more than 200 sites around New Zealand, as well overseas, across retail, hospitality, party and event catering.
Its machines and cocktail mixes make it easy to create an array of frozen cocktails quickly and easily, with endless options for summer menus.
“Our machines can slush any sort of alcohol, which opens up a world of possibilities for bar staff to get creative with value-added products,” says Frozen Drinks Managing Director, Derek Sampson.
All Frozen Drink products are dispensed via Granita (slushy) machines that pour product to a standard consistency. This dispensing equipment is the best
available in terms of its reliability, ease of operation and cleaning.
Frozen Drinks has two core ranges: Triple 3 and Fruzo. Triple 3 is a full-fruit, no preservative, 7% ABV slushy mix in 17 flavours, while its non-alcoholic alternative Triple 3 Zero provide a virgin or alcohol-added opportunity.
Fruzo is a market-leading 50% fruit juice based frozen slushy in 11 flavours, while Fruzo Supreme is 99% fruit juice with no added sugar. Both are supplied in concentrate form as an all-inclusive liquid to reduce onsite preparation time. Fruzo Sport Isotonic and Fru-licious Smoothies are also available.
Frozen Drinks products are manu factured in New Zealand making short orders and quick delivery times achiev able and thus negating the need for cus tomers to maintain significant stock levels.
New for Summer 2022 are Triple 3’s Gimlet Chill (gin with lemon and lime) and Pink Lady (gin with cranberry and raspberry) with a new Euro-inspired frozen Tequila soon to be released.
The team at Frozen Drinks are offering a special promotion that makes owning a slushy machine easy.
Find out how – contact Frozen Drinks on 0800 556 022 or visit frozendrinks.co.nz
DB HAS released its Sustainability Report 2021, which outlines how the company is tracking towards its stated objective of being New Zealand’s leading business in sustainability.
DB Managing Director Matt Wilson says that the company made great progress towards its sustainability ambitions, despite a disrupted year. “We delivered on some major carbon reduction projects at DB in 2021, including the switch to biomass-derived steam at our DB Draught Brewery in Timaru, the replacement of LPG-powered forklifts with a fully electric fleet, and our on-road Sales fleet continuing to transition away from combustion engines to hybrids.
“We now continue our journey to find renewable alternatives for steam supply to our Waitematā Brewery to be net zero in production emissions by 2030, and carbon neutral in our full supply chain by 2040.”
Highlights of the 2021 report include:
• A 35% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions from DB’s 2018 baseline
• Toitū Enviromark Diamond accreditation for the second year in a row
• 96% of the company’s spend going to local suppliers
• Nearly $365,000 contributed to local community partnerships, sponsorships, and education
• Maintaining a 0% gender pay gap at DB.
The report also notes DB’s move to pay its staff above the living wage, and the revamp of its Family Support Policy to extend it to 26 weeks full paid parental leave.
The report outlines DB’s future targets as having all production sites as zero waste to landfill by 2025 and halving its plastic footprint by 2030. It aims to be
carbon zero by 2030 in scope 1&2 and carbon neutral in full value chain by 2040.
It is also working towards having 100% of unreturned water balanced by water stewardship initiatives and all wastewater treated to HEINEKEN standards.
Find the full report at db.co.nz/ brewing-a-better-nz/sustainability-report
SUPER LIQUOR Papamoa, managed by Anthony Montgomery, has been announced as the winner of Super Liquor Store of the Year 2022/23.
Over the past few months, all Franchisees around New Zealand have been evaluated by a team from Super Liquor using a range of performance measures including sales, store standards, compliance, innovation and local marketing.
From here, the field was narrowed to four regional finalists, who then participated in an interview with an independent judge.
The judging panel said that Anthony and his team stood out as winners as they continually strive to be the best and keep their great store growing. They highlighted the fact the store was very well organised and laid out, and also commended the tastings of new products as an on-going core in-store initiative, with staff knowledge key to making this a useful and enjoyable experience for customers.
Super Liquor Papamoa was also recognised as a big supporter of its local community, with its sponsorship and fundraising for the local volunteer fire
brigade and Surf Lifesaving Club, and contributing towards the building of a local War Memorial.
Anthony Montgomery has worked at the store for 10 years and says that good customer service is integral to continual growth of the business. “The key to this is ensuring the staff have good knowledge
of the products in store so they can make recommendations and help customers try new products.
“Range is also crucial in this regard, for having new exciting products for them to sample and then buy. This, along with basic customer service like carrying bulky items out to their car and acknowledging regular customers by name makes the shopping experience an enjoyable one.”
Super Liquor Papamoa was also recognised for having a stable team with a happy vibe. Anthony says this is the foundation of the business but can also be the most challenging aspect.
“The team is made up of many different personalities, and understanding each personality and what motivates them makes for a more cohesive team.
“It’s also important to acknowledge when they do well and share information regarding the operation of the business to give them an understanding of why things are done and where we are heading. This makes them feel more invested in what they do and results in better job satisfaction and results.”
Find out more about becoming a Super Liquor Franchisee – visit superliquor.co.nz
CONGRATULATIONS TO Tahryn Mason from Villa Maria in Marlborough, who became the 2022 Corteva Young Viticulturist of the Year. The National Final was held on 30 August at Indevin’s Bankhouse in Marlborough.
“This competition has been the driving force and making of my career,” he says. The competition helps grow Young Vits by giving them support, focus and opportunities
to upskill and widen their networks, so Tahryn says he was thrilled to finally take out the prestigious title having previously competed three times. Having just turned 30, this was also the last year he could compete.
There has been much for Tahryn to celebrate this year as he also became a father for the first time.
The other finalists also impressed judges with their vast knowledge and
passion for viticulture. Second place went to Katie Cameron, from Escarpment in Wairarapa, while Tai Nelson from Soljans Estate in Kumeu, Auckland placed third. Organisers say that fellow finalists Laura Marston and Nina Downer also excelled themselves, with Marston winning the infamous Biostart Hortisports and Downer receiving an award for coming third with her Research Project.
very delayed 2021 National Final took place in June, the 2022 competitions are already running to schedule and well underway.
by Alun Kilby from Marisco.
THE 2022 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year competitions are underway.
Although only a few months since the
The North Island competition took place on 8 September at EIT in Hawke’s Bay and was won by Douw Grobler from Trinity Hill, while the Marlborough competition held at NMIT was taken out
The Central Otago competition was set to take place on 6 October at VinPro and the National Final will take place at Kim Crawford Winery in Marlborough on 3 November.
Drinksbiz will have full results online at drinksbiz.co.nz and in the DecemberJanuary issue.
SINCE THE early 2000s, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has informed decisions and courses of action each day at French specialist glass company Saverglass.
Our workforce engages in CSR at every level and every stage of production and each endeavour in every country where Saverglass operates.
Significant investment has been made to bolster our environmental goals. Working with a leading consulting firm – Carbon 4 – Saverglass has, over the last 10 years, reduced its carbon footprint by 11%. With action plans drawn up by Carbon 4 we have expanded and refined the parameters we use to effectively measure and manage our emissions, and thus to better assess our environmental performance. Our goal is to reduce the emissions of our manufacturing process by 45% before 2035, and by 36% across our entire value chain.
Energy efficiency is constantly being improved, and the share of clean energy increased in our processes. At the same
time, ongoing adaptations, allowing for the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG), are sought and implemented, all while maintaining the quality for which Saverglass is renowned. Raw materials are constantly being optimised as we work to decarbonise.
The current war in the Ukraine and soaring energy prices have necessitated greater use of oil fuel, which has driven emissions up, and our 2022 objectives will not be met. Together with Carbon 4 we will implement adjustments and take action to return to the planned trajectory.
Customers are mindful of reducing packaging weight in order to limit their GHG emissions throughout the value chain and over the past 10+ years Saverglass has developed ranges of lighter bottles without sacrificing premiumisation or quality.
We continually strive to strike the right balance between quality, product design and optimized weight. Solving this equation is an integral part of the expertise we bring to the premium segment
Taking up a premium positioning means delivering in three significant areas: product differentiation, value creation and brand communications aimed at consumers. This is achieved through innovative and customised solutions for original, simple, pure and aesthetically pleasing shapes that never lose sight of a bottle’s raison d’être.
It’s the people, it’s the people, it’s the people United by a passion for excellence in glassmaking and proud of the perpetual pioneering spirit that guides Saverglass, our teams share a robust corporate culture.
Always central to our mission, ensuring the health and safety of our personnel is a significant goal, something the company has focussed on for a very long time, well before it became fashionable. Continuous feedback and best practices ensure progress in this field.
Saverglass is proud of its CSR achievements and committed to continuing to seek progress.
Find out more at saverglass.com/ en/csr
The POP collection beckons to spirits with a powerful identity. Strong design elements and mechanical capping promote reuse. Give your bottles a second life with the POP collection!
Saverglass (NZ) Limited | www.saverglass.com Haute Couture Glass | Tel +64 9 522 2990
GLOBAL BEER brand Corona has announced the grand opening of Corona Island, a tropical sustainable destination for eco-tourism off the coast of Colombia. A first-of-its-kind island paradise, Corona Island is free of single-use plastic, encouraging guests to reconnect with the natural world through immersive hospitality experiences.
Corona has partnered with international non-profit Oceanic Global to create the first Blue Verified island and Corona Island has achieved Oceanic Global’s three-star plastic-free Blue Seal for eliminating single-use plastic and adopting sustainable operating best practices at scale. From construction to energy production, food sourcing and guest experiences on-site,
Corona says that sustainability is at the centre of every decision and touchpoint of Corona Island.
“On Corona Island, we are celebrating the majesty and beauty of the outdoors by getting guests engaged in protecting paradise,” said Felipe Ambra, Global Vice President for Corona. “Everyone on the team, from our chefs to our architects contributed to creating a truly single-use plastic-free paradise. We look forward to welcoming visitors, rekindling their relationship with nature and hopefully creating more advocates to protect our natural world.”
Details of how to book a stay on Corona Island in 2023 are available on the website.
livecoronaisland.com
AVIATION AMERICAN Gin has opened the “Aviation American Gin Distillery and Visitor Center” in its hometown of Portland, Oregon.
The state-of-the-art facility features a tasting room, draft cocktail bar and gift shop. As part of the interactive experience, visitors can get a sneak peek at the office of co-owner, actor Ryan Reynolds, which doubles as an escape room, inviting guests to solve a series of puzzles and identify various Easter eggs to get out.
“If a grown-up theme park and a bartender fell in love and produced offspring, it would be this gin factory,” said Reynolds.
Helmed by award-winning industry veteran and Distillery Director, Hollie Stephenson, the facility will offer educational tours of the distillation process and bottling line, as well as tasting flights and unique seasonal draft cocktails.
Aviation American Gin is owned by Diageo, through the acquisition of the Davos Brands portfolio in 2020.
SPIRITS DISTRIBUTOR Proof & Company has rolled out new patent-pending SmartKiosk™ technology for ecoSPIRITS in Singapore, making sustainable reuse of branded spirits bottles available to consumers.
Proof & Company is ecoSPIRITS’ licensed operator for Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Australia and New Zealand, and is the first partner in the world to own and operate a fleet of SmartKiosks across the region. Partnering with DFI Retail Group for the Singapore launch, Proof & Company has deployed the first SmartKiosk in CS Fresh, Tanglin Mall, Singapore, with four more locations pinned for launch later this year.
The new CS Fresh SmartKiosk will offer Singapore’s shoppers access to sustainable refills of a
selection of craft spirit brands, including gins from the island’s own Brass Lion Distillery. Other spirits available will include Tried & True Straight Wheat Vodka, Widges Gin, Mackintosh Blended Malt Scotch Whisky and Los Arcos Destilado de Agave.
Placing their bottle under an intelligent pouring system with brand authentication through a novel Verified Sustainable Refill™ feature and using a touch screen, customers can accurately refill with their favourite spirits. Proof & Company says that each sustainable refill offers significant
environmental benefits, eliminating an average of 550g of carbon emissions and more than 700g of single-use packaging waste.
“Proof & Company is proud to be the very first operator of the SmartKiosk technology globally,” says Brandon Grusd, General Manager, Southeast Asia, Proof & Company. “Having first pioneered ecoSPIRITS in the on-premise channel back in 2018, it’s a natural fit for our growing network of retailers across Asia Pacific.
It also provides a wonderful opportunity for our brand partners to be at the forefront of consumer innovation.”
Proof & Company says that additional SmartKiosks will be deployed in ecoSPIRITS markets around the world in the coming months.
NEW FROM the folk at kombucha company Good Buzz comes Quite Good – a range of all-natural artisan-made RTDs that are low in sugar (less than 1.6g of sugar per 100ml) and contain no artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners or preservatives. The range of four flavours is made from premium vodka or gin blended with organic New Zealand fruit extracts, organic New Zealand kombucha and sparkling water.
Quite Good is available in:
• Vodka, Organic Kombucha, Pineapple, Mango & Soda
• Vodka, Organic Kombucha, Passionfruit, Guava & Soda
• Vodka, Organic Kombucha, Lime & Soda
• Gin, Organic Kombucha, Raspberry, Lemon & Soda
Quite Good 5% ABV 330ml mixed 6-pack RRP $19.99, single flavour 10-pack RRP $29.99. quitegood.co.nz Good Buzz
THE TEAM behind the popular Sprig + Fern Grown Up Lemonade have finally canned it! Up until now, Grown Up Lemonade has only been available in Sprig + Fern Taverns or at craft beer festivals.
Founder/Master Brewer Tracy Banner and her team have given in to demand and put their famous alcoholic lemonade into 330ml cans.
Grown Up Lemonade is a vodka-based lemonade made with lemon juice, giving it a fresh and zesty citrus bite.
This one is for grown ups only!
JACK DANIEL’S is launching a new flavour-forward RTD, with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple and Soda RTD available through Hancocks from November.
The combination of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple Liqueur with soda offers an approachable new path to discovering the Jack Daniel’s brand and will be accompanied by an OOH/ Digital campaign to drive consumer awareness that leads to purchase and trial from retail.
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple and Soda RTD 4.4% ABV, 330ml can 4-pack RRP $15.99 Available from November.
Hancocks
Grown Up Lemonade 4% ABV 330ml can 6-pack RRP $19.99 Available for liquor retail and on-premise hospitality. Order through sales@sprigandfern.co.nz
THE TEAM at Hey Hey have added a zesty new flavour to the range with Vodka, Lemon, Lime, Bitters & Soda. Gisborne-grown lemons and limes are matched with Angostura bitters and vodka to create an intense citrus hit.
Vodka, Lemon, Lime, Bitters & Soda joins the original line-up of Vodka Peach, Nectarine & Soda, and Gin, Cloudy Pink Grapefruit & Tonic, which MOA Brewing Co. launched for summer 2021.
The Hey Hey range is low in sugar and contains no artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners or preservatives.
Hey Hey 4.5% ABV, 330ml 10-pack RRP $27.99 MOA Brewing
DRINKS COMPANY Part Time Rangers is teaming up with Forest & Bird as it launches its new Peach Penguin – a blend of peach, vodka and sparkling water –with a portion of proceeds from every can sold helping to protect native penguins in New Zealand.
Part Time Rangers launched in 2018 and for every Part Time Rangers can sold, a portion of proceeds goes towards animal conservation initiatives across the globe.
Forest & Bird is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading independent voice for nature. They have been protecting and restoring New Zealand’s wildlife and wild places for almost 100 years.
They’ve been instrumental in the creation of national parks, the Department of Conservation, the first predator-free island,
NEW ZEALAND RTD brand Major Major has launched a ‘lighter’ take on a traditional dark drink and stepped into the growing world of bourbon with its new Major Major Blended Kentucky Bourbon Lemon & Lime.
Made in New Zealand with sparkling water and blended Kentucky-bourbon, the new Major Major offering has a lower sugar (2.5g/100mls) lemon and lime mix delivering refreshing citrus notes, and natural flavour without preservatives.
Parent company Asahi NZ says that since arriving on the scene in March 2021, Major Major has grown in market share and popularity with a range of natural flavours across whisky and vodka bases – and now bourbon.
Major Major Blended Kentucky Bourbon Lemon & Lime 6% ABV, 330ml 10-pack RRP $27.99
Asahi NZ
and the creation of marine reserves and sanctuaries.
Sales of Part Time Rangers’ new Peach Penguin will help support their work with the various penguin species found on New Zealand’s mainland and offshore islands.
These include the Hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin), which are only found in New Zealand and are thought to be the world’s rarest
penguins, and the Kororā, which are the world’s smallest penguin species.
Part Time Rangers’ mission has always been to support organisations making a real difference. With a passion for sustainability, the brand says it is determined to create a community of Part Time Rangers, who act as a force for change, while living their everyday lives.
Part Time Rangers – Peach Penguin (Peach, Vodka & Sparkling Water)
4.5% ABV, 330ml 10-pack RRP $27.99
Hancocks
last year and forecasts that it will continue to grow over the next five years, albeit from a relatively low base2
WHEN DONNA Weston and Ricky Bartlett launched New Zealand’s first online non-alcoholic drinks store at the country’s biggest craft beer festival in 2021, it was what the couple describe as “a baptism of fire”.
Their new business, Clear Head Drinks, was showcasing a range of quality imported zero alcohol craft beers from the US, UK and Europe. But at Beervana, they struggled to get anyone to try them.
“The consumer attitude was: ‘Oh no, we’re not interested in anything nonalcoholic’,” says Donna.
A year later, and it couldn’t have been more different. When the couple returned for this year’s event, not only were punters seeking out their zero alcohol craft alternatives, but several local breweries were promoting their own non-alcoholic offerings too, such as Garage Project’s Tiny and new non-alcoholic brewery State of Play.
“We did a lot more business at Beervana this year,” says Donna. “…the response from last year to this year has just been the other side of the coin.” She says the flurry of non-alcoholic releases from local brewers in recent months too (Bach Brewing, Sawmill, Behemoth, Good George and Sprig + Fern to name a few) has buoyed it further: “…it’s really validated the whole sector”.
Since launching in 2021, Clear Head Drinks has become New Zealand’s biggest online non-alcoholic drinks store. The idea had first occurred to Ricky after he gave up drinking eight years ago and struggled to find enjoyable non-alcoholic alternatives. But it wasn’t until the first COVID lockdown of 2020 that the couple had the headspace to pursue the concept.
And now, it’s not just their nonalcoholic beer in demand. Donna and Ricky report that business is picking up pace when it comes to Clear Head’s wider
range of non-alcoholic wine, RTDs and spirits that they sell direct to consumers, and for the international brands they distribute wholesale.
The awareness and availability of no/low alcohol drinks has risen sharply in New Zealand over the past couple of years, in line with what’s happening globally.
In January this year, a study published by IWSR Drinks Market Analysis1 found that the market value of no/low alcohol had grown from US$7.8 billion in 2018, to just under US$10 billion in 2021, and that no- and low-alcohol beer/cider, wine, spirits, and ready-to-drink (RTD) products now command a 3.5% volume share of the drinks industry.
IWSR has also reported that the no/ low-alcohol category grew by over +10%
And it is no-alcohol beer that is tipped to add the most volume to the global no/low segment over the next five years.
The beer boom
DB was the first to launch a zero alcohol beer at scale in New Zealand with Heineken 0.0% in 2018 and it notes that one in 10 Heineken now sold in New Zealand is a Heineken 0.0%.
Asahi launched Peroni Libera 0.0% in New Zealand in 2019, replacing it with Peroni Nastro Azzuro 0.0% earlier this year, while Lion launched Speight’s Summit Zero in mid-2021, followed by Steinlager 0.0% in early 2022.
The costs involved in the technology and development time for non-alcoholic beer has been a bit of a barrier for local craft brewers, but things are certainly moving at pace now.
Craig Cooper of Bach Brewing took the plunge in early 2021 when he found himself the nominated sober driver at a mate’s barbecue. After a night drinking non-alcoholic beer, he resolved to make his own. “I thought ‘This is really pretty ordinary’. That became a major catalyst and we set about doing pilots pretty much immediately.”
Six months later, he launched Bach Brewing All Day Non-Alcoholic IPA – a hops-driven beer brewed to be nonalcoholic, rather than removing the alcohol afterwards, as many of the bigger companies do.
It promptly went on to win the Trophy for Best Non-Alcohol Beer at the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) this year, beating non-alcoholic offerings from big-name breweries like S.A. Damm (Spain), Heaps Normal (Australia), Pilsner Urquell (Czech Republic) and Athletic Brewing Co. (USA). It was also named in the New World Top 30 Beer & Cider Awards 2022.
He says the response from consumers and industry peers has been overwhelming and humbling. “We’ve never had so many people contacting us just to pay compliments and say ‘Wow, what an amazing beer, thank you.’”
Production has been scaled up and Craig says they’re now regularly brewing batches that are four times what they started with to meet demand. He’s since added a Hazy to the All Day Non-Alc range and plans to release a Pilsner before Christmas too.
It’s tipped to be one of the fastest-growing drinks categories – Victoria Wells looks at the rise of the non-alcoholic market in New Zealand and the opportunities it offers…
The awareness and availability of no/low alcohol drinks has risen sharply in New Zealand.
When it comes to the wider range of non-alcoholic products available, Giesen Group leads the way in wine locally, with its range of Giesen 0% premium alcohol-removed wines. Such has been their success that last year the company invested over NZ$1 million into spinning cone technology, which it uses to gently remove the alcohol from the wine. It says the machine is now working 24/7 to keep up with demand.
Non-alcoholic spirits are on the rise too: Giesen Group distributes Warner’s 0% Botanic Garden Spirits from the UK, while Australian company Lyre’s is fast making inroads in New Zealand. Seedlip from the UK and New Zealand-made Ecology & Co add further choice for consumers wanting a ‘spirit’ experience without the alcohol.
On the RTD front, Kiwi brands AF Drinks and Ecology & Co specialise in non-alcoholic pre-mixed drinks, while local RTD brand Pals has added 0% alcohol options to its popular line-up, as has Finery. Clear Head Drinks also carries several international zero alcohol RTD brands.
Like Ricky, it was a lack of choice in non-alcoholic options that drove former international pilot Brent Wilkins to start his own business, forming Longbreeze Distributors in June 2020. He imports and distributes non-alcoholic craft beers from award-winning international brands Mikkeller, Vandestreek and Big Drop and is looking to add wine to his range too.
Although not a teetotaller, Brent says it’s about having more enjoyable options when he doesn’t want alcohol. “Travelling [internationally] before lockdown and seeing what was around, I just wanted a bit of choice so I thought I’d bring something in,” says Brent. “There was such a good response that I thought I’d keep it going and try a few more.”
He says interest has been strong at consumer shows, and supermarkets have been quick to range the products, but it has taken liquor retail and on-premise channels a little longer.
“When people were buying sixpacks, and two of this and two of that and asking where they could get it, the biggest disappointment was the lack of places. The bottle stores and restaurants are very reluctant for some reason and yet the people do want it.”
Interestingly, all those interviewed for this story talked about the keen interest
from supermarkets (many of whom have specific Zero Zones), but slower pick-up from liquor retail and on-premise.
Ricky says that consumers are crying out for more options. “Demand is rife, it’s just that on-premise aren’t very quick at putting an option in front of you, or they’ll put one non-alc beer [on their list] and say they’ve ticked the box and they’re satisfying all their ‘dry’ customers, but actually they’re not. They’re missing the point and they’re missing margin as well, because having more options will get them more sales.”
With the ever-increasing range of quality non-alcoholic drinks available, it seems there is a real opportunity to add value to the experience of customers who want something without alcohol, as well as increase the margin that would otherwise be made on soft drinks and juice.
Donna points out that on-premise clients have found that having more interesting non-alcoholic options can help to extend a customer’s visit too. “Instead of leaving after a couple of beers they’ll stay and have a couple of non-alc ones and then say ‘We may as well have dinner here now’ and it extends how much they’re spending at that venue.”
Craig Cooper notes that they are even supplying Bach Brewing’s All Day
Non-Alcoholic range to other breweries’ taprooms. “We’ve had some really good support from other brewers who have their own tasting rooms and brew pubs. Those who aren’t making non-alc beer… every week we’re getting orders from them. So even in those very specific beer-drinking environments, people are obviously drinking non-alc.”
Brent Wilkins believes bigger change is coming, but will be down to customers too. “People are tasting the quality of the beers and loving them," he says. “They just have to request it a bit more – if owners know that customers aren’t happy with what they’ve got on offer then they’ll look at it a bit more seriously.”
“It’s really hard to describe how much of a change there’s been – a shift in culture,” says Ricky. “We’ve been watching this for ages and it really didn’t do anything for seven years, then there was an uptake and now there’s real momentum… and there are more options all over the place. There is definitely a rising tide here and that’s fantastic for everyone.”
1: " As Consumers Embrace ‘Dry January,’ No- and LowAlcohol in Key Global Markets Reaches Almost US$10 Billion in Value" 2022 IWSR No- and Low-Alcohol Strategic Study – IWSR release, January 2022.
2: “Global Beverage Alcohol Rebounds in 2021, with Value Reaching US$1.17 Trillion” – IWSR release, June 2022.
“It’s really hard to describe how much of a change there’s been – a shift in culture.” – Ricky Bartlett, Clear Head DrinksDonna Weston & Ricky Bartlett of Clear Head Drinks
Alcohol licensing lawyer Pervinder Kaur looks at The Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Harm Minimisation) Amendment Bill…
ON 30 June this year, Green Party MP Chloe Swarbrick’s Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Harm Minimisation)
Amendment Bill (Bill) was drawn from the Members’ Ballot.
Under the current legislation, local authorities can develop and adopt local alcohol policy (LAP) that regulates how the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol would be undertaken within a district. It places restrictions in terms of the number of new alcohol outlets, location of such outlets, trading hours, and advertising of alcohol.
Following a draft LAP, public consultation is undertaken by Council to understand community views and preferences on the proposed LAP.
Following consultation, Council then notifies a provisional LAP, which is subject to appeals from anyone who made submissions on the draft LAP. The appeal process is distinct to LAPs and has been a way for the alcohol industry to provide its input against the LAP provisions.
The process to draft and adopt a LAP is long-winded and can take a lot of effort and resources. If enacted, the Bill would remove the appeals process against provisional LAP. This change in the legislation would remove the alcohol industry’s ability to provide any input against the provisions, which (in essence) would control how a licensed premises could operate within the given district.
Provisional LAPs would still be subject to the Judicial Review process.
Banning alcohol advertising and sponsorship
The Bill, if successful, would prohibit:
• alcohol advertising –during a broadcast sports activity; in or on a sporting venue during a broadcast sports activity;
• alcohol sponsorship of –a broadcast sports activity; the name of a sports team or a player in a broadcast sports activity; sports merchandise, uniforms, and equipment in a broadcast sports activity; a sporting venue;
Certain international events are exempt and the Minister would have the authority to grant exemption in respect of certain international events.
The Bill creates new offences in respect of alcohol advertising and sponsorship, with fines of up to $600,000.
The Bill also seeks to expand the criteria for licensing committees to consider when making decisions on alcohol licence applications. Section 105 criteria for issue of licences would be amended to include two additional matters around:
• the current availability of alcohol for sale and supply in the locality
• whether the issue of the licence will benefit the community and not contribute to alcohol-related harm.
In terms of the renewal of licences, a district licensing committee would be allowed to refuse to renew a licence if, in its opinion, it would be inconsistent with a LAP. Furthermore, a licensing authority or licensing committee would be allowed to impose conditions on any licence it renews to make it consistent with any relevant LAP.
Note: At the time of print, the Bill is currently before Parliament and awaiting its first reading.
If enacted, the Bill would remove the appeals process against provisional local alcohol policy.
Lyre’s award-winning range of non-alcoholic spirits are quietly changing the way the world drinks. How? By giving drinkers and non-drinkers alike the freedom to drink their drink, their way.
Is your venue missing out on the growth from Lyre’s premium non alcoholic options? Why not test the waters and unlock the consumer opportunity with an alcohol free margarita made possible with Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Agave Blanco Spirit and Orange Sec.
CONTACT US AT HELLO@LYRES.CO
STAY SPIRITED. make it a lyre’s. AVAILABLE AT LYRES.COM.AU
NOT SUITABLE FOR INDIVDUALS UNDER THE LEGAL
AGE
Our annual aromatic curation, as chosen by Joelle Thomson, contains an enticing selection of wines ranging from bone dry to lusciously sweet.
RRP $19.99
Marisco
Fresh ripe pear and fleshy peachy aromas leap out of every glass of this off-dry Pinot Gris. Hints of voluptuousness are followed by a crisp, dry finish. Ideal as a late afternoon aperitif and an equally good match with nibbles. 17.5/20
RRP $15.99
Giesen Group
Aromatic white pear, nectarine and sweet peachy flavours team up in every soft, smooth sip of this tangy Gris from Giesen. This is an approachable, accessible, off-dry Pinot Gris with fruit sweetness adding loads of appeal for immediate drinking. 16.5/20
Large family-owned winery Giesen is one of the top Riesling producers in New Zealand and its winemakers produce outstanding Rieslings in a range of styles.
RRP $18.99
Giesen Group
A limited release Riesling with stunningly delicious aromatics on the nose and in every sip of this medium-dry wine from Giesen. This large, family-owned winery is one of the top Riesling producers in New Zealand and its winemakers produce outstanding Rieslings in a range of styles. This is a slightly lighter expression with 11.5% ABV, countered by its full body and smooth mouthfeel with lifted lemon blossom and white lily flavours. A portion of the wine was fermented and matured in granite tanks, which adds complexity and depth. 18.5/20
RRP $18.99
Giesen Group
Turkish Delight aromas add richness and appeal to the nose of this mediumto-sweet style of Pinot Gris. It’s a lightbodied wine with notes of spice, white stone fruit and pear. 15.5/20
A tasty Gris with smooth white fruit flavours bursting out of the glass and leading into spicy notes, a medium body and lingering fruity finish. Lively, fresh and great value for money. 17.5/20
Riesling
RRP $22.99
Whitehaven Wines
A delicious Riesling with well-balanced flavours of freshly picked crunchy green apple, lime zest and a ripe peachy note, all adding complexity to an incredibly beautiful expression of Riesling from Marlborough. 17.5/20
Gewürztraminer
RRP $22.99
Clearview Estate
This luscious Hawke’s Bay Gewürztraminer has rich, concentrated flavours of oldfashioned roses, Turkish Delight, honey, tropical fruit and ginger. It’s a mediumbodied wine with gentle spice and a zingy finish. 17.5/20
RRP $23.99
EuroVintage
A beautiful, classic, complex and affordable Riesling from the Mosel wine region, Germany’s heartland of great Rieslings. This light-bodied style has deliciously layered aromas of lime, ripe lemon zest, florals and honey.
It’s refreshing from start to finish with lovely balance and a lingering taste.
17.5/20
RRP $24
A clean, crisp, light-bodied and approachable dry Italian Pinot Grigio with pristine white pear flavours. 16.5/20
RRP $24.99
Forrest Albariño is a classic grape from northwestern Spain, which is where New Zealand winemaker Beth Forrest first found and fell for its tangy charms. In this wine, green olive and zesty lemon aromas lead into a lithe, refreshing and dry white with a medium body and seafood-friendly flavours. 17.5/20
RRP $24.99
Forrest
Freshness in a glass – a concentrated, crisp, incredibly refreshing Chenin Blanc with zingy mid-palate acidity that adds balance to this wine’s opulent flavours of honey and white peach. Winemakers John and Beth Forrest are among the few to continue championing diverse wines made from less fashionable grape varieties, such as this. 18.5/20
This is the first organically certified Riesling from winemaker and Riesling devotee Duncan Forsyth, who blends grapes from two vineyards in Central Otago to make this super tasty, refreshing and medium-bodied Riesling. The grapes were whole bunch pressed and fermented in a mixture of stainless steel barrels and stainless tanks with wild yeasts and no temperature control, followed by lees ageing for three months. 18.5/20
RRP $24.99
Villa Maria
A vibrant dry white, this wine is superbly smooth with a deliciously edgy crispness from the first sip to its lingering, briny finish. A stunner with seafood of any sort and outstanding value for money. 17.5/20
RRP $25.90
A stunner from Spain’s northwest region of Galicia: home to the Albariño grape in all its briny, salty, refreshing expressions, such as this medium-bodied, dry, flavoursome wine. A great match with seafood thanks to its superb aromatic lemon flavours. 17.5/20
RRP $25.99
Whitehaven
A deserved winner of a string of gold medals thanks to its intensely aromatic flavours of Turkish Delight, honey, rose essence and ripe tropical fruit. Marlborough Gewürztraminer has a refreshing acidity that adds zing and length to balance this wine’s opulence. 18.5/20
Pewsey Vale is one of the great classic dry Australian Rieslings with its flavours of lemon and lime overlaid with fresh herbs. It has a medium body and great ageing potential, thanks to its fresh acidity and long finish. 18.5/20
RRP $26 Negociants
A smooth, fleshy off-dry white made entirely from the Viognier grape variety grown in the Eden Valley, which is part of South Australia’s Barossa region, but with a slightly cooler climate. This works a treat when it comes to restraining and balancing the full-bodied power of Viognier. Peachy aromas lead into a soft, accessible wine with a dry finish. 17.5/20
RRP $27.99
Lion
A complex new take on the Riesling theme that will appeal to broader white wine lovers, as well as Riesling purists. Te Kairanga winemaker John Kavanagh has softened the naturally high acidity in this great white by giving the grapes time on their skins prior to fermentation to add body and savoury textural notes to this complex dry wine. 18.5/20
RRP $28
Astrolabe Wines
A super fruity Pinot Gris from Astrolabe Wines, one of the biggest and oldest wineries in Marlborough. This wine rocks a freshly cut white pear vibe, with fleshy textural appeal and spicy notes adding a layer of complexity to the lingering finish. 17.5/20
RRP $28.99
A dry, peachy and voluptuous Viognier named after Elephant Hill’s seaside vineyard at Te Awanga in Hawke’s Bay. This wine gains depth and weight from 60% barrel fermentation, which accentuates the body and savoury texture, with the remaining 40% fermented in stainless steel to bring freshness to this lively drop. 17.5/20
RRP $29.99
An exquisite, concentrated, intensely aromatic sweet white wine made in the mould of an Alsatian Muscat. Dialled-up flavours of ripe orange and mandarin zest are coupled with a fleshy full-bodied style, all held together in a wine with a long finish. The luscious high alcohol of 15.4% comes from super-ripe grapes. Muscat Petit Grains occupies a few rows of vineyard area at Pegasus Bay winery in North Canterbury and makes this beautifully aromatic wine. 18.5/20
RRP $29.99
Vintners NZ
A stunning, aromatic dry Riesling. It has intense flavours of lime juice and lemon zest in a light-bodied wine with a long, vibrant and zesty finish. The grapes in this wine come from Craggy Range’s Te Muna Valley vineyard and were fermented in a combination of steel and large oak cuves with 100% inoculated yeasts, followed by maturation for four months before bottling. Beautiful drinking now and can age for seven to eight years, potentially longer. 18.5/20
RRP $29.99
Mineral
A step ahead, if you’ll excuse the pun. This is a modern and classic German dry Riesling from the warm region of Pfalz. The flavours span lemon essence, green apples and limes in a wine of great purity, length and with superb ageing potential. 18.5/20
RRP $30
Astrolabe Wines
Talk about a great classic dry Marlborough Riesling, which is exactly what winemaker Simon Waghorn wants to drink, as well as create for wine lovers. Flavours here run from succulent lime zest and white peach to a core of green apple zest. This lively, succulent, dry Riesling has high but balanced acidity, which gives length to every sip and suggests longevity of up to eight years, possibly much longer. 18/20
RRP $30
A consistently outstanding Albariño with intense salty green olive flavours, a full body and commanding presence in the glass. This is a youthful new release and will reward time in the bottle, providing more depth and complexity with ageing for four to five years. It also drinks well now with its weight and fabulous seafood friendly savoury flavours. 18.5/20
Nautilus Albariño is consistently outstanding with intense salty green olive flavours and a commanding presence.
RRP $30
Negociants
A dry wine with substance and white fruit flavours adding freshness to each weighty sip. A pristine expression of the perennially popular Pinot Gris. 17.5/20
RRP $30.99
Hancocks
Outstanding dry, spicy and super-concentrated flavoursome Gewürztraminer from Zephyr Wines in Marlborough. Winemaker Ben Glover
is a great champion of this intensely aromatic white grape and the wines it makes. Balance is king in this great Gewürztraminer, which is a must-try. 18.5/20
RRP $30.99
A dry aromatic Alsatian Pinot Gris with a full body, flavours of white pear and a luscious mid-palate weight. This attractive white is accessible and smooth for drinking now. 17.5/20
RRP $31.99
A beautiful expression of Riesling from the deep south, with 12% alcohol and great balance all round from its dry flavours, off-dry style and lively lime notes. Residual sugar is 10 grams and this wine carries it beautifully with great acidity and purity. 18.5/20
One of New Zealand’s best Gewürztraminers with flavours of pineapple, rose and aromatic honey held together in a rich, full-bodied, mediumsweet style that is nicely balanced by refreshing high acidity. A stunning South Island Gewürztraminer. 19/20
A dry Central Otago Riesling with ripe lime and lemon flavours balanced by floral aromas and a lightness on the palate with a lingering finish that suggests this wine has great longevity. It also drinks beautifully now and matches freshly grilled or pan-fried fish superbly. Felton Road makes three Rieslings, all highlighting different styles of this great grape. 19/20
Pegasus Bay’s winemaking family, the Donaldsons, have already reserved the word “maestro” for one of their great red wines (which more than lives up to the moniker) but if only it could also be used for Bel Canto – the greatest Riesling aromatic wine they make each year. This is one of the top wines in New Zealand with its exquisite balance of intense orange and mandarin and beautiful structured acidity adding succulence to the enormous concentration of flavour. 19.5/20
Dry River Riesling is a classic New Zealand dry aromatic wine of commanding power. It was created by Neil McCallum, founder and former owner of Dry River Wines, and is now made by winemaker Wilco Lam from grapes grown on the spectacularly beautiful Craighall Vineyard on Puruatanga Road in Martinborough. Volumes are small. Quality is superlative. A must-try. 18.5/20
Jen Parr makes Wild Earth’s beautifully juicy Pinot Noirs from grapes purchased from vineyards in Bannockburn, Pisa and Bendigo. She enhances their ripe tannins with a judicious proportion of whole bunch fermentation, which accentuates tannin structure and gives this wine its firm backbone as well as a lingering finish. Silky, medium-bodied and fresh, this youthful Pinot from the deep south drinks nicely right now and will age superbly for another five to six years. 18.5/20
If the phrase “big, buttery Chardonnay” resonates with you, here’s the wine to live up to the promise. It’s made from an elevated north-facing hill slope in Patutahi, one of Gisborne’s great grapegrowing areas. Smooth, silky in texture and with notes of caramel, cream and oatmeal, this is a complex white made from the world’s most popular white grape. 18.5/20
New vintage, great label and a deliciously good orange wine made from a blend of three white grapes, which were all given skin contact to extract colour from ‘white’ grape varieties. Those grapes are Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Muscat; three potentially aromatic grapes but all intermingling beautifully here into a dry wine with a burnt orange hue. Why have a Negroni when you can have an orange wine? 19/20
This fabulous earthy, dark red wine is the baby brother to the big Musar and, like its older sibling, is characterised by baked fruit characters. Plums, cranberries, cherries, figs and dates are all present, vibrantly appealing and softly textured with spicy notes. It’s an unconventional blend of Cinsault, Syrah and Cabernet grapes grown in the Beqaa Valley, a fertile area in eastern Lebanon that is also an active war zone. And, yes, you did read that correctly. This is an amazing wine from an exceptional place. 19/20
Dry grown Mendoza Chardonnay grapes were treated to 100% barrel ferment and matured for 12 months in Taransaud French oak, which has created a powerful, bold and full-bodied wine. Rounded white peach and zesty citrus flavours are supported by a smooth mouthfeel and long, flavoursome finish. 18.5/20
2021 Tony Bish Skeetfield Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay RRP $67.99
Tony Bish Wines
2019 Château Musar Jeune is an unconventional blend of Cinsault, Syrah and Cabernet grapes grown in the Beqaa Valley, a fertile area in eastern Lebanon that is also an active war zone.
Joelle Thomson Journalist, wine writer and author joellethomson.com
Let’s hear it for the most forgotten wines on Earth, says Joelle Thomson
HERE’S AN interesting game. Sherry, port, Madeira. What’s the first thing that springs to mind when you hear these words? Great dry wines to eat with tapas? Delicious complex aged wines to decant? The drink used to toast the Declaration of American Independence on 4 July 1776?
You’d be forgiven if these aren’t the first responses that come up, and it’s no surprise, given that sherry’s reputation has been besmirched by the likes of Harvey’s Bristol Cream; that port has been associated with fusty old men in cravats; and that Madeira has all but been forgotten.
Two fortified wine tastings held this year were a salient reminder of how great these wines can be. The fact that they are fortified not only adds to their character but stabilises their shelf life so that, once open, they last about four times longer than most wine.
The most famous fortified wine is port and it was born out of necessity. Trade wars between England and France in the late 1600s sent the English elsewhere to find robust red wines.
The wines of Portugal fitted the bill nicely, only they were oxidised and volatile after their long ship journey from Portugal to England, until someone decided to add a dash of brandy to prevent them from oxidising on their travels. This soon became the preferred way to drink these big-bodied red wines so brandy was then added as a matter of course.
Since then, port has branched off into two styles: ‘tawnies’, which are aged in old 800 litre oak barrels (called pipes) for several years and, ‘ruby ports’, which tend
to have minimal ageing in wood and can last for decades in bottle. The age of the best tawny ports is indicated on the bottle with 10-, 20- or 30-year-old, occasionally even longer.
Most ruby port is destined for early drinking, but at the top of the tree is vintage port, which is unfined, unfiltered and bottled with intense, bold, fruity flavours which develop great complexity with age. All port is sweet.
tangy tasting, dry wines. Nuttier, deeper coloured dry sherries come from long ageing in old oak barrels known as butts. The PX (Pedro Ximenez) grape and Muscat are both used to make miniscule volumes of sweet sherries.
The best sherries are fino, manzanilla, amontillado and palo cortado. Not household names, but exceptional quality wines that taste nearly perfect with seafood, slivers of cured meat, olives and toasted almonds. This is the home of tapas. Sweet sherries taste divine with warm gingerbread.
Sherry, on the other hand, is rarely sweet, despite its reputation as a thimble of sugary nothingness at Christmas time. Sherry comes from Andalusia, a region in the south of Spain with a hot tropical climate, incredibly low rainfall (typically 50 millimetres per year) and three wellknown wine towns. Jerez de la Frontera is the centre of the sherry industry and is flanked by two smaller towns: Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María.
Most sherry is made from the Palomino grape, a fairly neutral little white number, which gains character from its ageing process either in old oak or under flor yeast, a filmy white yeast that forms after a light fortification, producing very
Madeira is the third great fortified wine and comes from the Portuguese island of Madeira, 1,000 kilometres south west of Portugal. Madeira is having a bit of a resurgence. Its origins are similar to port as it was transported around the world in the hot hulls of ships and was the wine used to toast the declaration of American Independence, but that’s another story. As is Marsala from Sicily and the quirky VDNs (vin doux natural) of the world. Watch this space.
Manzanilla
RRP $32.99
Mineral
Smooth, full-bodied, dry and tangy, great with seafood.
Palo Cortado
RRP $24.99
Nutty, dry, complex and smooth with walnut, caramelised brown sugar and sandalwood flavours.
Two fortified wine tastings held this year were a salient reminder of how great these wines can be.
DISCOVER A PLACE BETWEEN THE SNOW AND THE SEA. WHERE MOUNTAIN RANGES GIVE WAY TO RIVERS, AND SUNSHINE REIGNS SUPREME. WHERE THE THREE GIESEN BROTHERS DISCOVERED AN AFFINITY FOR THE FINEST MARLBOROUGH WINES, AND WHERE WE CRAFT OUR TRIBUTE TO THIS BEAUTIFUL, UNTAMABLE REGION.
OUR
APPELLATION MARLBOROUGH Wine (AMW) has announced its first Annual Collection, a selection of wines designed to highlight the calibre of Sauvignon Blanc being produced across the Marlborough region.
The 2022 Collection is a selection of 12 current release Sauvignon Blancs, incorporating nine classic and three alternative (aged, oak influenced, and/or wild ferment) styles. AMW says that the collection will be determined yearly by an independent panel of three judges following a comprehensive blind tasting of submitted member wines.
This year, judges Emma Jenkins MW, Liz Wheadon, and Cameron Douglas MS blind tasted 60 wines before making their final selection.
Appellation Marlborough Wine Chair Ivan Sutherland said: “Each year our annual collection will be representative of the season past, whilst showcasing the talented producers in our region and our distinctive terroir.”
• Astrolabe Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Awatere Valley)
• Astrolabe Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Multi sub-regional)
• Blank Canvas Holdaway Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Dillons Point)
• Blind River Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Awatere Valley)
• Framingham Nobody’s Hero Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Wairau Valley)
• Lawson’s Dry Hills Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Waihopai & Wairau Valleys)
• Mount Riley Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Multi sub-regional)
• Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Wairau Valley)
• Whitehaven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Multi sub-regional)
• Blank Canvas ‘Abstract’ Three Rows Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (Dillons Point)
• Greywacke Wild Sauvignon Blanc 2020 (Southern & Wairau Valleys)
• Nautilus Estate The Paper Sauvignon Blanc 2021 (Renwick) appellationmarlboroughwine.co.nz
AFTER TWO years apart, the Kiwi co-founders of Invivo, Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron, have reunited with partner in wine Sarah Jessica Parker in New York to create the latest ‘Invivo X, SJP’ wine.
The trio met up at the Baccarat Hotel to create the fourth vintage of their award-winning New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Winemaker Rob Cameron selected ten samples of Sauvignon Blanc following the recent harvest in Marlborough, leading the two-hour tasting and blending process. “It’s so important that Sarah Jessica is involved in blending of the new vintage of Invivo X, SJP each year as she represents the tastes of our customers and what they are looking for in their glass.”
“Our final 2022 Sauvignon Blanc blend is tropical and has wonderful fresh citrus aromatics with a full and round mouthfeel and long finish,” says Sarah Jessica Parker, co-founder of Invivo X, SJP.
PREMIUM BEVERAGE distributor
Federal Merchants & Co. has announced that it is distributing the full portfolio from boutique West Auckland winery The Hunting Lodge across New Zealand.
The agreement, which took effect from 3 October, sees Federal Merchants & Co. distribute The Hunting Lodge exclusively into onand off-premise channels, as well as The Hunting Lodge’s non-alcoholic portfolio into the grocery channel.
The Hunting Lodge is nestled on the historic Waikoukou Valley site in northwest Auckland. Locally and globally renowned wine makers, The Hunting Lodge are also the brand owners of Alba Tequila and Noughty, an all-natural kids soda.
The partnership brings together Federal Merchant & Co’s nationwide sales and customer reach and The Hunting Lodge’s portfolio and manufacturing capability to accelerate growth for both companies.
With onsite manufacturing capabilities, The Hunting Lodge has experienced rapid growth of its own brands in 2022, with this partnership set to accelerate this even further.
Federal Merchants & Co. Head of Brand and Strategy, Michael Morton, said “We love the Hunting Lodge portfolio, and we are excited by their capabilities and their innovative approach to the drinks category. Our businesses are very complementary, and we see this new partnership helping both of us achieve our growth ambitions in the future.”
Invivo X, SJP was founded in 2019 by Parker and New Zealand-based Invivo. The Sauvignon Blanc was named in the World’s Top 100 wines in its first vintage by Wine Spectator, which has also awarded it three 90+ point scores for its first three vintages.
We are very happy with the response for both this ad and the Company Viticulturist we placed. Wine Jobs Online had the strongest response over all the platforms we advertised on so thank you.
Marisco Vineyards
We had a huge response (surprisingly!) from Seek, but the quality we were looking for has come from our winejobsonline applicants.
Te AwangaWe are in the final round of interviews with a few really good candidates - so thank you, job done!
Man O’ War VineyardsWe had a great response and the successful applicant found the ad through your website service. Thanks again for your help with this, and we look forward to using you again for future appointments.
Giesen GroupWe have had a great response and have a very high calibre of candidates
NZ Winegrowers
Thank you for the support and service from winejobsonline. We have attracted a couple of people that are worth interviewing.
Babich WinesWhy list your Jobs with New Zealand’s No 1. Wine Industry Job Site?
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN winery Taylors has unveiled its inaugural Family Flagship Release, a collection of the Taylor family’s top wines in its portfolio, including the second vintage release of Taylors’ pinnacle wine The Legacy.
“The Clare is a hidden gem of the Australian wine scene – my grandfather knew it all those years ago when he first founded our family winery [in 1969],” said third-generation Winemaker & Managing Director Mitchell Taylor.
The seven wines in the inaugural Family Flagship Release represent five vintages and are crafted in Taylors’ signature style.
The Legacy 2015, the second vintage release of Taylors pinnacle wine, celebrates the family winery’s founding purpose: to craft a New World wine that could stand tall against the iconic wines of the Old World. The old-world-inspired blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet
CHAMPAGNE HOUSE Piper-Heidsieck has become B Corp Certified, joining a community of companies that are leading a global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative change.
B Corp certification is given to businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact – verifying its performance, accountability, and transparency by allowing information to be measured against B Lab’s criteria.
Piper-Heidsieck obtained a score of 91.9 points, verified by B Lab, the non-profit network founded in 2006.
Acquiring the certification is an extensive process involving the assessment of each brand’s social and environmental influence with more than 200 questions as defined by B Lab, covering governance, employees, communities, and the environment.
“Achieving B Corp certification reflects our pioneering ethos and daring
Franc is described as “a masterclass in wine ‘completeness’” by Chief Winemaker Adam Eggins.
Taylors Family Flagship Release:
• St Andrews Clare Valley Riesling 2022 (RRP $49.99)
• St Andrews Clare Valley Chardonnay 2019 (RRP $49.99)
• St Andrews Clare Valley Shiraz 2018 (RRP $79.99)
• St Andrews Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (RRP $79.99)
• The Pioneer Clare Valley Shiraz 2015 (RRP $199.99)
• The Visionary Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 (RRP $199.99)
• The Legacy 2015 (RRP $1,000)
Taylor Browninitiative to be a driving force of change within the Champagne industry,” said Piper-Heidsieck CEO Benoit Collar. “This certification not only recognises our environmental impact in the vineyards, but extends to our entire winemaking ecosystem, our community and our workplace.” The House showcases its unwavering commitment towards a conscientious, sustainable future
MARLBOROUGH WINERY te Pā has released its 2021 Certified Organic Marlborough Pinot Noir. Grapes for this wine were grown at Raupo Creek, a certified organic hillside vineyard in Marlborough’s premium Omaka Valley sub-region in the Southern Valleys area. With its heavier, more clay-based soils, and cooler, drier climate, the famed Southern Valley region is renowned for growing Marlborough’s most premium Pinot Noir.
The wine is described as “a medium-bodied, complex and savoury expression of organic Marlborough Pinot Noir. Pure fruited with cherry, blackberry and plum leading into nutmeg and oak spice followed by a hint of lavender and fine dusty tannins.”
te Pā Winesand responsible Champagne production by implementing several initiatives across a number of areas including its carbon footprint reduction, vineyard operations, social impact and supplier management.
Along with Piper-Heidsieck, Charles Heidsieck and Rare Champagne, part of the family-owned EPI Group, have also become B Corp Certified.
HancocksHAWKE’S BAY winery Church Road is releasing three new TOM wines and four new CR1 Single Vineyard wines in celebration of 125 years of winemaking on the site where it was first founded by New Zealand wine pioneer Tom McDonald in 1897.
Church Road’s Chief Winemaker, Chris Scott, describes the new release wines as: “Some of the best back-to-back vintages the Hawke’s Bay region has ever seen” and notes the 2021 Chardonnay is one of the best the winery has ever made.
Only released in exceptional years, TOM is a salute to Tom McDonald and is Church Road’s premier wine. The new wines are said to encapsulate the careful management of the vineyards in the Tuki Tuki Valley, Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa Triangle, and the remarkable back-to-back harvests of 2019, 2020 and 2021. The releases are:
• TOM Chardonnay 2021 (RRP $150)
• TOM Syrah 2020 (RRP $220)
• TOM Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2019 (RRP $220)
Church Road 1 (CR1) is a single vineyard offering that showcases the unique character of the best vineyards from the subregions of Hawke’s Bay, including the famed Redstone, Tuki Tuki and Gimblett Gravels sites. The releases are:
• Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (RRP $120)
• Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Syrah 2020 (RRP $120)
• Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Merlot 2020 (RRP $120)
• Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 (RRP $100)
DISTRIBUTOR Q Liquid has expanded its range of distinctive awardwinning wines from Georgia. From Glekhuri, the Kisi Qvevri Teliani Valley is a white or “amber” wine made from 100% Kisi grapes. The wine is fermented and aged in “qvevri”, large clay jars that are buried underground, and is made with minimal intervention. It scored 94 points ‘Excellent’ from Cameron Douglas MS. The Glekhuri Kisiskhevi Saperavi Qvevri is a dry red wine made from Saperavi grapes grown in Kisiskhevi village, Kakheti. Also made by fermenting in qvevri, the wine is a dark ruby colour with full body, smooth tannin structure and a long finish. Also new to Q Liquid is the Mukuzani Mtavruli (a dry red) and Kindzmarauli Mtavruli (a semi-sweet red).
Liquid
RABBIT RANCH is offering a new look at Central Otago Pinot Noir through a white wine lens. The justreleased Bright Eyes White Pinot Noir 2022 is crafted from premium Central Otago Pinot Noir grapes that were delicately pressed, colour removed and then fermented as white wine juice. The result is a fresh, crisp white wine that’s perfect for those lazy summer days.
Bright Eyes White Pinot 2022 – serve chilled.
RRP $23.99 – order direct from Rabbit Ranch. rabbitranch.co.nz
Longer days are here and warmer weather is on the way –get ready for the crowds with the latest beer and cider releases…
Non-Alcoholic Hazy IPA
<0.5% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $20.99
Behemoth Brewing Co.
Continuing two trends in brewing right now – zero alcohol and hazy –Behemoth’s Responsibly manages to capture flavour and all those wonderful hop characteristics in a non-alcoholic package. The kooky green can with the monster is particularly eye-catching and the golden, hazy drop inside is one of the more flavourful zeros we’ve tried.
<0.5% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $19.99
Sprig + Fern
Motueka and Nectaron hops are at the heart of this new non-alcoholic IPA from Nelson’s Sprig + Fern. Sprig + Fern’s brewers have carefully selected malts and yeast to produce a beer that is no more than 0.5% ABV per can. An aromatic and full-flavoured non-alcoholic Hazy IPA.
Vandestreek Road Trip
<0.5% ABV, 330ml RRP $5.99
A collaboration brew with the hosts of one of the Netherlands’ most popular podcasts ‘Man, Man Man – the Podcast’. It was brewed for a road trip they took together and uses Sabro and Mosaic hops to create a non-alcoholic IPA with flavours of tropical fruit and coconut.
Bach Brewing JOMO Hazy IPA
2.2% ABV, 330ml 4-pack RRP $14.99
FOMO is the fear of missing out but Bach Brewing’s JOMO is the joy of missing out (on alcohol). Definitely from the same school as Bach’s Hops of Anarchy, JOMO is a low alcohol IPA that has all the same hop characteristics but only a fraction of the alcohol at 2.2%. Slightly more tart but still soft and hazy, this is a great option for a session. Refreshing, but easier on the head.
Citrus Lager
4.2% ABV, 330ml 12-pack RRP $27.99
Lion
With the days getting longer and the temperatures rising, Mac’s Squeeze the Day is going to be a favourite in the backyards and on the beaches of New Zealand this summer. Packed with lemon/ lime flavours over a crystal clear light lager, this is a refreshing and thirstquenching drop.
4.2% ABV, 330ml 12-pack RRP $23.99
Lion
Now in cans, Speight’s Ultra Low Carb with Lime is another summer-ready beer and actually tastes like it has a squeeze of fresh lime in it. The lager is clear and crisp and the lime is a bracing little twist on the nose and in the finish. And with 75% less carbs than standard, it’s only 88 calories per can.
4.7% ABV, 440ml RRP $7.99
Zeelandt Brewery
Behemoth’s Responsibly manages to capture flavour and all those wonderful hop characteristics in a non-alcoholic package.
Napier brewers Zeelandt have gone for a classic Düsseldorf Altbier with this one – a beer characterised by its balanced bitterness and rich malt. Malty, bread-like aromas lead to an intense hop bitterness that is levelled out by solid malt character with a hint of fruit. Deep and smooth with sweet hoppiness.
Emporium’s Obscurity barrel aged release is a real Black Forest of a beer that will be a big hit with stout drinkers looking for something a bit different.
Sawmill Aotearoa Series #29 –Trial Hop Hazy IPA
6% ABV, 440ml, RRP $9.99
Sawmill Brewery
Brewed with all New Zealand ingredients, this hazy IPA uses trial hop 102 from the NZ Hops Bract Brewing Programme. This hazy IPA is part of Sawmill’s series celebrating local farmers and innovators.
Steinlager Ultra Low Carb
4.2% ABV, 330ml can 6-pack RRP $14.99, 330ml bottle 12-pack RRP $23.99 – also in keg Lion
Steinlager’s new Ultra Low Carb is an easy-drinking, refreshing, ultra-low carb lager. Brewed with no additives or preservatives, it’s 99% carb free and contains only 88 calories per bottle.
Steinlager’s first foray into a clear bottle (also in can), this new brew is recommended to be served icy cold and straight out of the fridge or chilly bin.
5% ABV, 440ml RRP $7.99
Zeelandt Brewery
This new Kolsch from Zeelandt is pale and fresh with a hoppy bite. It has subtle aromas of malt, a hint of sweetness and fruity notes. Flavour-wise there’s a slight fruity sweetness, balanced bitterness and hop flavour. Smooth and crisp.
5.4% ABV, 330ml RRP $4.99
Emporium Brewing
Emporium’s Squeezebox is a darker, murkier form of hazy with its peachy colour. The American Pale Ale has juicier, fruitier hops and the Kaikōura brewers have packed in a heap of flavour. The haze rounds out the flavour profile and the hop bitterness finishes the drink beautifully.
6% ABV, 375ml RRP $12.99
This is a real Black Forest of a beer that will be a big hit with stout drinkers looking for something a bit different. Kaikōura brewers Emporium have taken their smooth stout Obsidian and aged it in ex-Pinot Noir barrels with wild yeasts and raspberries. The result is a dark, fruity stout that finishes with a tart raspberry burst. For experts, but recommended.
Sawmill Hazy Pacific IPA
6% ABV, 440ml, RRP $9.99
Sawmill Brewery
Sawmill’s Hazy Pacific IPA is a singlehopped hazy IPA with plenty of juicy pineapple flavour thanks to the Australian Eclipse hop. A beautiful drop for savouring on an East Coast beach, looking out to the Pacific Ocean.
Sawmill Hazy Tropical IPA
6% ABV, 440ml, RRP $9.99
Sawmill Brewery
Sawmill’s Tropical IPA leans into the hop characteristics to produce a real fruit punch of a beer with aromas of passionfruit, pineapple and coconut. The fruit comes from a blend of Solero, Talus and Pacifica hops.
6.3% ABV, 440ml RRP $8.99
Hancocks
Deep Creek’s Zodiac series turns to Libra with this perfectly balanced cold IPA. The brewers have called upon Libra’s symbolic scales to produce a perfect balance between malt sweetness and hop bitterness, saying: “This harmonic 6.3% Cold IPA combines tropical fruit, lime and berry in such a fascinating way that won‘t disappoint any Libran’s sense of balance.”
6.3% ABV, 440ml RRP $9.99
Epic say they have something to crow about with their new Cold IPA. A new beer style, Cold IPAs are made by fermenting lager yeast warm, dry hopping during fermentation and using adjuncts, like rice syrup, to help make the body and colour super light. Epic Rooster is dry, super pale, with a big hop character from Mosaic, Simcoe and Amarillo hops. Don’t be chicken. (See what we did there?)
6.3% ABV, 946ml RRP $16.99
A real celebration of a beer, Good George’s 10 Years of Good Beers is an NZ IPA packed with hoppy goodness that encapsulates a decade of craft brewing from the Waikato team. Pouring a golden brown in the glass, it has a sweet nose and a good hoppy bitterness. A great party beer.
6.5% ABV, 440ml RRP $9.99
This unfiltered hazy IPA is a soft, golden glassful of delight. The psychedelic can complete with scythe-wielding-wingedbeardy-man heralds a taste explosion, but in reality it’s more of a charmer than a slayer. Gentle, hoppy and beautifully balanced. Recommended.
Boneface x One Drop Brewing Co.
Ambush in the Night Peach Hazy 6.5% ABV, 440ml RRP $10.99
Boneface Brewing
A collaboration between Wellington’s Boneface and Sydney’s One Drop, Ambush in the Night is packed with hops and laced with peaches. (In fact, a quarter of a ton of puréed Hawke’s Bay Golden Queen peaches went into the brew.) Golden and hazy in the glass, the peaches are subtle and interplay beautifully with the hop bitterness.
NZ IPA
7% ABV, 946ml RRP $16.99
Good George
Good George have come out with a hazy that’s big in every respect here: big alcohol content, big bottle, big hazy flavours. A rich drop, this NZ IPA is packed with hop bitterness, tempered and rounded out by the haze.
7% ABV, 440ml RRP $11.99
Liberty Brewing
Liberty’s Firestarter takes West Coast IPA style and turns it up to 11. It won
A collaboration between Wellington’s Boneface and Sydney’s One Drop, Ambush in the Night is packed with hops and laced with Hawke’s Bay peaches.
the People’s Choice Award at this year’s Malthouse West Coast IPA Challenge, which had a rock band theme. Liberty’s brewers say that Firestarter’s clear, golden hoppy goodness is best enjoyed in the moshpit at a Prodigy concert.
8.5% ABV, 440ml RRP $10.99
Epic Brewing
Epic’s Hop Zombie has been a favourite of hop-heads for over a decade and now, by popular demand, there’s a hazy version of the classic. The same bold hop flavours of guava, mango and passionfruit are still there but now embraced by a soft hazy glow – “a new zombie with an unquenchable thirst for haze.”
9% ABV, 500ml RRP $4.50
Go Green Beverages
This is the ‘Strong Beer’ expression that sits at the upper end of the popular German 5,0 range. This amber beer is brewed according to the German Purity Law and delivers a sweet-flavoured taste with a malty character.
9% ABV, 440ml RRP $8.99
Hancocks
Virgos are supposed to be logical, practical, and systematic. A 9% Belgian Tripel might derail that slightly, but we’ll roll with it. This release from Deep Creek has a wheat base and soft mouth feel.
Peckham’s Ciderkin x Boneface Brewing Co.
4.2% ABV, 330ml RRP $5.49
Peckham’s
This is Peckham’s take on ‘ciderkin’ – a much weaker cider that in times past was drunk by the gallon (and sometimes given to children!). Peckham’s Ciderkin is not for children, but at 4.2% it is definitely sessionable. While lower in alcohol, it still has excellent body and apple cider flavours and goes down a treat. The Peckham’s team removed some of the free-run juice when pressing the cider apples, replaced it with water and macerated overnight for good tannin extraction. After fermentation and maturation, they blended it with a robust, barrel aged cider.
Good George Doris Plum Cider
4.5% ABV, 946ml RRP $14.99
Good George
You’d expect a pink cider like this to deliver a super sweet cider experience, but Good George’s Doris Plum Cider is tart and nicely refreshing. The low sugar also keeps the calories down – only 38 per 100ml. A must-try for fruit cider lovers keen to preserve their teeth!
4.5% ABV, 946ml RRP $14.99
Good George
Fruit cider lovers are in for a good night with this 946ml of purple goodness. Apple juice blended with Waikato blueberries makes for a slightly tart, fruit concoction that keeps you returning to the bottle for more. Would make a good dessert on its own!
KISS Cider
4.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $3.49
Q Liquid
These ciders are made in Estonia using real fruit juice added to an apple cider base and are available in Cherry, Pear, and Wild Strawberry. They’ll have wide appeal thanks to the full fruit flavour over a refreshing cider note.
For distributor
120.
Peckham’s Ciderkin is not for children, but at 4.2% it is definitely sessionable.
Michael Donaldson explains the simple joys that can be found in a finely-made lager…
SUMMER MEANS one thing to me: lager. Lager? It gets dissed by many people in craft beer circles but I think that’s narrowminded – after all, there’s a reason that lager is the most popular beer style in the world. And I think that’s also the reason that so many people claim to hate lager; it’s a victim of its own success.
When the weather turns hot, lagers rule. They are light, refreshing, and yes (definite cliché alert), crisp and thirst-quenching.
But be warned, there are some lagers that are better than others, and that’s all to do with where the beer gets its name. Lager comes from the German word “to store” and a good lager not only has to be brewed precisely, but also has to have a long conditioning period, often up to six weeks. That conditioning period helps produce the trademark smoothness of a great example.
In some ways, you can see where the lager “haters” are coming from. Because it is such a globally dominant commodity it’s also mostly uniform – giant brands tend to mass-produce templated beer that is designed to offend as few people as possible. Hence accusations of lager being “industrial” or “corporate” can be somewhat justified by the craft drinker.
But to bag lager as boring, or as bland, is to not understand the beauty of a great one. To an extent, lager is about minimalism but that simplicity doesn’t mean dumb or watered-down: think of great Japanese architecture, the writing of Raymond Carver or the movies of Ingmar Bergman. A lack of showiness or ostentation doesn’t mean a lack of class.
In fact, lager done well is as tasty and refreshing as any beverage on the planet. That honey-grain malt, the smooth body, the prickle of carbonation, the lightweight mouthfeel, the spike of late bitterness that washes away any lingering sweetness and lets you start the cycle all over again with the next swig.
Couple that lighter taste profile with a sub-5% ABV and you’ve got a beer that allows the opportunity for a convivial few without leaving your tastebuds overwhelmed and your brain soporific. Try doing a few 6.8% IPAs on a hot day –you’ll soon be asleep.
All the main craft breweries in New Zealand now have at least one lager in their portfolio… and why wouldn’t they make something that many people like
drinking? While many sit at around 5% ABV, I think there’s some virtue in having a beer closer to 4%, because in a 330ml can that’s one standard drink per can.
Some of my favourites include Parrotdog Lager: basically a hat-tip to Steinlager, with the same taste profile thanks to the distinctive Green Bullet hop. At 4.5% it’s at a slightly lower ABV than a 5% Steinie but you still get all the classic flavours.
Also worth picking up when you see them are McLeod’s Longboarder Lager, Three Boys Lager (which won the Trophy for the Best Lager at this year’s New Zealand Beer Awards), 8-Wired Mahu Lager and Emerson’s Underground Lager. And, of course you can’t go past a Steinie Classic after a hard day’s work!
To bag lager as boring, or as bland, is to not understand the beauty of a great one.ENGIN AKYURT
BEHEMOTH BREWERY has announced major new brewing and distribution agreements in the US and Australia.
The Auckland-based brewery, which recently won Champion Medium Brewery of New Zealand at the NZ Brewers Guild Awards 2022, has secured grocery distribution in Australia through retailer Coles, and a reciprocal brew under licence partnership with Californian-based Ballast Point Brewing Company.
Behemoth says that the new agreements will see it supplying close to 72,000 litres for Coles, and Ballast Point brewing 80,000 litres of its beers for the California market. It says that these volumes are both set to increase substantially after the first year. The reciprocal agreement means that Behemoth will continue brewing Ballast Point under licence for the New Zealand market.
Behemoth co-CEO Hannah Miller Childs says, “We’re so excited to be getting our distinct brand and flavours out to more of the world. The US and Aussie beer markets are huge, so this is a massive next step for us.”
Behemoth says that while the last two years have been tough, its revenue has grown exponentially, increasing by 127% across 2021-2022. Its beers are
now stocked in more than 1000 off- and on-premise channels nationwide.
Andrew Childs, Behemoth Founder/ co-CEO says that the company’s agility has been a big part of the success so far. “While bigger brewers may struggle to release six new beers a year, we’ve been able to consistently brew 100+ new lines
a year. This means we’re able to keep up with trends and cater to the changing tastes of our market – and it seems to do the trick.
“For example, in response to wellbeing trends, we released Responsibly – our non-alcoholic Hazy IPA, 50% of which sold out within the first 24 hours of release,” says Childs. “We’re also about to release a new Low Carb beer, which tastes great and will hit the market in the next few weeks.”
Behemoth is also seeking to secure a $3 million dollar capital raise, via Snowball Effect, to fund additional growth plans set to expand the scale of the business.
SPRIG + Fern has launched Wingmate Hazy IPA, a non-alcoholic craft beer you can count on.
Wingmate non-alc Hazy IPA is everything you love about craft beer, with none of the alcohol. It’s smashable with a pleasant hop aromatic from the Motueka and Nectaron hops used.
Sprig + Fern’s brewers have carefully selected malts and yeast to produce a beer that is no more than 0.5% ABV per can. An aromatic and full-flavoured non-alcoholic Hazy IPA. You can always rely on your Wingmate.
Sprig + Fern Wingmate <0.5% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $19.99 Order through sales@sprigandfern.co.nz
“We’re able to keep up with trends and cater to the changing tastes of our market.”Andrew Childs and Hannah Miller Childs of Behemoth Brewing
STEINLAGER HAS launched its new Steinlager Ultra Low Carb lager ready for summer. Brewed with no additives or preservatives, it is 99% carb free and contains only 88 calories per bottle.
The balanced, easy drinking beer is crisp with a refreshing finish and also marks Steinlager’s first foray into a clear bottle.
The inspiration for Steinlager Ultra Low Carb came from changing consumer needs, says Lauren Dyke, Steinlager’s Brand Manager. “People still love the taste of beer and the sociability that comes with sharing a drink with friends, but are more aware of what they’re putting into their bodies. They want an easy drinking, great tasting beer that won’t compromise their lifestyle.
“Our brewers did an incredible job balancing all of the competing elements and we’ve seen that reflected in consumer testing where it out-performed the low carb market leaders in terms of taste appeal. We explored the very outer limits of reducing carbs in beer but the research was clear that it can’t come at the cost of taste. Our brewers rose to the challenge and absolutely nailed it – it is 99% carb free and tastes like a winner,” she says.
Steinlager Ultra Low Carb – 4.2% ABV. 330ml 12-pack RRP $23.99, 330ml 6-pack RRP $14.99 and also in keg. Lion
NELSON BREWERY Eddyline has won one of the most coveted titles in the New Zealand brewing industry, taking first place in the 15th annual Malthouse West Coast IPA Challenge and lifting the Golden Gumboots.
The Challenge has become a major event on the national brewing calendar with the country’s top breweries bringing out their best hop skills and competing to brew the ultimate West Coast IPA for judging at Wellington institution The Malthouse, which organises and hosts the competition.
This year’s event drew 36 entries from across the country and brewers were challenged to use the theme of rock music and classic album covers.
Small family-owned brewery Eddyline was awarded the title for ‘That Eddy’s Drop’. Second place went to Wellington brewery Baylands for ‘The West Coast Electric’ and third to Brave Brewing in Hastings for ‘Here Come The WCIPAs’. The People’s Choice Award went to Auckland’s Liberty Brewing for ‘Firestarter’.
Eddyline chose Kiwi band Fat Freddy’s Drop as the inspiration for their beer. Head brewer Allan Wood says, “I’ve been a massive fan of Fat Freddy’s Drop since they released Based On A True Story in 2005. A super fun album that never fails to lift my spirits. I have the fondest memories of driving to Bethells Beach in my beat up Hillman Hunter, sweating on vinyl seats and listening to ‘Wandering Eye’. It seemed a natural choice as inspiration for our West Coast IPA Challenge beer. A super fun beer. A super fun album.”
The WCIPA win follows a 14-medal haul for Eddyline at the recent NZ Beer Awards, including a gold. The brewery is also building a tasting room and working on becoming sustainable and carbon neutral with a CO2 recapture system (which it says is a first for a New Zealand craft brewery), and 60kW of solar.
eddylinebrewery.nz
CHRISTCHURCH BREWERY Cassels has taken a top prize at the World Beer Awards for the fourth year in a row – this time with its Milk Stout.
The World Beer Awards judge and recognise the best in internationally recognised beer styles and design excellence.
Cassels Milk Stout was awarded the title of World’s Best Milk Stout in the 2022 competition, a year after winning World’s Best APA. It also won World’s Best Milk Stout in 2019 and 2020, ahead of global brands, including Guinness.
Cassels Head Brewer, Simon Bretherton, said that Cassels’ continued international recognition is a reflection of its focus on producing great quality examples of key beer styles. “To win a major global beer award is in itself a huge deal; to win one for four years in a row is a colossal achievement and one that we are incredibly proud of.
“We have a highly talented, passionate and hard-working brewery team who always strive to produce high quality beers, winning these awards is a great way to celebrate their efforts and we couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Chief executive Marshall Moir said while Cassels was already well renowned for its Milk Stout, last year’s World Best APA award showed its credentials in categories more familiar to most Kiwi beer drinkers. “As a proudly family owned and Independent craft brewer we are taking on some of the biggest brands in the category,” said Moir.
cassels.nz
TUATARA HAS launched four new brews, two of which will be available in cans – a first for Tuatara.
Optical Hazy IPA (6.6%) and Reptilian West Coast IPA (6.4%) will both be available in 330ml can 6-packs as well as in 30L kegs.
Regenerate Hoppy Pilsner (5%) and Adapt APA (5.6%) are both in 30L keg only.
Sam Forrest, Senior Marketing Manager at DB Breweries, said: “The move to cans was a natural selection for Tuatara, excuse the pun, as the can format continues to dominate the craft market in New Zealand. Almost 60% of craft beer is now sold in cans, with this number up 46% on last year*. From our perspective, we’re excited about the extra space available for beautiful and eyecatching designs.”
Forrest says the Tuatara embossed bottles will continue in the core offering and limited, 500ml seasonal releases.
*Total Scanned Market by Pack Format QTR 31/07/22
It’s the unstoppable spirit – gin’s popularity keeps growing, with more exciting products from New Zealand and around the world…
Note: Gins are listed alphabetically within country of origin.
1919 Classic
41% ABV, 700ml RRP $72
1919 Distilling
A classic style gin with a Kiwi twist, using Otago cherries, mānuka 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 $77
1919 Distilling
This was the first limited release in 1919’s Kiwiana Collection, inspired by a certain much-loved New Zealand lolly. Pineapple Bits is a lushly tropical pineapple gin with a subtle chocolate character. Awarded the Trophy for Best NZ Gin Flavoured/Aged at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
1919 Summer Pink
41% ABV, 700ml RRP $77
1919 Distilling
Pale pink in the glass, this gin has aromas of red berry fruit and a hint of sweetness. Light and rounded with a strawberry ripeness and a thread of honey, balanced with juniper and spice. Juniper and strawberry on the finish.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Taupō Distilling Co.
This classic-style gin with big juniper notes took one of the biggest trophies at this year's NZ Spirits Awards. It is small batch distilled with New Zealand-grown botanicals where possible and reduced to bottling strength with Tongariro water from Mt Ruapehu. Awarded the Trophy for Best Overall London Dry Gin at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
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 mānuka and classic gin botanicals. Delicate floral and citrus aromas with a full-bodied warming flavour and a rich, smooth finish.
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $69.99
Armada Spirits
This take on a London Dry-style gin from Papamoa Beach distiller Armada Spirits uses classic coriander, liquorice and angelica root for a gin that is citrusforward and underpinned by subtle spice.
Awildian Coromandel Dry Gin
47% ABV, 500ml RRP $74.95, 700ml RRP $98.95
Coromandel Distilling Company
A fragrant and complex gin made with 20 botanicals, including rose petals, hibiscus, blueberry, cubeb pepper, lemon myrtle, lemon thyme and liquorice root. The liquorice is up-front on the palate, with a herbaceous quality emerging, lifted citrus notes and delicate florals on the finish.
47% ABV, 500ml RRP $74.95
Coromandel Distilling Company
The addition of butterfly pea flower to the original Awildian Coromandel Dry Gin creates a vivid blue hue in this gin and adds a colour-changing quality when combined with tonic.
47% ABV, 500ml RRP $89.95
Coromandel Distilling Company
This gin rests for at least three months in toasted mānuka wood coated with medicinal grade mānuka honey. It creates a lightly floral and delicate honeyed thread through the juniper-forward aroma. The sweetness persists on the palate but isn’t cloying and develops into a silky, warming honey note and a lightly lingering finish.
47% ABV, 500ml RRP $69.95
There are 23 botanicals in this complex gin, including wild pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, grains of paradise, aniseed, blueberry, chamomile, two varieties of citrus and other botanicals the distillers refuse to reveal. It has aromas of white chocolate, violets, lavender, white blossom, and ripe fruits. On the palate there are herbal, spicy and floral elements with honey. Awarded Gold at the IWSC 2022.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99
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.
43% ABV, 750ml RRP $89
A fresh, citrus-forward gin with undertones of spice. The zesty citrus contrasts with peppery heat from the addition of native horopito and the spicy warmth of star anise and liquorice.
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $49
The Bond Store
Fresh green aromas leap out of this gin, which is made on the Kāpiti 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.
40% ABV, 500ml RRP $84.99
Giesen Group
This small batch gin has a fresh juniperforward aroma with a hint of minerality. Crisp, clean and balanced with whispers of cardamom and citrus and a soft finish.
40% ABV, 500ml RRP $84.99
Giesen Group
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.
57% ABV, 700ml RRP $94.99
Giesen Group
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.
40% ABV, 200ml RRP $25.99 and 700ml RRP $84.99
Giesen Group
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.
40% ABV, 500ml RRP $84.99
Giesen Group
Central Otago Pinot Noir grapes 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.
30% ABV, 500ml RRP $84.99
Giesen Group
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. Serve neat as an alternative to dessert wine, with cheese and fruit, or as an adventurous match for pork dishes.
Broken Heart Rhubarb Gin
40% ABV, 500ml RRP $84.99
Giesen Group
Rhubarb is macerated in Broken Heart Gin to create subtle rhubarb tartness on the nose and a lingering rhubarb flavour.
38% ABV, 700ml RRP $75
Bureaucrats Gin
Luscious, slightly tart Black Doris plums with a hint of sweetness dominate this gin’s aroma. The rich plum fruitiness develops on the palate alongside juniper and a hint of spice. A soft, mouth-filling gin that avoids being overly sweet; a deliciously dry, lingering plum finish.
Bureaucrats The Bureaucrat
41% ABV, 700ml RRP $75
Bureaucrats Gin
A warm, woody aroma with classic juniper and coriander, developing into fruit cake spices with cinnamon, nutmeg and subtle aniseed. Complex on the palate: light and delicate with the spices to the fore and a lingering aniseed finish.
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.
Carbon6 Black Gin
40% ABV, 500ml RRP $65
Carbon Six
Auckland distillers Carbon 6IX refer to this expression as “the dark side of gin”. It uses 30 different botanicals to create a spirit that lingers on the border between gin and liqueur. A fresh juniper aroma with fruity, sweet and herbal notes.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Beverage Brothers
A versatile gin in the traditional London Dry style. Smooth and softly juniperforward with gentle citrus; light, bright spice and smooth, sweet floral highlights.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
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, mānuka and tarata (lemonwood).
55% ABV, 700ml RRP $99.99
Beverage Brothers
Juniper is macerated and vapourinfused 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. Notes of spice and orange zest too.
27% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Beverage Brothers
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.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
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 mānuka 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.
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Beverage Brothers
Fresh Otaki rhubarb stalks are infused in Curiosity’s Curious Dry Gin to create this pink version. It has an intense aroma of freshly cut rhubarb leading to a palate of rich stewed rhubarb and a dry, lingering rhubarb finish.
15% ABV, 375ml RRP $37
The Dam Fine Gin Company
Crafted in the style of a sloe gin, there’s a rich, sweet, red fruit aroma with a hint of marzipan. It’s rounded and flavoursome on the palate, full of luscious fruit and a lip-smacking sweetness.
Dancing Sands Dry Gin
44% ABV, 700ml, RRP $74.99
Federal Merchants
With fresh aromas of green mānuka leaves and juniper, this gin is creamy on the palate with warming cardamom and pepper, and a long liquorice finish.
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
Federal Merchants
The signature passionfruit, lime, and green apple aromas of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc leap out of this gin from Golden Bay distillery Dancing Sands, alongside hints of juniper and coriander seed. Made from vacuum distilled wine and blended with Dancing Sands Dry Gin botanicals.
Dancing Sands Sun-Kissed
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
Federal Merchants
Fresh strawberries and rhubarb sourced from the Golden Bay area are infused in Dancing Sands Dry Gin to create a gin that is aromatic and fresh. Candied strawberry notes balance the tart rhubarb character.
Denzien Distillers Proof #15, Tea Tree
41% ABV, 700ml RRP $83
Denzien Urban Distillery
The new ‘Tea Tree’ expression from Denzien came from the idea of creating a ‘Breakfast’ Gin and after rigorous tea tasting its makers settled on a blend of premium tea ingredients combined with New Zealand’s own mānuka tea tree. Botanicals include mānuka leaves, black tea, bergamot oil, lemon peels, lemongrass and blue cornflower blossoms. It’s a smooth take on a classic London Dry that delicately marries the flavours of tea and juniper with a mānuka and citrus finish.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $87
Denzien Urban Distillery
A classic juniper-forward style but with a hint of brine thanks to Marlborough 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.
Denzien Smoke & Embers
44% ABV, 700ml RRP $98
Denzien Urban Distillery
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 the elements.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $79
Denzien Urban Distillery
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.
Dr Beak New Zealand Garden Gin
45.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $65
Dr Beak
A fresh, lively gin with a lightly spiced aroma. Almost savoury on the palate with a touch of horopito spice and herbal character from rosemary and mint, and a lingering juniper finish.
Dr Beak New Zealand Premium Gin
48% ABV, 500ml RRP $79.90
Dr Beak
A flavoursome and complex gin from Dr Beak in Martinborough. The slightly higher ABV adds to the intensity. The palate is balanced with warming, earthy spice, fresh citrus and floral notes from lavender and umami from the kelp in the botanical mix.
40% ABV, 500ml RRP $72
Dunedin Craft Distillers
Dunedin Craft Distillers are unique in that they make their base alcohol from surplus bread products. This creates a gin with an initial aroma reminiscent of burying your nose deep in a rose, and then evolves into baked bread crust. The palate is delicate and juniper-forward with a subtle sweetness and lingering finish.
Dunedin Craft Distillers – The Bay
48% ABV, 500ml RRP $76
Dunedin Craft Distillers
The makers of ‘The Bay’ describe it as a “back to basics” gin that uses coriander, bay leaf, and lemon in its blend to create a gin with citrus and complex herbal notes and a peppery finish.
Duo Citrine
41% ABV, 750ml RRP $64.99
Duo Gin
Aromas of tart lemon and juniper lead to flavours of sweet orange peel and warm spice in this gin that showcases the complexity and sweetness of New Zealand citrus. Hints of juniper linger on a sweet, strong citrus-led finish.
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $94.99
Duo Gin
This gin has a perfumed earthy-floral led aroma, with hints of juniper and tart citrus. Complex on the palate with initial sweet citrus and perfumed root spice, and a green herbaceous character. Warming spice continues with the support of sweet citrus and New Zealand-grown Buddha’s Hand citrus on the finish.
Duo Moonstone
40% ABV, 750ml RRP $54.99
Duo Gin
There’s pronounced juniper and strong lemon on the nose of this gin with hints of herbaceous character. Juniper and lemon carry through strongly on the palate with developing fresh botanicals and spice. The finish is heavy with citrus and a hint of juniper and spice. The lemon and spice linger.
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $135
Elsewhere Gin
A contemporary dry gin made using Pinot Noir grapes grown in Bannockburn and macerated in a triple gin for a year. This is balanced by wild thyme, and a matagouri blossom enfleurage (a technique to capture fragrant compounds), red cherries and Otago schist rock. Awarded Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $135
Elsewhere Gin
Endeavour Inlet in Queen Charlotte Sound was home to the botanicals in this dry gin, with its floral and herbaceous notes. A contemporary dry gin with rata flower, rimu fronds, honeysuckle enfleurage, fennel blossom, wakame and mafic metavolcanic marine rock in its diverse line-up. Awarded Gold at NZ Spirits Awards 2022
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $135
Elsewhere Gin
Botanicals from the West Coast are blended then aged in French oak to express the wild and rugged character of Fox River in this flavoursome gin that uses rata, purple thistle flower, nasturtium and wakame among its botanicals.
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $135
Elsewhere Gin
A modern dry style gin. Freshly foraged botanicals from Hahei, on the Coromandel Peninsula, create a strong sense of nostalgia in this delicate gin. It has a New Zealand flavour of green spicy herbs, fresh seaside nuance and a blush of pink from coastal hibiscus. A limited edition triple gin that includes tarata (lemonwood) resin, mānuka blossom, sea lettuce, and eight million-year-old volcanic rock (Ignimbrite) in its creation.
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $135
Elsewhere Gin
Pea-flower blue in the bottle, this contemporary dry gin turns a lavender blush when combined with tonic (a shade that its makers liken to “early mornings at Birdling’s Flat” – a settlement near Little River in Canterbury. Wild foraged tarata blossom combine with delicate herbaceous notes of lemon verbena.
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $135
Elsewhere Gin
This limited edition triple gin pays tribute to the expressive Rieslings with their ripe orange and mandarin flavours for which North Canterbury is famed. This London dry gin captures those qualities with orange blossom, lime leaf, and tangelo peel among the botanicals.
Exhibit A
42% ABV, 278ml RRP $135 (avail in white/black/blue); 652ml RRP $250 (avail in white) and 1L glass refill RRP $105
Exhibit A
One of the most spectacular presentations of gin around – Exhibit A’s vessels are created by respected New Zealand ceramicist Gidon Bing and come in two sizes with 1L refills available. The gin is a London Dry style, 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.
40% ABV, 750ml RRP $89
Forth Luck
A smooth gin with strong juniper up front, earthy tones from angelica and liquorice root, and finished off with a burst of citrus and botanical aromas from lavender.
45% ABV, 750ml RRP $69
Good George
A pink-hued gin with a tart nose that leads to a palate full of tart plum, peppery sweetness, a floral hibiscus note and a hint of cardamom spice.
40% ABV, 750ml RRP $69
Good George
Lemon and citrus zest add a punchy lemony twist to the classic Good George Original Gin.
42.5% ABV, 750ml RRP $69
Good George
This was the first gin from Hamilton brewers Good George, launched in 2020.
It has aromas of mandarin with a herbal character. The rich palate of juniper and spice leads to a lingering finish.
47% ABV, 500ml RRP $95
Hastings Distillers
There are 38 botanicals in this gin from the distillers of New Zealand’s first Biogrocertified organic spirits and liqueurs. It has a complex perfumed aroma of delicate florals, spice and citrus, which opens up to a palate of exotic spice balanced by a fresh, zesty character. Serve neat to best appreciate all its layers.
Hastings Distillers Blossom Parade
42% ABV, 500ml RRP $85
Hastings Distillers
Released around the Spring Equinox and created as a celebration – and a nod to Hastings’ iconic annual Blossom Parade – this limited edition spring-inspired gin is lifted and floral with notes of orange blossom, pine needle and rose.
Hastings Distillers East Block
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $75
Hastings Distillers
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.
Elsewhere’s North Canterbury gin pays tribute to the expressive Rieslings with ripe orange and mandarin flavours for which the region is famed.
47% ABV, 500ml RRP $265
This unique limited edition release from Hastings Distillers pays tribute to New Zealand’s ancient Kauri forests. Ignis Fatuus is Latin for “foolish flame” and refers to a light that can sometimes be seen rising from swamps or wetlands, caused by combusting gas from decaying plant matter, but also associated with fairies, ghosts or elemental spirits. Ignis Fatuus uses a triple distilled organic Sauvignon Blanc infused with kauri gum, juniper, kawakawa fruit and black cardamom. The Biogro certified organic gin has lifted sandalwood, peat smoke and grilled citrus notes. An opulent and spicy palate with lingering flavours of bitter orange and resin. Best served neat.
24% ABV, 700ml RRP $85
Hastings Distillers
This pretty pink gin has fresh raspberry and floral notes with lifted citrus and sweet spice. Demeter-certified raspberries are steeped in the spirit and the raspberry comes to the fore on the palate. Organic hibiscus flowers add a delicious tartness and fruity aroma.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Beverage Brothers
Pinot Noir grapes from vines in French Peak Vineyard on the Banks Pensinula join syrah, kelp, thyme, lavender and lemon myrtle gathered by local foragers in this gin, described as “a taste of Akaroa”. A vibrant, smooth ruby red gin with notes of a fruit-forward Pinot Noir. Bright, silky and elegant with a dash of spice.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Beverage Brothers
Foraged botanicals including lemon verbena from Little River, kelp, thyme, lavender and lemon myrtle go into this bright citrus gin with herbaceous notes and a hint of peppery spice. A zingy and vivacious citrus-forward London Dry-style Gin with an aromatic nose full of lemon. Bright, fresh and fragrant with layers of fresh flavours that add to an almost creamy mouth feel.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Beverage Brothers
Locally foraged kelp, mānuka, thyme, lavender, and lemon myrtle are blended with classic botanicals to create a dry gin with a slight minerality on the finish.
44% ABV, 500ml RRP $59 Holland Road
A smooth and delicate London Dry gin featuring hints of butterscotch and a refreshing balance of citrus notes finishing with a unique, native floral aroma. Handcrafted with seasonal pink grapefruit zest, raw kānuka honey and native kawakawa. Awarded Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
42% ABV, 500ml RRP $59 Holland Road
A complex London Dry gin that is beautifully balanced, yet fresh and malic crisp with hints of warm Christmas spice and verdant brightness. Handcrafted using freshly picked organic green tea, a vibrant Sauvignon Blanc and a hint of fragrant ginger. Awarded Double Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
47% ABV, 500ml RRP $69
Holland Road
An extremely smooth and slightly savoury London Dry gin featuring an herbaceous spice yet a delicate citrus balance followed by a creamy, candied finish with hints of gooseberry and vanilla. Handcrafted with freshly harvested 10-year-old wild ginseng, raw mānuka honey and green yuzu.
44.9% ABV, 500ml RRP $69
Kahurangi Estate
Aged for three months in an ex-Kentucky Bourbon barrel from Barton 1792 Distillery, this complex gin has flavours of candied citrus, warm spice and a subtle bourbon body.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79
Kahurangi Estate
There’s intense orange and lemon on the nose of this fresh and fragrant gin. The citrus intensifies in the mouth and leads to a lingering finish with a hint of ginger.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79
Kahurangi Estate
Aromas of fresh citrus and juniper with subtle spice lead to a complex palate with a hint of sweetness and citrus. Liquorice and resinous juniper emerge too, before a warm, delicate finish. Smooth, bold and balanced.
27.7% ABV, 500ml RRP $75
New Zealand-grown sloe berries are frozen immediately after picking (to help break them down) and then steeped in Humdinger Dry Gin for four months. The gin opens with plum and has a bold juniper body and a long, sweet almond finish.
44.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $89
The Imagination team created this barrelaged expression by ageing their original Dry Gin in French oak barriques that once held Syrah from Hawke’s Bay’s Black Barn Vineyard. Aromas of red fruit, glace cherries and hint of sweetness lead to a palate full of peppery syrah character, oak and red berries, with a long finish.
32% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
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.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
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. Lingering juniper and warm spice on the finish.
38% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Imagination
This pinky-red gin has layered aromas of tart rhubarb and sweet red berry. A rounded mouthfeel; clean and light with well-balanced rhubarb and berry. A long, dry finish with just a hint of sweetness.
Humdinger Bourbon Barrel Aged Gin is a complex gin with flavours of candied citrus, warm spice and a subtle bourbon body.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Imagination
Wakame seaweed gathered from the Wellington and Wairarapa coast gives this gin its distinctive savoury quality. The aroma is fresh and green with a hint of minerality. Mouth-filling with a rich savoury note and emerging juniper, leading to a long finish.
57% ABV, 700ml RRP $110
Island Gin
An intense expression of Island Gin’s original gin, ideal for cocktails and mixed drinks. It has citrus flavours and a backbone of delicate honeyed sweetness from the mānuka bush honey blends sourced from Great Barrier beekeepers.
43.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $95
Island Gin
Island Gin is presented in a beautiful kinainspired recycled glass bottle. It’s a citrusforward gin with floral notes alongside juniper and coriander spice. The use of mānuka and bush honey blends from the distillery’s home on Great Barrier Island adds depth and a rounded mouthfeel.
46% ABV, 700ml RRP $110
Island Gin
Fragrant tangelos grown on Great Barrier Island are steeped in Island Gin Original and then redistilled with tangelo blossom and Island-grown botanicals. Flavours of honey, spice, citrus and juniper.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $109.99
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.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $75
Kaimai Brewing & Distilling
This contemporary gin is named after the resident ghost at the Waikino Hotel near Waihi. Agatha was the ‘Madam’ at the hotel in the early 19th century and legend has it she still roams the halls, keeping an eye on the place. The gin is full of robust botanicals, including cardamom, cubeb berries and horopito for complex flavour and a lingering, spicy finish. The gin is black in the bottle, blue in the glass and pink when you add tonic to serve.
47% ABV, 700ml RRP $75
Kaimai Brewing & Distilling
A contemporary dry style gin from Kaimai Brewing & Distilling in the historic Waikato gold-mining settlement of Waikino. Aromas of rosemary and honey, and a savoury heat that develops on the palate with juicy chilli and herbs, and a lingering spicy finish.
47% ABV, 700ml RRP $75
Kaimai Brewing & Distilling
Gold flakes dance in the bottle of this dry, gold-hued gin. The nose is soft and floral, with honey and sweet green herbs on the palate and a warming finish.
47% ABV, 700ml RRP $75
Kaimai Brewing & Distilling
This hibiscus-infused gin has soft floral aromas of hibiscus flowers and honey. The hibiscus doesn’t dominate; it balances the floral tones with the other botanicals and creates a pleasant floral-forward middle ground.
47% ABV, 700ml RRP $110
Kaimai Brewing & Distilling
This distinct gin is infused with Perigord black truffles and an array of complementary herbs, including sage, basil and oregano. A beautifully balanced savoury gin and one that truffle lovers won’t want to miss.
Kākāpō Kawakawa & Pink Peppercorn Gin
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $89
Kākāpō Distillery
A gin with a warming touch of spice, a lingering herbal note of kawakawa, and a strong juniper presence.
Kākāpō Mānuka Honey & Elderflower Gin
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $89
Kākāpō Distillery
A smooth, easy drinking gin with light floral notes, a soft honey sweetness and a strong juniper character.
Karven Dry Gin
40.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $80
Karven
This small-batch gin combines classic botanicals with native mānuka 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.
Karven Raspberry Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $85
Karven
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.
Koakoa Tīni Rēmana Gin
41% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.95
The Bond Store
The distillers at The Bond Store pay tribute to New Zealand’s citrus heritage, which dates back to 1819, when the first citrus trees took root in Aotearoa. A zesty, limoncello-style gin, it has aromas of orange and woody cinnamon that lead to fresh lemon flavours with an underlying hit of liquorice and juniper. Sour, sweet and delicate.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $49.99
Brandhouse
A hint of citrus and Asian spice on the nose, this gin is refreshing on the palate with citrus-forward accents and understated juniper. A light sweetness and crisp finish is enhanced by spice and a hint of liquorice.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69
Lavender Hill
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.
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.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $82
Lavender Hill
Beautifully lifted notes of honey, dried apricot, candied orange, smoked wood and juniper on the nose, leading to a delectably creamy palate that’s fleshy and lingering with a whispering sweetness. Complex and soothing.
Lavender Hill Traditional Sloe Gin
33% ABV, 700ml RRP $82
Lavender Hill
A gorgeously coloured gin and aromatic with Morello cherry, cinnamon, potpourri and orange peel with a lovely juniper overtone. Elegantly sweet and seamless in the mouth, offering tangy mouthfeel combined with velvety texture. Flavoursome and deliciously long.
The distillers at The Bond Store pay tribute to New Zealand’s citrus heritage, which dates back to 1819, with their Koakoa Tini Rēmana Gin.
Lighthouse Barrel Aged Gin
45% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.95
Lighthouse Gin distiller Rachel Hall spent four years perfecting this new Barrel Aged Gin. Released in late 2021, it’s the first new gin in the Lighthouse Gin collection since 2011. Using the same blend of nine botanicals, the gin is aged in Pinot Noir barrels from Martinborough Vineyard. The result is an aromatically fragrant gin with strong juniper and citrus notes and an underlying savoury character.
Lighthouse Gin
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.95
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.
Lighthouse Gin Hawthorn Edition
57% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.95
A stronger expression of the original Lighthouse Gin, at a higher 57% ABV. The more intense botanical character makes it ideal for classic cocktails.
Lighthouse Gin distiller Rachel Hall spent four years perfecting the new Lighthouse Barrel Aged Gin release.
Little Biddy Gin – Black Label
46% ABV, 700ml RRP $199.99
EuroVintage
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 – Classic
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
EuroVintage
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 – Gold Label
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $179.99
EuroVintage
There’s a delicate sweetness from caramelised limes underlying the bright, fresh aroma of this gin, 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 Gin – Hazy Spiced Apple
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
EuroVintage
There’s a warm and familiar taste of apple pie, intertwined with the tartness of freshly picked apple, fresh ginger, and nutmeg in this gin. The layers of flavour come from naturally pressed apple juice.
Little Biddy Gin – Pink
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
EuroVintage
Little Biddy’s popular Pink expression has been reworked using New Zealand cherries. It’s a bright gin with sweet citrus and subtle floral notes on the nose. It has a palate of warming spice followed by the complex sweetness and depth of the cherry fruit.
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $95
Mt Fyffe Distillery
A tribute to the Kaikōura coastline and the flight path of the Hutton shearwater that is endemic to this area. Shearwater Gin combines karengo seaweed with high country rosehip and blue borage to create a fresh, oceanic gin.
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $95
Mt Fyffe Distillery
Distiller Justine Schroder has described this gin as a journey through the sheep farm in Kaikōura where she and her family live on the foothills of Mt Fyffe. It pairs earthy tones from the kanuka hedges that protect stock, with floral elderflower found near the lamb pens and fresh mint from the garden. A boldly botanical gin.
40% ABV, 750ml RRP $85
The National Distillery Co.
Lemon, lime and orange grown in Hawke’s Bay adds lush citrus bursts to this classic London Dry-style gin. Elegant and fresh. 15% of profits from Art Deco Gin are donated to Napier’s Art Deco Trust.
The National Distillery Co. Adorn Beauty Gin
44% ABV, 750ml RRP $84.99
The National Distillery 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.
The National Distillery Co. Adorn Beauty Rose Gin
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $84.99
The National Distillery 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. Damson Plum Contemporary Gin
44% ABV, 750ml RRP $99
The National Distillery Co.
A smooth, dry gin with an intense stone fruit aroma, leading to a palate with hints of marzipan, cacao and lingering plum notes. This gin uses damson plums grown sustainably in Hawke’s Bay on the largest damson plum orchard in New Zealand.
The National Distillery Co. Flamboyance Pink Dry Gin
40% ABV, 750ml RRP $79.99
The National Distillery Co.
A deep pink gin that has been designed to stand out on the shelf and in the glass. Dry and citrus-forward.
The National Distillery Co. Hemp Gin
45% ABV, 750ml RRP $84.99
The National Distillery 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.
The National Distillery Co. Meow Gin
44% ABV, 750ml RRP $79.99
The National Distillery Co.
A dry gin inspired by Asian cuisine. Juniper leads, with notes of lush, sweet yuzu, Sichuan pepper and gingko leaf. Delivers a punch of heat that leaves a tingle on the palate.
The National Distillery New Zealand Dry Gin
44% ABV, 750ml RRP $68.99
The National Distillery Co.
A classic, juniper-led dry gin. With a supporting duo of lemon peel, this is an approachable, versatile easy-drinking dry gin from The National Distillery Co.
44% ABV, 700ml RRP $73.99
The National Distillery Co.
A contemporary style gin with native botanicals – a peppery zing from kawakawa and lush sweetness from karamu (a shrub with edible red berries) give this flavoursome gin a unique character.
58% ABV, 700ml RRP $109.99
The National Distillery Co.
Inspired by a classic, juniper-led London Dry gin bouquet, this gin features lemon peel and native New Zealand flax seed. Traditional pine and citrus notes are enhanced by New Zealand orris root.
40% ABV, 750ml RRP $79.99
The National Distillery Co.
A limited release for Halloween, Spooky Gin is a London Dry with a fun, spooky glow thanks to natural colour from blue tea blossoms. Add citrus or tonic to watch the colour changing magic happen.
44% ABV, 750ml RRP $79.99
The National Distillery Co.
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.
40% ABV, 750ml RRP $79.99
Brandhouse
A 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.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $72
No.8 Distillery
A basketful of native New Zealand and classic Mediterranean botanicals combine to create this fresh, herbaceous gin with its long citrus finish. Awarded Bronze at the World’s Best Gin Awards (Dry style).
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $72
No.8 Distillery
An Asian-inspired gin full of gorse flower, kaffir lime and hibiscus. Sweet, tart and exotic with notes of coconut, cinnamon and papaya and a lingering hibiscus finish.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $72
No.8 Distillery
Native horopito adds an intense heat to this gin, which opens with aromas of orange and warm spice. Cardamom and cinnamon continue on the palate with a hit of zesty lemon amidst the bush pepper. Awarded Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022 and Best Contemporary Style Gin (NZ) at the World Gin Awards 2022.
38% ABV, 700ml RRP $65
No.8 Distillery
Described as a “breakfast gin”, this latest release from No.8 comes at you in three waves: cold brew coffee, chocolate and citrus. It has a rich aroma with a hint of butterscotch, is smooth on the palate with roasted coffee bean character and has a lingering coffee finish with a hint of sweetness.
Peaked Elderflower Gin
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Peaked Distillery
This gin is handcrafted and small batch distilled in Queenstown, using pure water sourced from a mountain reservoir and wild foraged, handpicked elderflowers from the Wakatipu Basin. It has floral flavours of sweet elderflower and citrus to balance out classic gin botanicals.
Peaked Mountain Wild Gin
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Peaked Distillery
Ten different wild foraged, handpicked botanicals from the Wakatipu Basin go into this gin, which features flavours of rosehip and wild thyme.
Peaked Pinot Noir Gin
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Peaked Distillery
Fresh, organic Pinot Noir grapes handpicked from Central Otago create flavours of sweet cherry and plum, alongside classic gin botanicals.
Pink & White - Pink Gin
45% ABV, 750ml RRP $94.99
Kana Beverages
A gin with a citrus twist and strong berry fruit flavours of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
Pink & White - White Gin
45% ABV, 750ml RRP $89.99
Kana Beverages
A London Dry-style gin from Rotorua distillers Pink & White. Intense juniper and citrus character.
Reid + Reid NZ Native Gin
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $69 Mineral
A dry gin with a fresh, peppery aroma thanks to horopito and kawakawa. A rounded, smooth mouthfeel and a warming finish.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $69
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.
Rifters Original Dry Gin
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Federal Merchants
A complex gin with spicy depths. Rounded and pleasingly oily on the palate with balanced warming spice, liquorice and fresh citrus. The finish is dry with resinous juniper and a hint of wood.
Rifters Quartz
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Federal Merchants
A line-up of botanicals including Douglas fir, wild thyme and elderberries makes this gin like a forest walk. A fresh, clean aroma and a smooth palate of juniper, spice, pine and citrus.
Peaked Mountain Wild Gin uses 10 different wild foraged, handpicked botanicals from the Wakatipu Basin
45% ABV, 700ml RRP $94.99
Proof & Company
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.
54.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $116.99
Proof & Company
A Navy-strength bottling of the awardwinning Roots Marlborough Dry Gin. The higher ABV makes it ideal for cocktails and mixed drinks.
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
The Premium Liquor Co.
An orange-rose hued gin with a juicy, bittersweet aroma of blood oranges. The flavour leans more toward candied grapefruit peel with a touch of cardamom and a prickle of juniper throughout.
Rose & Twig Blueberry
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
The Premium Liquor Co.
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.
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.
Sandymount Chapter Two Gin
44% ABV, 700ml RRP $99
Sandymount Distillery
Sandymount Distiller Richard Wilson says that the Chapter series represents memory and connection to place. He describes Chapter Two as “a memory of carefree and adventurous teenage years”, with the taste of passionfruit and smell of the vines, damp grass, and decomposing leaves under the shade of the canopy of the bush.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $84
Sandymount Distillery
A limited-edition release in collaboration with Good Bitches Baking. Sandymount Distillery is donating $34 from each bottle sold to support GBB’s baking work for communities. Good Bitch Gin is contemporary and fresh – it starts crisp, with deep floral notes and a lingering spiciness.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $79
Sandymount Distillery
A smooth dry gin from Dunedin distillery Sandymount. It has subtle juniper, light floral botanicals and a sweet citrus finish.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $79
Sandymount Distillery
A gin inspired by Sandymount Distillery’s icon, the Tī Kōuka tree, with botanicals including kawakawa, horopito, tarata, Tī Kōuka, mānuka, and harakeke seed.
The kawakawa aroma rolls into earthy, savoury notes from the Tī Kōuka bark. On the palate there’s a sweetness from the harakeke and mānuka with hints of fresh cut grass and pine nuts.
41% ABV, 700ml RRP $85
Sandymount Distillery
This gin takes its inspiration from the native bush tracks and pine forests on the grounds of Sandymount distillery on the Otago Peninsula. The fresh citrus and aromatic pine flavours of gin mingle with the spice and red fruit notes of central Otago Pinot Noir oak barrels. A golden gin with subtle depth and fragrant complexity.
41.6% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Hancocks
This naturally black gin 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.
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.
57% ABV, 700ml RRP $125
Hancocks
A juniper-forward style, this gin features a sweetness thanks to three layers of citrus (orange, lemon and tangerine).
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $85
1919 Distilling
This gin was created as 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.
47% ABV, 750ml RRP $153
Cardrona Distillery
This gin is aged in Central Otago Pinot Noir seasoned oak, adding a hint of blush to the colour and complexity and richness to the flavour.
The Source Pure Cardrona Gin
47% ABV, 750ml RRP $125
Cardrona Distillery
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.
37% ABV, 1L RRP $49.99
The Premium Liquor Co.
Notes of pine-laden juniper and coriander sit alongside peppery undertones, topped with a hint of citrus.
44% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Giesen Group
A grape-based gin made from the alcohol extracted from 0% alcohol Sauvignon Blanc. The gin’s Sauvignon Blanc origins are evident – it is aromatic and fruity; part tropical and zesty, part herbaceous. Notes of fresh pineapple, candied grapefruit and a touch of kaffir lime and blood orange along with piney juniper, blackcurrant leaf and fresh green pepper.
Sundown Black Doris Plum
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $56.99
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 Dry Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $56.99
The Premium Liquor Co.
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
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $56.99
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.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Twelfth Hour Distillery
Kaffir lime (makrut) grown by the mother of Twelfth Hour’s Master Distiller in her home garden is at the heart of this fresh gin. It has a clean, crisp aroma and an initial hit of makrut on the palate, leading to a long dry finish. Vibrant and refreshing.
The Vicar’s Son Ascension
46% ABV, 700ml RRP $134
The Vicar’s Son
This elegant and refreshing contemporary gin has a fresh, light juniper aroma, accompanied by subtle grapefruit and hop notes. Soft and smooth on the palate with a long finish. The grapefruit and hops marry beautifully with the pepperiness of the juniper. Awarded Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
57% ABV, 500ml RRP $99
The Vicar’s Son
This Trophy-winning gin is the Navy Strength version of The Holy Spirit gin. Distiller Stewart Martel says they thought the saffron in the original Holy Spirit might shine more at 57% ABV. It has aromas of juniper, honey, berries, spice and subtle floral notes. In the mouth it is very smooth and full with restrained alcohol. Intense fruit and spice from pink pepper is supported by juniper, the nectar of the rosemary flowers, spice and a burst of saffron with a very long finish. Awarded the Trophy for Best Overall Contemporary/Navy Strength Gin at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
The Vicar’s Son Revelation
46% ABV, 700ml RRP $139
The Vicar’s Son
Clean juniper marries with lemon, lime and ginger on the nose of this gin. A clean and crisp London Dry style that is soft on the palate with a very full mouthfeel and intense citrus and ginger flavour, carried by subtle pepper notes through to a lingering finish. Awarded Double Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
The Vicar’s Son Without Sin
46% ABV, 700ml RRP $139
The Vicar’s Son
The first impression comes from the exceptionally pure base alcohol note (distiller Stewart Martel makes his own base spirit from barley, distilled to 96% ABV), followed by lemon and cardamom, then juniper and lime. Awarded Double Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
Victor Blanc de Blancs
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Thomson
Thomson Distillery is in one of New Zealand’s oldest wine regions, north-west of Auckland and this gin combines the original Victor Gin botanicals with the fruity, delicate flavour of fresh Chardonnay grape must. Aromas of candied lemongrass, lemon sorbet and sweet grapes lead to a palate of lemon, stewed fruit and cardamom, lingering juniper and a slightly sweet finish.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $76.99
Thomson
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.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Thomson
Lifted, zesty lime notes pour out of this gin, which is based on the original Victor Gin by Thomson. The lime character continues on the palate alongside resinous juniper and pairs beautifully with the lemongrass and coriander botanicals. A fresh lime finish.
The Vicar’s Son Holy Spirit Navy Strength won the Trophy for Best Overall Contemporary/Navy Strength Gin at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $79
Washhouse Distillery
The addition of fresh rhubarb adds a tart and sweet character to the original Waitoki Washhouse Citrus Gin (below).
The intense citrus and peppery spice from native botanicals keep it fresh.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $79
Washhouse Distillery
This refreshing, citrus-forward gin combines traditional botanicals with the intense citrus from locally grown grapefruit and orange and fresh peppery spice from kawakawa and horopito.
The White Sheep Co. Sheep Milk & Honey Gin
42% ABV, 500ml RRP $69.99
Beverage Brothers
With just a hint of pale yellow 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.
YEN Gin
42% ABV, 750ml RRP $94.99
Tickety-Boo
This London Dry-style gin has a gentle juniper aroma with subtle herbal character and a suggestion of rose. Smooth on the palate, with a quick spice and pepper hit, a hint of sweetness and a green freshness from the kawakawa. The finish is long and smooth.
Archie Rose Bone Dry Gin
44% ABV, 700ml RRP $89
Archie Rose Distilling Co.
This was the first gin released from the new Archie Rose Banksmeadow Distillery and showcases the innovation of their unique copper vacuum stills. Macedonian juniper was both cold and hot distilled to create three distinct expressions, and is joined by single estate Australian coriander seed, Tahitian lime and lemon scented gum in the botanical line-up. The gin has a supple start on the palate that makes way for a bold balance of citrus and herbaceous intensity, leading to a pine-laden dry finish.
Archie Rose Distiller’s Strength Gin
52.4% ABV, 700ml RRP $99
Archie Rose Distilling Co.
Sixteen botanicals are uniquely infused and individually copper pot distilled to create this bold gin. Underpinned by pronounced juniper notes, it features NSW pear, rose, elderflower, and honey collected from the distillery’s own hives
Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $79
Archie Rose Distilling Co.
This cornerstone gin in the Archie Rose Signature Range of core spirits has been re-imagined six years after its launch. It features eight individually distilled botanicals, including sunrise lime and Geraldton waxflower, both native to Western Australia, and Dorrigo Pepperleaf sourced from Northern NSW. Aromatics of lime, citrus and pepper join a solid juniper backbone, while flavours of stonefruit, fresh garden herbs, pine and subtle eucalyptus are rich and expressive with a persistent and lingering finish.
Brookie’s Byron Dry Gin
46% ABV, 700ml RRP $77
Mineral
An Australian interpretation of a classic London Dry Gin, this gin is distilled with 25 botanicals, 17 of which are native to the Cape Byron rainforest.
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 take advantage of the local product and steep 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 Chardonnay Barrel Gin 43.8% ABV, 500ml RRP $86.99
Tickety-Boo
Aged in French Oak ex-Chardonnay barrels, this gin has aromas of preserved lemon, ginger, light vanilla and cinnamon. It’s light and creamy on the palate, finishing with lingering spice and fresh citrus peel.
Four Pillars Fresh Yuzu Gin 41.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Tickety-Boo
A bright and aromatic dry gin made with Australian-grown yuzu, which adds fresh citrus notes, accompanied by deeper citrus character from finger lime. Ginger, turmeric and sencha genmaicha (a Japanese green tea with roasted brown rice) bring depth of flavour.
Four Pillars Navy Strength 58.8% ABV, 500ml RRP $89.99
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 clean.
Four Pillars Olive Leaf 43.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
This gin uses olive leaf and oil sourced from Cobram Estate in northern Victoria, along with coriander seed, rosemary, bay leaf, lemon myrtle, macadamia, lemon and grapefruit. It has a savoury quality and is ideal for a dirty Martini or Spanishinspired gin and tonic.
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 Sherry Cask 43.8% ABV, 500ml RRP $86.99
A rich gin, layered with fruit and nut flavours. Four Pillars’ Sherry cask solera is made up of 42 casks, some from Spain and some from Australian Apera (fortified wine). The gin finishes with a subtle sweetness from the tweak of Amontillado Sherry added at bottling.
Four Pillars Spiced Negroni
43.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
A gin designed specifically for use in a Negroni cocktail. This tailored offering from Four Pillars is highly aromatic, rich and spicy. Botanicals such as grains of paradise and Indonesian cubeb give it the weight to stand up to the punchy flavours of a classic Negroni.
Ink Gin
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
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.
Ink Sloe and Berry Gin
26% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
Tickety-Boo
A twist on a traditional English sloe gin, this version from Australian distillers Husk is infused with Davidson plums, red and black berries and native rosella (a type of hibiscus) flowers. A softer and fruiter alternative to the dry Ink Butterfly Pea gin. It has subtle aromas of red fruits and rosella flower leading to flavours of vibrant red berries, prunes and cherry notes before a tart ending with pomegranate hints.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Hancocks
Melbourne Dry is described as “a classic gin with a twist of Melbourne”. Classic juniper, coriander, angelica, orris and cassia are joined by grapefruit peel and rosemary from the distillery’s garden at Gembrook Hill Vineyard in the Yarra Valley. Other “locals” are macadamia, sandalwood, honey lemon myrtle and organic navel orange, creating a gin with a distinctly Australian character.
38% ABV, 500ml RRP $73.99
Proof & Company
Grenache grapes grown in the McLaren Vale region are crushed and added to Never Never Triple Juniper Gin and allowed to steep. The result is a ruby-hued gin that turns bright hibiscus pink when diluted with tonic or soda. It has flavours of freshly picked raspberries and tinned plum, with plush tannins and a silky, ripe body.
58% ABV, 500ml RRP $93.99
Proof & Company
A Navy Strength gin designed to highlight the juniper character. Bold, intense and aromatic – fragrant and drying on the palate.
Four Pillars Sherry Cask is a rich gin, layered with fruit and nut flavours.
Never Never Oyster Shell Gin
42% ABV, 500ml RRP $75.99
Proof & Company
A gin designed to evoke the Australian coastline, it uses Kangaroo Island oyster shell, waxflower, Tasmania wakame, coastal daisy bush, saltbush and round mint. Ideal for contemporary seafood pairings. Fresh sea spray aromas, savoury minerality on the palate and hints of native greens and salted citrus.
52% ABV, 500ml RRP $83.99
Proof & Company
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.
Never Never Triple Juniper
43% ABV, 500ml RRP $68.99
Proof & Company
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.
Prohibition Bathtub Cut Gin
69% ABV, 500ml RRP $143.99
Thirsty Camel
Designed for cocktails at a punchy 69% ABV, this gin has a bold nose of vanilla and juniper-spice, herbaceous tones and floral notes. The palate leads with a confectionery juniper-come-aniseed flavour with a warm finish of cinnamon and almond nuttiness.
Prohibition Blood Orange Gin
44% ABV, 500ml RRP $111.99
Thirsty Camel
A citrus-forward gin using blood oranges sourced from a single South Australian orchard, with lemons and mandarins for citrus contrast and depth. Strawberry gum, chamomile and cinnamon myrtle enhance the floral characteristics.
Prohibition Moonlight Gin
42% ABV, 500ml RRP $109.99
Thirsty Camel
Described as “an homage to all things flourishing under the cover of darkness” this gin combines cold distilled Pink Lady apple with native Australian blood limes and rare red juniper. Black goji, clove, hibiscus, and sandalwood nut all add to the complexity.
58% ABV, 500ml RRP $130.99
Thirsty Camel
An intense gin with a salty aroma that gives way to notes of native lime and seagrass. Hints of sweetness on the palate from macadamia and vanilla leading to a lifted finish of ginger, grapefruit peel and salt.
Prohibition Blood Orange Gin is a citrus-forward gin using blood oranges sourced from a single South Australian orchard.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $131.99
Thirsty Camel
Wormwood (better known for creating absinthe) is amongst the botanicals in this gin, which has a fresh citrus edge from blood orange and ruby red grapefruit. Australian native lemon myrtle and subtle notes of green tea, vanilla and lavender soften the warm, peppery finish.
Three Chain Road Shiraz Gin
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $90.99
Whisky and More
This gin is made with Shiraz grapes and pours a deep red colour with purple edges. Subtle spice comes through on the nose followed by a sweet note of raspberries. On the palate, there’s a hint of white pepper followed by lashings of raspberry, plum and spice.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.95
Kana Beverages
This gin is made from scratch in small batches in Tasmania, using a premium grape base. The name Three Cuts refers to the three cuts of rose distilled into the gin, including fresh locally grown roses from the Tamar Valley near the distillery. The gin has layered notes of green cardamom, fresh lime and lemon, organic juniper, coriander, a hint of white peppercorn and rose.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.95
Kana Beverages
A versatile gin with enticing florals on the nose alongside juniper and lime. In the mouth, there is rose on a light juniper base with bold cinnamon spice and lime notes. The finish is bright and vibrant with a subtle sweetness that lingers.
ClemenGold Gin
43% ABV, 500ml RRP $71.95
Kana Beverages
ClemenGold is South Africa’s leading mandarin and gives this gin its fresh citrus character. Made in Cape Town, it’s a dry gin full of classic botanicals with sundried ClemenGold peels adding a juicy citrus note.
Akori Cherry Blossom Pink Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99
Whisky and More
The freshness of juniper combines with notes of dragon fruit, a citrus character from kumquat, the lightly spiced flavour of ginger and subtle notes of cherry blossom. Fresh, soft and silky.
Etsu Double Orange Gin
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Tickety-Boo
Distilled at the Akita Distillery on Honshu Island, this gin is macerated for seven days using traditional botanicals such as Japanese bitter orange peel, juniper berries and liquorice root. It has aromas of orange, yuzu and lemon with a fresh, rounded finish.
Etsu Double Yuzu Gin
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Tickety-Boo
A fresh citrus gin with intense yuzu and lemon on the nose and in the mouth. The finish is rounded, fresh and supple.
Etsu Gin
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.
Etsu Pacific Ocean Gin
45% AVB, 700ml RRP $89.99
Tickety-Boo
Fresh mountain water and sea water from the Sea of Japan are added to the botanical line-up in this gin, which was designed to evoke the Japanese coastline. It has a fresh aroma with a salty character that continues on the palate, balanced with yuzu. A silky finish.
Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin
45.7% ABV, 700ml RRP $104.99
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 $124.99
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.
Ki No Tea Kyoto Dry Gin
45.1% ABV, 700ml RRP $124.99
Pernod Ricard
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. Awarded the Trophy for Best Overall Flavoured/Aged Gin at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
Matsui Gin ‘The Hakuto’
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99
With an emphasis on the Japanese nashi pear, this gin also draws on orange peel, yuzu peel, Japanese ginger, green tea, cherry blossom and black pepper. Aromas of refreshing citrus combined with flavours of sweet pear, black pepper and spicy Japanese pepper.
Roku
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99, 1L RRP $79.99
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. It has aromas of juniper, with spicy pepper and an undertone of green tea. Smooth on the palate with fresh yuzu citrus giving way to intense pepper spice with a hint of delicate green tea. The hexagonal shaped bottle is to reflect the six Japanese botanicals.
Ukiyo Japanese Blossom Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
This gin was designed to capture the cherry blossom aromas that surround the distillery’s home in Kagoshima. A base of locally-grown barley is distilled into a traditional shōchū spirit and combined with juniper, regional citrus, local cherry blossom and native botanicals. It has notes of cherry blossom, orange, Parma violet, coriander and woody spice.
Ukiyo Yuzu Citrus Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
The same shōchū spirit as in the Cherry Blossom gin (above) is redistilled with juniper, yuzu, regional citrus and botanicals for a gin designed to honour the 1500-year-old tradition of cultivating and harvesting yuzu in Japan. The tart, fragrant notes of yuzu dominate the aroma and palate, with bitter orange, coriander, pine, lavender and Matcha tea.
Peddlers Salted Plum Gin
45.7% ABV, 750ml RRP $64.99
Proof & Company
A rare Chinese take on a traditional sloe gin. Peddlers Shanghai Gin is infused with salted plum, mulberry, orange peel and osmanthus (a native Asian evergreen), and then age it for a month in Oloroso sherry barrels to give it its dry finish.
Peddlers Shanghai Gin
45.7% ABV, 750ml RRP $89.99
Proof & Company
Described as “the world’s first Shanghai craft gin”, Peddlers is a vapour-infused gin using Sichuan pepper, Buddha’s hand (a type of citrus) and lotus flower.
Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin
43.3% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Proof & Company
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 lingering spice with slight orange peel character.
Beefeater 24
45% ABV, 700ml RRP $51.99
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 and Chinese green teas give clean, green notes to the gin, which also features grapefruit peel (to retain Beefeater’s classic citrus qualities) alongside coriander, orris root and angelica. The ‘24’ refers to the fact the botanicals are steeped in the spirit for 24 hours before distillation.
Beefeater Blood Orange
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $47.99
Pernod Ricard
Aromas of fresh citrus and intense blood orange lead to bitter-sweet blood orange on the palate of this gin, alongside classic juniper and angelica, developing into a long, rich finish. The blood orange colour also holds when mixed with tonic.
40% ABV, 1L RRP $51.99
Pernod Ricard
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.
45% ABV, 700ml RRP $47.99
Pernod Ricard
Beefeater’s Pink expression combines natural strawberry flavour with citrus and classic juniper botanicals.
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.
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $53.99
Lion
This expression 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 Premier Cru
47% ABV, 700ml RRP $82.99
Lion
This recent release from Bombay Sapphire showcases the vibrant citrus of Murcia, in south-east Spain. Spanish Fino lemons, mandarins and sweet Navel oranges are hand-picked and peeled by local growers who then dry the peels in the sun to capture the oils used in this citrus-forward gin.
40% ABV, 1L RRP $57.99
Lion
The distinctive ice-blue bottle of Bombay Sapphire is a staple behind bars around the world. Flavours of juniper and citrus lead on the palate, along with spice from liquorice and coriander and underlying light woody notes.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Thirsty Camel
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 $82.99
Thirsty Camel
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.
Chapel Down Bacchus Gin
41.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $94.99
Glengarry
This highly aromatic gin was produced with distilled Bacchus grape skins from Chapel Down in Kent. It has intense aromas of citrus peel, juniper and freshly cut grass leading to an early palate dominated by ripe citrus fruit with a herbal finish.
Chapel Down Pinot Noir Gin
41.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $94.99
Glengarry
This gin from Kent’s Chapel Down is produced with distilled Pinot Noir grape skins from the vineyard and blended with English wheat spirit. Delicate aromas of red berries balance the juniper-led palate and fresh citrus finish.
Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru is a recent release designed to showcase the vibrant citrus of Murcia, in south-east Spain.
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.
The Cotswolds ‘Old Tom’ gin is in keeping with a traditional Old Tom, slightly sweetened with natural sugar syrup and with the distillery’s woody notes from liquorice root, light spice from ginger, zesty orange citrus and a hint of cardamom.
Inspired by the famed grasslands of the Cotswolds, the No.1 Wildflower Gin is a blend of cornflowers, lavender and orange layered over a classic dry gin. Bursting with zesty orange notes, Cotswolds Wildflower Gin is fresh, floral and fruity with a pleasantly dry finish.
45% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
Hancocks
A mix of nine botanicals, Fords Gin starts with a traditional base of juniper and coriander seed balanced by citrus, florals and spices. Steeped for 15 hours before distillation, the botanicals deliver an aromatic, fresh and floral spirit with elegant notes of jasmine and grapefruit.
Gordon’s Gin Original 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $44.99 Lion
A consistently awarded classic London Dry gin – smooth, refreshing and juniperforward with zesty citrus.
Gordon’s Mediterranean Orange 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $44.99 Lion
A fresh and zesty orange gin that pairs classic Gordon’s with the intense citrus character of Mediterranean oranges.
Gordon’s Pink Gin 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $44.99 Lion
A blush-pink gin that combines Gordon’s Gin with natural fruit flavours of raspberries and strawberries, and the tang of redcurrant.
Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $44.99
Lion
Gordon’s 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.
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 Wild Berry
37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $42.99
Federal Merchants
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.
Half Hitch Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $104.99
Hancocks
With botanicals of black tea, bergamot, wood, hay and pepper, this gin 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.
Hayman’s Dry Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99
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 Royal Dock Navy Strength
57% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Hancocks
This gin was first supplied to the English Admiralty in 1863. It has a subtle juniper aroma, while on the palate the juniper intensifies, balanced with citrus and spice and a lingering finish of pepper and liquorice.
Hayman’s Sloe Gin
26% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99
Hancocks
Hayman’s version of this British classic has intense plummy aromas, a hint of almond and delicious fruit flavours. A complex, warming finish.
Martin Miller’s 9 Moons Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $136.99
Thirsty Camel
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.
Martin Miller’s 26 Moons Gin
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $205.99
Thirsty Camel
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.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $90.99
Thirsty Camel
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 $118.99
Thirsty Camel
A higher strength gin created for the bar trade, it has an emphasis on the spicier, peppery notes of cassia and nutmeg, making it ideal for classic cocktails.
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 $64.99
Federal Merchants
This gin takes its name (pronounced o-PEER) from a legendary region on the ancient Spice Route and is inspired by the exotic spices traded in ancient times, including spicy cubeb berries from Indonesia, black pepper from India and coriander from Morocco. A rich spice aroma, with a perfumed character and bursts of citrus. Cumin and cardamom provide a warm earthy background balanced with grapefruit peel. A slight sweetness on the palate with warming spice and a long finish of black pepper.
41.2% ABV, 1L RRP $84.99
Pernod Ricard
A classic British gin that offers a rich, fresh aroma of juniper followed by notes of coriander and cardamom. Smooth, creamy and full-bodied with a slight sweetness and lemony bite, and an elegant, aromatic finish.
26% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
Pernod Ricard
A classically English gin, this 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.
Portobello Road No. 171 Gin
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Thirsty Camel
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.
Portobello Road Navy Strength
57.1% ABV, 500ml RRP $83.99
Thirsty Camel
A more intense and flavourful version of the Portobello Road 171 (above) and seasoned with English sea salt for added nautical flair. A punchy, characterful gin, ideal for mixed drinks.
Portobello Road Temperance
4.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $52.99
Thirsty Camel
A lower-alcohol option from gin distillery
Portobello Road – their Temperance expression is distilled with the same nine botanicals and designed to be used like a gin or vodka but contains just 4.2% alcohol by volume.
‘Wōden’ Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $85
Mineral
A small batch craft distilled gin in the London Dry style. This is the signature gin from Bristol distillery Psychopomp. Juniper forward with strong grapefruit citrus, rounded out by fennel seed on the finish.
Seagers Dry Gin
37.2% ABV, 1L RRP $43.99
Asahi Beverages NZ
Aromas of juniper and citrus at the fore, Seagers has a light, slightly sweet flavour and a hint of warming spice.
Sipsmith London Cup
29.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99
Beam Suntory
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 that finishes dry with complex spice.
Sipsmith London Dry 41.6% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99
Beam Suntory
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.
Sipsmith Sloe Gin
29% ABV, 500ml RRP $74.99
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 $99.99
Beam Suntory
V.J.O.P. stands for ‘Very Junipery Over Proof’ and juniper certainly takes the lead role in this higher strength gin, with three times the juniper used in Sipsmith’s London Dry. Intense juniper aroma and flavour with an undertone of rich spice.
47.3% ABV, 1L RRP $62.99
Lion
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.
47% ABV, 1L RRP $104.99
Lion
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.
Warner’s Apple & Pear Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Giesen Group
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.
Warner’s Elderflower Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Giesen Group
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.
Warner’s Harrington Dry Gin
44% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Giesen Group
This was the first release from artisanal producer Warner Edwards. Its strong notes of cardamom and nutmeg give an intense warmth to the well-rounded and complex palate.
Warner’s Honeybee Gin
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Giesen Group
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.
Warner’s Lemon Balm Gin 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Giesen Group
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 $79.99
Giesen Group
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, 700ml RRP $89.99
Giesen Group
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. Jammy and vibrant with initial juniper and coriander that gives way to the sweet flavours of the hedgerow fruits.
Warner’s Rhubarb Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Giesen Group
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.
Warner’s Sloe Gin
30% ABV, 700ml RRP $76.99
Giesen Group
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.
Our classic London Dry Gin delivers signature notes of juniper and bitter orange peel, complemented by our unique selection of botanicals, inspired by the landscape of Scotland. Best enjoyed with good quality tonic water and a wedge of pink grapefruit to make the perfect G&T.
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@RedDoorGin
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $65
Halewood Artisanal
This intensely pink gin is inspired by the citrus groves of Spain and infused with Iberian pink grapefruit. Delicate sweetness on the palate with citrusy notes that give way to a balanced grapefruit burst.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $65
Halewood Artisanal
This gin has an aroma of fresh stone fruits, gently followed by hints of juniper and citrus zest. The distinctive flavour of quince dominates the palate, giving way to the sweetness of apricots and peaches, with a long, fruity finish that opens out into orange blossoms and zesty grapefruits.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $65
Halewood Artisanal
The essence of rhubarb adds a tart crisp edge to classic Whitley Neill gin, while ginger extract warms the palate for a fullbodied finish.
41.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $62.99
Proof & Company
A gin developed by spirits industry figure Jason “Widge” Williams of Proof & Company to be a gin for craft bartenders, with its slightly higher ABV and bright botanicals. A classically juniper-forward gin with an orange and cardamom character.
The Botanist
46% ABV, 700ml RRP $99.99
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.
46% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA
Whisky Galore
Cadenhead’s Old Raj Gin is distinctive in that it contains a measure of exotic saffron. In addition to a slightly spicy flavour, this also imparts a pale yellow colour. Rich and clean, with a lovely oily mouthfeel, this gin has flavours of zesty lemon, Indian spices and a hint of aniseed.
55% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA
Whisky Galore
This is a higher strength expression of the Cadenhead’s Old Raj Gin above, designed for mixed drinks and classic cocktails, such as a martini.
Caorunn Gin
41.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Hancocks
Pronounced ‘Ka-roon’ this gin has a fresh aroma with floral and citrus character and a hint of spice. Clean, crisp, sweet and full-bodied on the palate, with a crisp and slightly drying finish. Recommended serve is with a slice of red apple.
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.
42.7% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
Glengarry
Subtle spice and a touch of orange on the nose, leading to a smooth palate full of warming cinnamon and nutmeg and a lingering peppery heat.
Dunnet Bay Rock Rose Dry
41.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Giesen Group
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
Giesen Group
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 Summer
41.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Giesen Group
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.
Edinburgh Gin Cannonball London Dry
57.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
EuroVintage
The higher alcohol content in this Navy Strength gin allows for almost double the juniper and citrus of any other expression in the Edinburgh Gin range. Cannonball balances juniper, yuzu and Szechuan pepper, while its punchy strength and full character make it a great choice for cocktails.
Hendrick’s Neptunia has fresh sea notes of native coastal flora enhancing the signature combination of cucumber and rose.
Edinburgh Gin Seaside London Dry 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $67.99
EuroVintage
Edinburgh Gin Classic London Dry
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $67.99
EuroVintage
A balance of 14 botanicals creates a woody hint of pine buds, aromatic lemongrass and floral lavender with jammy flavour from black mulberries and a citrus character from orange and lime peels in the finish. Hazelnuts, thick with natural oils, add texture and a smooth mouthfeel. Refreshing and crisp.
Edinburgh Gin Raspberry
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $67.99
EuroVintage
This gin combines Perthshire raspberries with Edinburgh Classic Gin to make a sweet gin liqueur with a depth of flavour reminiscent of raspberry jam. Definitive red berry aromas balance sweet ripeness on the nose. Syrupy and intensely flavoured, bursting with red berry fruit on the palate.
Edinburgh Gin Rhubarb & Ginger
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $67.99
EuroVintage
Edinburgh Classic London Dry is at the base of this gin. Lemongrass and sweet mulberry are joined by natural rhubarb and ginger. The resulting gin is bright with a little heat, an abundance of fruit, crisp, piney notes and a full finish.
A softly sweet, mineralistic London Dry gin that uses botanicals foraged from beaches around Edinburgh, such as bladderwrack seaweed, scurvygrass and ground ivy. Bladderwrack is high in residual sugar and adds a sweetness and the scent of sea air. Scurvy grass carries a slight spice and salinity while ground ivy adds fresh, summery grass notes to the finish.
Hendrick’s 41.4% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Federal Merchants
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.
Hendrick’s Lunar 43.4% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Federal Merchants
A deeply floral and richly aromatic gin, created by Hendrick’s Master Distiller Lesley Gracie. It was inspired by her love of tending to her botanicals under moonlight.
Hendrick’s Neptunia 43.4% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Federal Merchants
The first ‘maritime’ release from Hendrick’s, with fresh sea notes of native coastal flora enhancing the signature combination of cucumber and rose, leading to a smooth citrus finish.
45% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA
Whisky Galore
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.
46% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA
Whisky Galore
Malted barley spirit is three times distilled in a pot still for this gin, which uses juniper harvested on the remote Hebridean island itself and is complemented by botanicals such as rhubarb root, cubeb, angelica root, and sweet orange peel.
44% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Giesen Group
Just seven botanicals go into this beautifully presented Scottish gin. Juniper provides the backbone, complemented by crisp and citrusy lime, and underpinned by earthy flavours of pink peppercorns. Complex, dry and refreshing.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $72.99
Based on an original Bombay recipe, Pickering’s has strong aromas of juniper and citrus with underlying notes of spice. Fresh and clean on the palate, the juniper and citrus character give way to warming cardamom, coriander seed and clove.
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $72.99
This expression of Pickering’s is made precisely to the original recipe, as it was said to be written in Bombay in 1947. It is spicier, sweeter and more intense than the original with a crisp, refreshing and lingering finish.
57.1% ABV, 700ml RRP $102.99
The higher alcohol in this Navy Strength version brings out the sweeter botanicals in PIckering’s Bombay recipe, like cardamom, anise and fennel. It’s known affectionately known as “the bearskin gin” thanks to its distinctive packaging and was released to celebrate Pickering’s becoming the official gin of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
45% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA
Whisky Galore
Produced by the family-owned Benromach distillery on the fringes of the Speyside region, Red Door gin is distilled in ‘Peggy’, the distillery’s hand-made copper pot gin still and the local Scottish botanicals used include rowanberry and sea buckthorn. It has a zingy citric flavour joined by floral notes (heather) and an edge of earthiness when served neat.
43.3% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
EuroVintage
A splash of spirit from the Tobermory whisky stills adds a unique character to this gin, which is distilled on the Isle of Mull with botanicals including tea, heather, elderflower and sweet orange peel. Fresh juniper is balanced with sweet orange and lemon, hints of coriander, and gentle herbs and spices. A luxurious, creamy mouthfeel and a subtle hint of sweet malt.
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.
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.
41% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
The Premium Liquor Co.
This gin is distilled with more than 12 oriental botanicals, gunpowder tea, and a hint of Sardinian citrus – one of the rarest citrus fruits in the world, found only on the island of Sardinia. The gin has a fragrant, almost exotic aroma, with flavours of orange and grapefruit.
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
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 delicate floral lift.
41% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Like an Irish summer in a bottle – this seasonal gin is dense with floral character. It uses flowers foraged locally from Wicklow’s meadows and distilled the next day. A gin full of floral flavour and light early fruits.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
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. Fresh floral aromas lead to flavours of juniper, citrus and pine, summer flowers and hints of autumn fruit, with a warming spicedriven finish.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.95
Kana Beverages
Botanicals from Ireland’s wild west coast go into this heather-infused gin, which also features wild thyme, red clover, blackthorn, bilberry and sea fennel. It has an intensely herbal aroma, grassy notes and citrus on the palate and a balanced floral finish.
Graham Norton’s Own Irish Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99
EuroVintage
This gin from UK talk show host Graham Norton, in collaboration with New Zealand company Invivo, is small batch distilled in West Cork. 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.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99
EuroVintage
This gin was developed in collaboration with a marmalade producer and gin producer in Graham Norton’s hometown of Cork. The intense Seville Orange notes give this gin a refreshing marmalade twist.
Graham Norton’s Own Pink Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99
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 its blush pink colour.
Jawbox Small Batch Gin
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
A classic dry gin that uses local Belfast Black Mountain Heather in its botanical mix. Big juniper aromas with pine and citrus lead to a complex palate of citrus, pepper, green angelica and a subtle earthiness. The finish is citrus with lingering juniper and pine.
Method & Madness Gin
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
The 16 botanicals in this Irish gin are 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.
Citadelle Original
44% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
Proof & Company
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.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
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 Floraison
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $99.99
Thirsty Camel
Made with grape spirit at a 16th century family estate in the heart of Cognac country, G’Vine Floraison’s signature botanical is the flower of the grapevine, which exists for just a few days in spring 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.
45% ABV, 700ml RRP $105.99
Thirsty Camel
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.
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. Subtle juniper on the palate, while the sweet apple flavour continues with a hint of delicate rose, underlying warming spice and a soft finish.
YuGin
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $87.95
Kana Beverages
This gin is made in France, yet draws inspiration from Japan and its traditions of simplicity. YuGin combines extracts of yuzu, coriander and Sichuan pepper. It has a delicate aroma with fresh, zesty accents. Soft and aromatic on the palate with a lingering pepper character.
Filliers Dry Gin 28 Barrel Aged
43.7% ABV, 500ml RRP $79.99
Cognac barrels made of oak from the French Limousin were selected for this Barrel Aged Gin, which is matured for four months. A dry, robust and aromatic gin with subtle notes of oak and dried herbs. A touch of vanilla, florals and liquorice too.
46% ABV, 500ml RRP $69.99
Exceptional Flavours
A spicy gin with a dry character. Spicy notes of juniper, complemented by refreshing citrus aromas. A strong and aromatic gin. The ‘28’ in the name refers to the 28 different spice and fresh fruit distillates used in its creation.
37.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $74.99
Exceptional Flavours
Fresh raspberries and goji berries enhance the original Filliers Dry Gin to create this pink expression. A spicy gin with a touch of raspberry sweetness balanced by citrus.
43.7% ABV, 500ml RRP $79.99
This fresh citrus gin is made from a distillate based on sun-ripened tangerines from Valencia, that is distilled up to five times. A full, refreshing gin that highlights the different citrus nuances of mandarins.
48% ABV, 500ml RRP $79.99
A homage to the Filliers family, the original recipe for this gin dates back to 1828, when third generation Firmin Filliers ran the company and developed the recipe. An aromatic and complex gin; notes of malt alternate with hints of angelica and lavender.
35% ABV, 700ml RRP $73.99
Exceptional Flavours
This genever has never been put in barrel (hence ‘Young & Pure), which emphasises its refreshing characteristics. A refreshing and balanced taste of juniper berries with a subtle note of grain.
46% ABV, 700ml RRP $104.99
Exceptional Flavours
Sixteen different botanicals are combined with a distillate of Old Kriek Cuvée René and fresh cherry juice to create this gin. Initial flavours of fresh citrus lead to warm cardamom and then cherry, which lingers on the finish.
Elephant Dry Gin
45% ABV, 500ml RRP $84.99
Federal Merchants
Subtle juniper aroma with herbaceous notes. A complex but smooth palate of floral, fruit and spice flavours.
Elephant Sloe Gin
35% ABV, 500ml RRP $84.99
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 $99.99
Federal Merchants
A stronger expression of the Elephant London Dry Gin, this version amplifies the aroma and flavours of the botanical blend.
Filliers Dry Gin 28 Classic is a Belgian gin with a dry character, spicy notes of juniper and refreshing citrus aromas.
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.
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.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Hancocks
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.
Acqueverdi Gin is made in the mountains in Italy’s northwest, using mountain botanicals such as gentian, elderflower and alpine rose.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $97.99
Thirsty Camel
Made in the mountains in Italy’s northwest, Acqueverdi uses mountain botanicals such as gentian, elderflower, alpine rose, pine buds and fir needles. Intensely aromatic, dry and full on the palate.
42% ABV, 500ml RRP $69.99
Thirsty Camel
The distinctive motor racing-inspired can contains a gin made in north-western Italy using bitter sage, sweet liquorice and damask rose.
43.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $99.99
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.
Ginato Clementino
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
Hancocks
A fresh gin that combines Tuscan juniper berries with juicy clementine oranges from the south of Italy and Pinot Grigio grapes from Friuli in the north.
Ginato Melograno
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
Hancocks
Infused with Italian pomegranate and combined with Italian Pinot Grigio grapes and Tuscan juniper, this gin opens with a sweet floral aroma that flows into rich pomegranate and a delicately sweet finish.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
Hancocks
A refreshing gin distilled with Italiangrown Pinot Grigio grapes and Tuscan juniper berries, and blended with Sicilian lemons. A floral aroma and zesty citrus notes.
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
Hancocks
A bittersweet gin, rich with pink grapefruit. Aromas and notes of crisp, fresh grapefruit balanced with intense juniper from Tuscany.
Malfy Con Arancia
41% ABV, 750ml RRP $65.99
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 $65.99
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.
41% ABV, 750ml RRP $65.99
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.
41% ABV, 750ml RRP $65.99
Pernod Ricard
A pale pink gin with bright, fresh aromas of citrus, rhubarb and spicy anise. Sicilian pink grapefruit and Italian rhubarb provide a rich citrus flavour, with a tart note and a long citrus finish.
L’Arbre Gin
41% ABV, 700ml RRP $75.99
Thirsty Camel
This fresh, herbaceous gin is made with botanicals such as thyme, basil, lavender and rosemary sourced from the Penedès area in Spain’s Catalonia. The gin is produced in Tarragone in northeast Spain.
42.7% ABV, 700ml RRP $118.99
Thirsty Camel
Spanish citrus and herbs are at the heart of this gin, which uses Arbequina olives, thyme, basil and rosemary. It has rich aromas of citrus, fennel and juniper, with a soft, rounded juniper-led flavour and a finish of intense botanicals and spice.
42.7% ABV, 700ml RRP $125.99
Thirsty Camel
This gin was released to mark Gin Mare’s 10th anniversary and was inspired by the perfumes of the famed Italian island of Capri. The citrus aromas of bergamot and delicate rosemary are at the fore, alongside basil, fresh orange, lemon, olive arbequina and thyme.
Larios 12
40% ABV, 1L RRP $44.99
Beam Suntory
A citrus-dominant blend of 12 botanicals, among them orange, mandarin, tangerine, lemon, lime, orange blossom, grapefruit 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.
37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $44.99
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 $39.99
Beam Suntory
A blend of classic gin botanicals. 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 $44.99
Beam Suntory
An intensely sweet strawberry aroma leads to a palate of fruit sweetness and subtle citrus with a lingering sweet finish.
Le Tribute Gin
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Tickety-Boo
A fresh and fruity gin with intense citrus, thanks to an array of orange, lemon grapefruit, kumquat tangerine and lime in the botanical mix. An underlying touch of lemongrass and juniper.
Only Gin
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $61.99
Whisky and More
Pure neutral grain spirit is infused with juniper berries and a selection of flowers to create a gin with floral layers of jasmine, lemon balm, hibiscus, violet, rose petals, mallow, lavender, pansies, veronica and orange blossom.
Aviation American Gin
42% 700ml RRP $79.99
Lion Co-owned by actor Ryan Reynolds, Aviation is a complex gin that uses cardamom, coriander, French lavender, anise seed, sarsaparilla, and two kinds of orange peel in its botanical line-up.
Brooklyn Gin
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $123.99
Thirsty Camel
A fresh, complex and flavourful gin made in New York, Brooklyn uses a base spirit produced entirely from corn and showcases intense citrus in its flavour profile. Bonus: the unique bottle cap design can be used as an ice stamp too.
Gray Whale
43% 750ml RRP $79.99
The Premium Liquor Co.
A Californian gin inspired by the gray whale, which can be seen on its migratory journey along the California coast. Botanicals for this gin are foraged along that path: from Baja California limes to sea kelp in Mendocino. A portion of Gray Whale’s profits support Oceana, the largest organisation in the world devoted solely to marine conservation.
Pacific House Deep Umami Gin
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
Whisky and More
Foraged sea kelp and coastal botanicals deliver a unique and delicious umami flavour to this smooth and complex gin made in California.
St George Botanivore
45% ABV, 750ml RRP $95.99
Proof & Company
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 Dry Rye
45% ABV, 750ml RRP $95.99
Proof & Company
This gin gives a subtle nod to gin’s genever roots – it balances the peppery punch of its focused botanical profile with a malty, velvety texture.
St George Terroir Gin
45% ABV, 750ml RRP $103.99
Proof & Company
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.
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.
45% ABV, 750ml RRP $104.99
The classic agave spirit is infused with 32 botanicals, representing the 32 states of the Mexican Republic. It has citrus notes, a predominance of juniper and a smoky finish.
45% ABV, 750ml RRP $89.99
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.
45% ABV, 750ml RRP $99.99
This is a recipe inspired by Old Tom Gin, but with an Oaxaca twist. It uses a Gracias a Dios agave spirit as a base, macerated and distilled with eight botanicals. The spirit is aged in oak barrels for three months and a small addition of agave espadín juice gives it a sweet touch. It it sweet, citric and smoky, with aromas of juniper, spice and cooked agave.
47% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA
This distinctive gin is intense, fruity and floral. It has aromas of passionfruit, grapefruit and a hint of black pepper that combine with the lush, damp greenery of the Amazonian rainforest. Complex, balanced palate with herbaceous citrus flavours and tropical notes.
42.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA
Dhall & Nash
The flagship gin by Stranger & Sons, distilled in Goa. There is a hearty dose of juniper, along with a healthy hit of black pepper, nutmeg, mace, coriander seed, angelica, liquorice, cassia, and swathes of four different kinds of Indian citrus peels. A gin of clarity and freshness.
42.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA
Dhall & Nash
The trade of botanicals between India and Australia created this Australian-inspired Indian Gin,which was distilled by Stranger & Sons in Goa as part of a collaboration with Four Pillars distillery in South Australia. Trading Tides is citrus-forward with Australian botanicals like lemon myrtle and river mint with notes of classic Indian ingredients such as mangosteen, kokum and tamarind. Aromas of angelica root lead to a smooth mouthfeel with lovely warmth while the citrus balances lingering spice notes.
For distributor details see the Distributor Index on page 120.
The trade of botanicals between India and Australia inspired Trading Tides Gin, distilled by Stranger & Sons in Goa.
Distiller Soren Crabb makes his spirits from scratch at his Auckland distillery. The distillery 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. 1919 also produces whisky and rum.
This Taupō distillery came about after founder/distiller Scott Forsythe decided to have a go at distilling during New Zealand’s first COVID lockdown of 2020. It is named after 5 Mile Bay in Taupō. 5 Mile Gin was awarded the Trophy for Best Overall Gin (London Dry) at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
A British spirits brand based in Kent, England. Founded in 2011, it also produces Ableforth’s Rumbullion, Cold Distilled Absinthe and Cherry Brandy.
An Italian gin made at the La Valdotaine distillery, close to the Val d’Aosta mountains in northwestern Italy.
A Japanese-inspired gin brand produced by Spain’s Campeny Distillery.
Founded in 2014 and located in Sydney, Archie Rose Distilling Co. produces a range of whiskies, gins, vodkas and rums, as well as one-off collaborations, tailored spirits, and limited releases.
New Zealand company Ariki takes its name from the Māori word for a paramount chief or leader, also known on other islands of Polynesia as Ari’i (Tahiti) and Ali’i (Samoa, Hawaii). Ariki produces gin and vodka, both using Rarotongan vanilla and Tongan coconut, and supports organic growers in Polynesia.
Armada Spirits is based at Papamoa Beach in the Bay of Plenty. Its debut vodka launched in late 2020, with gin and rum now available too.
An American gin brand owned by Diageo. Actor Ryan Reynolds has an “ownership interest” in the brand and appears in its marketing.
This gin brand is crafted by Paul Schneider and Daniela Suess at their Coromandel Distilling Co in Thames. ‘Awildian’ is an archaic word that means “the refusal to be tamed”. The couple’s first commercially distilled gin The Cuckoo won Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020 and the Awildian range is the next stage in their distilling journey.
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.
This Northland distillery launched in 2017 and produces award-winning gin, rum and vodka.
Part of the spirits range from New Zealand company Simply Pure, which 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 gin and vodka bottles.
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.
Based on the Kapiti Coast, the Bond Store is a family business specialising in spirits and liqueurs. Its range includes limoncello, gin and vodka.
Bombay Sapphire 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.
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.
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.
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. The range from Queenstown-based Broken Heart Spirits includes a spiced rum and vodka.
A craft gin made in New York, using a base spirit made entirely from corn. Founders Emil Jättne and Joe Santos say they designed a gin to showcase the vibrancy of citrus peel.
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 is owned by Campari Group.
Born in the country’s bureaucratic heart, the Wellington team behind this brand launched their first gin, The Bureaucrat, in August 2018.
The firm of William Cadenhead Ltd, Wine and Spirit Merchants was founded in 1842 and its range includes Old Raj gin as well as rum, whisky and cognac.
A premium gin produced in a sustainable distllery in Venezuela.
Caorunn Gin is a handcrafted small batch gin made at Balmenach Distillery in the Speyside region of the Scottish Highlands. Caorunn (pronounced ‘ka-roon’) is from the Gaelic word for ‘rowan berry’, which is one of five Celtic botanicals foraged within ten minutes’ walk of the distillery.
A distillery in the Byron Bay region of New South Wales. It sources 17 of its 25 botanicals from the rainforest on its property. Cape Byron also makes whisky.
A boutique small batch craft distillery and tasting room based in Auckland’s Takapuna. Carbon 6IX produces a range of spirits and also offers contract manufacturing.
After opening in 2015, Cardrona Distillery in the Cardrona Valley has quickly made a name for itself in artisan spirits. Its range includes whisky, vodka, gin and limited edition liqueurs.
Based in Kent, England, Chapel Down is a maker of wines, beers, ciders and spirits.
The gin brand of Maison Ferrand, a Cognac-producing 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.
A gin from Cape Town in South Africa that uses the popular ClemenGold mandarin as a key botanical.
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.
This New Zealand gin is produced by The Spirits
Workshop, a small batch craft distillery in Christchurch. It 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. It produces Curiosity Gin and Divergence single malt whisky.
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 award-winning liqueur.
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”.
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.
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 whiskey, but now makes gin and vodka too.
Dr Beak is a Martinboroughbased gin brand that is smallbatch distilled at Elemental Distillers in Marlborough. Founder Lacey Bourne was inspired to make gin while studying horticulture. Environmentalism is key to the brand and a portion of profits goes to organisations protecting biodiversity.
A brand that’s part of The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim in rural northwest Ireland.
Jenny McDonald and Sue Stockwell launched Dunedin Craft Distillers in 2020 as a small scale, sustainable, circular economy distillery. They make gin and vodka from a base spirit that they make from scratch using surplus bread as a carbohydrate source. It is the only distillery in New Zealand to produce botanical spirits from surplus bakery products that would otherwise go to landfill.
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.
A distillery based in Rotorua, Bay of Plenty.
A gin brand made in Scotland’s capital city since 2010.
Marlborough’s Elemental Distillers began with a range of three boutique bitters and went on to launch their first gin, Roots Marlbrough Dry Gin in mid2019. In 2021, it was named Best Overall Gin at the NZ Spirits Awards. They have since added a Navy Strength version.
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.
This North Canterbury distillery is run by a husband-andwife team: distiller Mark (an experienced winemaker) and business partner Zoë. The pair create limited edition, handmade regional gins, crafted with ingredients from New Zealand’s more remote locations. The gins have a strong sense of terroir and each batch expresses the character of different seasons and years.
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.
A small batch gin that celebrates all things racing, Engine Gin is made in the Alta Langa region of north-western Italy.
This gin is made at the Asahikawa Distillery on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
Exhibit A
Exhibit A Gin is part of a 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.
Distilling spirits since 1880, Filliers is one of the last operational family-owned distilleries in Belgium.
Firmin Filliers, a pioneer in distilling, developed the recipe for the first Belgian gin in 1928, using a combination of 28 different distillates of spices and fresh fruit. The secret family recipe was refined by the master distillers at Filliers Distillery in 2012 and is today known as the Classic, the Belgian Dry Gin 28. It forms the basis for the current gin range.
Fords Gin is a collaboration between 8th generation Master Distiller Charles Maxwell of Thames Distillers and Simon Ford, dedicated to creating spirits designed in unison with professional bartenders and celebrated distillers from around the world.
A premium craft gin made in Christchurch by a group of four friends passionate about gin.
One of Australia’s leading craft distillers, Four Pillars is based in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Founded in 2013, its aim is to bring modern Australian flavours to gin-making.
Founded in France in 1874, Gabriel Boudier is a Dijonbased producer of spirits and liqueurs.
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.
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.
An Italian gin produced using Pinot Grigio grapes from Fruili in Italy’s north, juniper from Tuscany and citrus from southern Italy.
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.
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.
An Irish gin brand named for the legendary 16th century Irish ‘Pirate Queen’, born in Co. Mayo in 1530. Grace O’Malley gin uses heather as one of its key botanicals.
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.
The gin range from UK talk show host Graham Norton, made in partnership with New Zealand’s Invivo & Co. The gins are produced by West Cork Distillers, near Norton’s home.
A Californian gin brand named in honour of the gray whales that migrate off the coast. A portion of profits are donated to Oceana, a group dedicated to protecting and restoring the world’s oceans.
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.
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 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.
Founded in 2019, Hastings Distillers is an artisan distillery run by Kate Galloway and partner David Ramonteu, who both have winemaking backgrounds. The pair are making New Zealand’s first Biogro-certified organic spirits and liqueurs.
A family-owned gin distilling business that traces its roots back to London in the 1860s makes the Haymans the only family of original English gin makers still distilling today.
A gin brand from Akaroa Craft Distillery in Canterbury. It is named for the Hector’s Dolphins that swim off Akaroa, and use botanicals foraged from Banks Peninsula. The brand donates a portion of its Tasting House sales to the New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust.
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.
Launched in 2020, Holland Road Distillery is in the Waikato settlement of Eureka. They steep, macerate and boil their naturally sourced botanicals in a copper pot still then slowly vapour infuse them with locally produced organic teas, wines, honeys and fruits to create premium contemporary London Dry gins. The distinctive artwork featuring a plague doctor and various symbols on their label are a tribute to the ancient healers whose folk medicine pioneered modern distillation practices.
Andrew and Saskia Lewis established Humdinger as Geraldine’s first distillery in 2020. Their Humdinger Dry Gin was awarded Gold at the NZ Spirits Awards in 2021.
A ‘paddock to bottle’ distiller based in Australia’s NSW. Husk also produces an agricole rum made from cane grown on the family’s farm.
Friends Chris Charteris and Simon Wilson launched their New Zealand gin brand in 2019, rebranding 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 features artwork by a different tattoo artist.
Andi Ross founded Island Gin on Great Barrier Island after spending nearly 20 years travelling to and from the island with her family to their Medlands Beach bach. The distillery has a focus on sustainability: sourcing ingredients from Great Barrier and using a solar-powered bottling line. Her first products launched in late 2019.
Isle of Harris Distillery is in the small village of Tarbert on Scotland’s Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides.
A small batch copper pot distilled gin made on a 300 acre estate just outside Belfast in Northern Ireland. It uses local botanicals such as Black Mountain heather in its distillation. Jawbox also makes gin liqueurs.
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 Zealand-grown juniper too.
Wayne and Kathy Chowles launched Kaimai Brewing & Distilling Co in September 2020. It is based at the historic Waikino Hotel in the Karangahake Gorge. Eliza’s Claim Gold gin was their first release, inspired by stories of the region’s gold mining history and Wayne’s own mining background.
An artisan micro-batch gin made using native New Zealand botanicals. The brand also supports the Kākāpō Recovery Fund by donating 10% of its profits.
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.
A New Zealand small batch distillery based in Marlborough.
Kyoto Distillery 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.
A Spanish gin brand made using botanicals sourced from the Penedès area in Spain’s Catalonia.
A Spanish gin brand that traces its origins to Malaga on the Mediterranean coast, when a distillery was established there in 1866. The distillery was bought by the third Marques de Larios, who founded Casa Larios in 1916.
A New Zealand small batch gin made in Christchurch.
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 award-wining lavender oil they make from their own lavender) and a limoncello using their own lemons.
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 its orchards.
A Spanish spirits brand launched in 2017 and created by familyowned business MG Destilerias.
Established in 2005, awardwinning 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.
A premium craft gin distilled in the Port of Leith in Scotland. It takes its name from 19th century ship’s surgeon James Lind, who became known for his work on the efficacy of citrus, such as lime, in preventing scurvy in sailors.
A Belgian gin brand made by the historic Lindeman family brewery.
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.
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.
A Japanese gin brand made at Kurayoshi Distillery in the foothills of Mt. Daisen.
An independent craft distillery created in 2012 by winemaker Andrew Marks. He is the winemaker at his family property Gembrook Hill Vineyard in the Yarra Valley, an hour south east of Melbourne, where MGC gins are made.
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 Head Distiller, Brian Nation.
This gin’s origins are in 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.
Justine Schroder launched Mt Fyffe Distillery in July 2021, having just won ‘Best Emerging Product’ for her gins at the NZ Spirits Awards 2021. The Kaikoura distillery is based on the sheep farm where she lives with her husband and two children. Schroder forages local botanicals for her gins.
This Napier-based craft distillery released its first gins in mid- 2019 and its range has expanded quickly. It is based in the historic Art Nouveau building formerly known as The National Tobacco Company in Ahuriri.
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.
A Dunedin distillery that was opened in 2021and is run by distiller Julien Delavoie. The portfolio includes gin, rum, absinthe and liqueurs.
A Spanish gin brand inspired by Barcelona and made by Spain’s Campeny Distillery.
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.
A gin brand made in San Francisco, California.
A Queenstown craft distillery that uses only organic and locally foraged ingredients for its range of gins, vodkas and liqueurs.
A Chinese craft gin made in Shanghai using organic botanicals foraged from locations such as Sichuan, Yunnan, Xinjiang and Gansu for a distinctively Eastern flavour.
Founded by two friends in Edinburgh, Pickering’s was first made in 2013 at Summerhall Distillery, the first exclusive gin distillery to be established in the city in 150 years. Pickering’s is based on an original Bombay recipe said to have been handwritten on a piece of paper dated 1947, that resurfaced when distilling at Summerhall began.
A craft distillery in Rotorua, created by three friends who came up with the idea for a geothermal distillery in 2018.
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 was established in 1793 and is still made today in the oldest working gin distillery in England: The Black Friars building, which dates back
to the 1400s. It’s one of the oldest buildings in Plymouth, and protected as a national monument.
An Adelaide craft distillery that was established in 2015.
A small, independent distillery in Bristol, England. It uses small, handmade copper pot stills to produce classic and seasonal craft distilled spirits in small batches and limited quantities.
Situated on the remote Hebridean Island of the same name, Raasay Distillery was founded in 2014 and was the first legal distillery to be built there. The Raasay Hebridean Gin is distilled in the old way, using malted barley spirit three times distilled in a pot still. Unusually the juniper is harvested on the island itself, complemented by botanicals such as rhubarb root, cubeb, angelica root, and sweet orange peel.
The Red Door gin is produced by the family owned Benromach distillery on the fringes of the Speyside region in Scotland.
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 whisky, vodka and liqueurs.
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.
A craft distillery near Arrowtown in Central Otago, its first gin launched in 2020. The distillery’s name derives from a “rift” (a crack in the earth) and a “Rifter”, a term from the goldmining era, meaning a fossicker or a forager.
A New Zealand brand small batch gin brand launched in 2019.
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.
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.
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.
Richard Wilson launched his distillery in May 2021, after he and his family moved to a farm in Sandymount on the Otago Peninsula. An experienced distiller, Wilson uses local spring water and native flora in his range of gins.
This New Zealand distillery has been internationally awarded for its gins and launched its first vodka in mid-2020 and single malt whisky in 2022. It is currently building a new distillery in Central Otago.
The London style dry gin first made by Seager Evans and Co, a London-based wine and spirits company established in 1805.
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.
A New Zealand-made gin brand. Stil also produces vodka.
A New Zealand grape-based gin made from the alcohol extracted from 0% alcohol Sauvignon Blanc.
A craft gin made in Goa, India at Third Eye Distillery.
A New Zealand gin brand from The Premium Liquor Co.
Tanqueray was developed in the 1830s by Charles Tanqueray, a clergyman’s son who 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.
An Australian gin brand made at Buller Wines in Rutherglen, Victoria.
An Australian gin brand made at Turner Stillhouse in Tasmania. The name is derived from the three cuts of rose distilled into the gin, including fresh roses grown in the Tamar Valley near the distillery.
Tobermory Distillery is on the Isle of Mull in Scotland’s Inner
Hebrides. The heritage distillery also makes peated and unpeated whisky.
A New Zealand gin made at Twelfth Hour Distillery. Its key botanical is makrut (kaffir lime), which reflects the Thai heritage of the Master Distiller and is grown in his mother’s garden at home.
A Japanese gin brand crafted in Kagoshoma using locally grown grains that are distilled into a traditional Japanese Shōchū spirit which is then redistilled with its botanicals.
A New Zealand distillery based in Auckland’s Point Chevalier. It is believed to be the world’s smallest commercial distillery as each batch comprises no more than nine bottles. The Vicar’s Son’s gin and vodkas are multi-award-winning and its Holy Spirit Gin won the Trophy for Best Contemporary/Navy Strength Gin at the NZ Spirits Awards 2022.
The gin brand from New
Zealand craft distillers Thomson. The distillery was established by husband and wife team Rachael and Mathew Thomson in 2009.
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.
A family-owned and run distillery in Waitoki, north west of Auckland. It launched its first gin in 2020 and takes its name from the backyard laundry where the idea for its spirits were first developed.
An English craft distilling company specialising in smallbatch 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.
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.
A handcrafted premium gin created at The City of London Distillery, the only distillery in the heart of the City of London.
Widges was developed by spirits industry figure Jason ‘Widge’ Williams, who is creative director at spirits company Proof & Company. Widges is distilled at Langley Distillery in England.
A luxury New Zealand gin brand created in Christchurch and distilled at The Spirits Workshop. Co-founders Luke Dawkins and Blue-Monte Hamel marked the gin’s launch by offering 100 first edition YEN Gin Genesis NFTs on Rarible.
A gin made in France and inspired by Japanese heritage and tradition.
Dominic Roskrow UK-based world spirits expert Editor - Stills Crazy newwizards.co.uk
A FEW years ago, British independent bottler Compass Box released a new spirit called Orangerie. It was allowed to be called “a whisky infused with orange peel”, but not an “orange peel-infused whisky”.
The reason? Because whisky is defined as containing only grain, yeast and water. And the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) goes further, adding rules about oak barrels and minimum ageing times.
Quite why the SWA thinks it has the right to dictate definitions of world whisky is a moot point, (especially when you consider that American whiskey
may be aged for considerably shorter times), but it does. Just this month it has been crossing swords with Swiss whisky producer Seven Seals, which uses a patented and technologically advanced finishing process that makes young whisky taste considerably older. And this is despite the fact that Scotland is no longer in the European Union and Switzerland never was.
The argument put forward by the SWA is that the process is not traditional, and therefore the finished spirit can’t be called whisky, although it can be called single malt.
made with fresh fruit are capturing the imagination and are regarded as a healthier alternative to artificially flavoured drinks.
But when it comes to innovation, it may be that the world of whisky is gearing up for a fight, with the new whisky regions on one side, and the likes of the Scotch Whisky Association and the Irish Whiskey Association on the other.
The argument is over hypocrisy. The new producers argue that the established bodies are bending the rules. And they point to the recent approved release of A Tale of the Forest, a new ‘whisky’ from Glenmorangie, which uses juniper, heather flowers and other botanicals in the kilning process. Juniper is, of course, the key ingredient in gin.
Innovation has to be seen as a force for good. New World whiskies are bringing in newer, younger drinkers and helping the whisky sector compete with other spirit categories. Rum is enjoying a world boom, and the line between gin and vodka has become increasingly blurred as producers seek new and exciting flavours. In other categories there has been an explosion of flavoured ciders and beers.
Most recently, the United Kingdom has seen a rush of new drinks as drinks makers take advantage of the excess fruit crops caused by lack of workers due to Brexit, and shortages in labour due to the lengthy lockdown. Spirits and liqueurs
The SWA view may be that using different kilning methods does not add to the flavour of the spirit. But one new Irish distiller rejected that view. “If it didn’t add flavour to the spirit, they wouldn’t do it,” he says. “This is adding flavour via the back door. But most importantly, using juniper to flavour whisky is not traditional practice. This is a case of two rules.”
The concept of innovation should be encouraged, but any blurring of the lines should be policed carefully. Protecting the consumer from dodgy practices is of course to be encouraged. But it must be wrong if trade bodies are unfairly protecting their members against legitimate competition.
And as for “orange peel-infused whisky” or “whisky infused with orange peel”: do we really care?
There are rumblings in the whisky world as innovation meets tradition – Dominic Roskrow explains…
New World whiskies are bringing in newer, younger drinkers and helping the whisky sector compete with other spirit categories.
PŌKENO WHISKY Company has launched its first trio of New Zealand single malts.
Founder Matt Johns and wife Celine started construction on their distillery five years ago with a vision to create some of the world’s finest single malts using only New Zealand ingredients, and put New Zealand on the map as a whisky-producing nation.
Johns, who has over 25 years’ experience in the global whisky industry, says finding their location just south of Auckland’s Bombay Hills was the perfect first step.
“For us as craft distillers, Pōkeno is an absolute hidden treasure. Not only do we have the privilege of using the pure spring water that has been drawn over centuries from the surrounding volcanic hills, these same hills conspire with the sub-tropical climate to create conditions that accelerate the spirit’s maturation and flavour development in the barrel.”
The first new releases are:
• Pōkeno Origin – fully matured in first fill bourbon casks
• Pōkeno Discovery – a combination of spirit aged in first fill bourbon, Oloroso and PX Sherry casks, married together in cask for a final period of maturation.
• Pōkeno Revelation – combining spirit fully-aged in first fill bourbon and New Zealand red wine casks, married together in cask for a final period of maturation.
The range will also be available internationally from late 2022 with initial launches into the UK, France, Germany, the US and Australia.
Pōkeno Whisky Company
ENHANCE YOUR gin drinking experience with a crystal Glencairn Gin Goblet from Scottish company Glencairn Crystal, available through Whisky Galore. Best known for their whisky glasses (regarded as the definitive glass for whisky) the Glencairn team have turned their expertise to the gin drinking experience. The gin goblets are made from high quality machined crystal, with the lip and curve feature for aroma enhancement and ease of drinking.
Whisky Galore
IT’S PROBABLY New Zealand’s most exclusive gin or vodka — and certainly one of our most-awarded — and now the tiny Vicar’s Son distillery is offering its products to discerning restaurants and bars.
Based in a garage in Auckland’s Pt Chevalier, Vicar’s Son is the passion project of Stewart Martel and Lucie Hrdina. They’re thought to have the world’s smallest grain to glass distillery, with each batch making just nine bottles.
At the 2022 New Zealand Spirit Awards, Martel and Hrdina won Best Overall Trophy for Contemporary and Navy Strength Gin, three Double Golds, two Golds and five Silvers. The distillery has also won a fair few international medals, despite being just two years old.
Vicar’s Son is now served at Hotel Britomart in Auckland and Kisa Restaurant in Wellington.
For inquiries, email info@vicarsson.co.nz
AWARD-WINNING MARLBOROUGHBASED distillery, Elemental Distillers, has partnered with ecoSPIRITS™ and Proof & Company, one of Asia Pacific’s leading independent spirits distributors, to expand their offering with a sustainableforward, affordable and premium dry gin: Roots Eco.
Roots Eco is crafted to represent the style and character of award-winning Roots Marlborough Dry Gin and is
available exclusively for on-premise in a 4.5L ecoTOTE™, designed to be competitively priced and perfect for house pouring.
ecoSPIRITS is a circular economy technology company that has developed the world’s first low carbon, low waste distribution technology for premium spirits and wine. The patent-pending closed loop system nearly eliminates all packaging waste in the supply chain. By dramatically reducing packaging and transport, ecoSPIRITS provides both a powerful cost advantage and a transformative carbon footprint reduction.
Ben Leggett, Director and Distiller of Elemental Distillers says it’s an exciting step for the brand. “Elemental Distillers is built around belief in delivering premium spirits with full transparency and sustainability. By being able to partner Roots Dry Gin through the ecoSPIRITS distribution technology, we’ve not only decreased our environmental impact, but allowed bars and restaurants to operate more sustainably, while retaining access to a locally made product at an affordable price.”
Roots Eco is distilled on Estate from six botanicals and released exclusively for the on-premise in ecoTOTE bulk format. Proof & Company also distributes Roots Marlborough Dry Gin which has received multiple international awards, including Double Gold at the SIP Awards 2022 and the Trophy for Best Overall Gin at the NZ Spirits Awards 2021.
Dan King, Commercial Manager for Proof & Company in New Zealand says the new offering is an exceptional opportunity for on-premise. “Proof & Company and ecoSPIRITS are proud to be partnering with Elemental Distillers to bring a low waste, low carbon, low cost, high quality, locally produced house pour gin to the hospitality venues of Aotearoa. Elemental’s dedication to sustainability and quality is a perfect fit with the ecoSPIRITS closed loop packaging technology.”
Roots Eco (43% ABV) – 4.5L ecoTOTE Available for order through Proof & Company NZ. (orders@proofandcompany.com)
NEW FROM Hendrick’s Master Distiller Lesley Gracie comes Neptunia – a gin designed to capture the magic of the sea. Created at the Hendrick’s Gin Palace on the rugged Ayrshire coast of southwest Scotland, Gracie has used Scottish coastal botanicals to create a gin to evoke the sensations of the coast, with a signature Hendrick’s twist.
“Most of my creations are based on memories,” says Gracie. “I play around with botanicals and combine them to recreate certain sensations. Hendrick’s Neptunia, for me, is that freeing feeling of the sea bottled in a gin. You have that distinctive fresh character from coastal herbs, depth of flavour from the sea
botanicals and an unmistakably clean, bright citrus finish that lifts and lightens in a round, refreshing way that makes it Hendrick’s.”
Hendrick’s Neptunia is also donating to Project Seagrass and covering core
costs that allow the charity to sustainably scale their operations to restore and protect seagrass meadows and marine biodiversity globally.
Hendrick’s Neptunia, 700ml RRP $89.99 Federal Merchants
THE BOTANIST gin is supporting Community Gardens in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch this October to raise awareness and help them champion regenerative local food.
From 1-31 October, five dollars from every Botanist Gin drink purchased in a participating bar will be donated to the designated local garden.
The participating gardens are: Kelmarna Gardens – Ponsonby, Auckland
Through rebuilding connections between people and their food, Kelmarna Gardens work to champion and demonstrate a regenerative local food system that supports climate change mitigation, urban resilience and community wellbeing. Set on 4.5 acres of Hukanui Reserve above Ōpoutūteka Cox’s Creek, the community farm has worked to provide delicious, healthy food and be a place of learning and well-being for its community for over 40 years.
Innermost Gardens – Mt Victoria, Wellington
Nestled between an inner-city suburb and the city’s famed town belt, the gardens can be enjoyed by many. Its mission is “Growing community through hands in the soil”, so whether your passion is growing food, strong communities, permaculture design or
sustainability, it has everything to get your taste buds active, your mind intrigued or your hands dirty.
Roimata Food Commons – Christchurch Roimata Food Commons was created to promote organic, self-grown produce to encourage community resilience. Its mission is to establish, operate and manage a community food garden and orchard at Radley Park in Woolston that integrates regeneration and support of native biodiversity. One of its aims is to create ways and means to alleviate the effects of poverty through promotion and education around self-sufficiency.
The Botanist Gin shares a deep connection to terroir – 22 foraged botanicals are handpicked locally and sustainably on the Scottish island of Islay across an entire growing season to produce the exceptional gin, which is made at one of the only distilleries in the world to be B Corp certified.
Sustainability has always been important to The Botanist, which is why they have a long-term vision to be more sustainable in everything they do. Becoming B Corp certified was a huge achievement that helped solidify the commitment toward a more sustainable future.
The Botanist Gin, 700ml RRP $99
Hancocks
A NEW cocktail competition challenged some of Christchurch’s finest drinks professionals in an event that focused on fun, teamwork, creativity and all-round professional bar skills to serve the perfect Strange Nature cocktail.
The Strange Nature “Embrace the Strange” Cocktail competition was conceived and hosted by the team at Mr Brightside Rooftop Bar.
Strange Nature goes against the grain and is a true grape-based gin, bearing all the natural flavours of Sauvignon Blanc with a hint of juniper. Created by Strange Nature Distilling, it is made from the alcohol extracted from 0% alcohol Sauvignon Blanc.
After three rounds, teammates Andy Teo and Andy Griffiths were declared the winners of the inaugural competition with their Strange Nature cocktail The Augustus Sour.
Shannon Dimbleby, Brand Manager for
Nature Gin), said it was exciting to see bartenders let their creative flair shine. She was also impressed by the way in which all the contestants had taken the time to understand Strange Nature and its unique story.
Both Teo and Griffiths were struck by the fact Strange Nature Gin is created from a by-product. “It embodies a bit of the old Kiwi ingenuity!” said Griffiths. “I dig the vegetal and tropical notes in it… It definitely tells a unique story and the packaging is baller too!”
Strange Nature Gin has been gaining momentum locally and internationally since its launch in October 2021. As well
and hospitality in New Zealand, Strange Nature is also capturing the imagination of buyers offshore. Effective mid-October, Strange Nature will be available across all 250 Dan Murphy retail stores in Australia. It is also receiving strong interest in the North American market from one of the USA’s largest national craft spirits distributors.
Strange Nature Gin has received critical claim over the last six months too, winning the Innovation Award at the New Zealand Spirit Awards 2022 and receiving a Gold Medal at the International Gin Masters competition in London.
Strange Nature, 700ml RRP $84.99
GIVE CUSTOMERS an easy way to try the award-winning gins and vodkas from New Zealand distillery The Vicar’s Son with their new Gin and Vodka sample packs. Each box contains six 50ml bottles and 5% of revenue from all sales go to Greyhound Welfare.
Vicar’s Son Gin Selection:
• Holy Spirit Navy Strength (Trophy Winner and Double Gold - 2022 NZ Spirit Awards)
• Without Sin (Double Gold -2022 NZ Spirits Awards)
• Revelation (Double Gold -2022 NZ Spirits Awards)
• Ascension (Gold Medal - 2022 NZ Spirits Awards and 2021 Australian Gold Award)
• London Dry (Silver Medal - 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Awards and Silver 2021 NZ Spirits Awards)
• Holy Spirit - Saffron distilled
Vicar’s Son Vodka Selection:
• Vodka x 2 (Silver Medal)
• Coffee Vodka (Bronze Medal)
• Juniper Vodka (Silver Medal)
• Five Times Vodka x 2 (Silver Medal)
The Vicar’s Son
THE GIN designed for bartenders is now available in New Zealand – Fords Gin is regarded as the ultimate cocktail gin to elevate Gin & Tonics, Gimlets, Negronis and Martinis.
Fords Gin has been included in Drinks International’s ‘Top Ten Best-Selling Gins’ and ‘Top Ten Trending Gins’ as voted by the world’s best bars. It also scored 93 points out of 100 in the Ultimate Sprits Challenge 2020, placing it in the Excellent and Highly Recommended category.
Co-creator and gin expert, Simon Ford, was in New Zealand in September to launch the gin, which he created in collaboration with tenth-generation master distiller at Thames Distillers, Charles Maxwell.
He says they created Fords at a time when gin was starting its revival and a lot of new gins on the market had distinctive flavour combinations that tended to dominate the taste profile. “We wanted to make something that if you were to put it into a Negroni, Martini, or Gimlet it would be versatile and balanced and always work in those classic drinks. So we set out to create something that could be part of a bartender’s toolkit.”
After in-depth flavour research, extensive testing with bartenders and several years of development, Fords Gin came to life. A modern take on a classic London Dry Gin, Fords Gin starts with a traditional base of juniper and coriander seed balanced by citrus, florals and spices that are steeped for 15 hours before being distilled. It has a bold and balanced flavour that is the perfect base for any gin-inspired cocktail.
Simon Ford says the gin is incredibly versatile. “When mixed, the floral notes open up quite noticeably and the citrus and coriander flavours really begin to
EXPERIENCE STRANGER & Sons Gin with two bar takeovers organised by distributor Dhall & Nash at Deadshot in Auckland and Hawthorn Lounge in Wellington.
On Tuesday 11 October, two of Deadshot’s bar team will take over Hawthorn Lounge for a night of Stranger & Sons Gin cocktails. Then, on Tuesday 8 November, the tables will turn and Deadshot will play host to two of Hawthorn Lounge’s team.
Details at dnfinewine.co.nz/events/
pop. It’s a gin that works equally as well with lemon and lime in citrus-forward drinks, has a smooth and silky texture, which is great for stirred aromatic drinks like the Martini and has a big-butdelicate burst of juniper that makes it sing in a Gin & Tonic.”
Ford recommends his gin in a classic dry Martini and paired with fresh New Zealand oysters for a delightful sensory experience.
Fords Gin 700ml RRP $64.99
Hancocks
FEVER-TREE HAS launched its new Distillers Cola, specifically designed for mixing with dark spirits, such as rums and whiskies.
It has been crafted with a distinctive blend of spices and citrus fruits, including Madagascan vanilla, to enhance the complex flavours of the finest dark spirits.
“Typical colas often hide the flavour of the spirit, whereas Fever-Tree’s Distillers Cola enhances the dark spirit it’s blended with,” says Matthew Jamieson, Fever-Tree New Zealand Brand Manager.
Jamieson notes that the New Zealand whisky and rum scene is on the rise with distilleries making quality, distinctively Kiwi spirits. “Distillers Cola is rich and complex in flavour and contains no
artificial sweeteners so it will blend seamlessly with the best of New Zealand and international dark spirits,” he says.
Fever-Tree Distillers Cola earned Double Gold at the 2021 New York International
Spirits Competition and Gold at the 2021 SIP Awards.
Available in 4 x 200ml packs, RRP $10.99.
Thirsty CamelHAWKE’S BAY’S Hastings Distillers have added another string to their Negroni bow, releasing a Barrel-Aged Negroni –a complex aperitif aged in French oak. As with all Hastings Distillers products, the new release is Biogro certified organic.
“We are one of only a handful of distillers worldwide ageing their Negroni,” says distiller and co-founder Kate Galloway. “And there are very few who are doing so using their own handcrafted products. We are definitely unique in that respect.”
Hastings Distillers Barrel Aged Negroni is crafted from Hastings Distillers’ organic East Block 200 gin, hibiscus-infused L’Opera and the Rubis vermouth. It has spent 18 months resting in a bespoke
300L oak barrel. The bright orange of the popular L’Opera deepens into marmalade and candied peel, the vermouth is darkened and ripened, while the juniper, lavender, kaffir lime and feijoa leaf of the gin contribute dried herb and savoury notes.
Only 500 bottles of Hastings Distillers Barrel Aged Negroni have been made. “Negroni is really having a moment,” says Galloway. “It’s an elegant predinner option, not too sweet, and looks impressive served in a short glass over a large format ice cube.”
Hastings Distillers Barrel Aged Negroni 27% ABV, 500ml RRP $95.
Hastings DistillersARCHIE ROSE Distilling Co. has won a slew of top honours across its gins at a number of high-ranking global spirit competitions, further cementing its status as Australia’s most highly awarded distillery. Paired with a world-class distillation process at its innovative new Banksmeadow distillery in Sydney, Archie Rose is rewriting the blueprint for Australian gin.
Of particular significance were the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SIP Awards), which saw Archie Rose awarded Double Gold for its Bone Dry and Distillers Strength Gins, and Gold for its newly launched Sunrise Lime Gin Harvest. Across the pond in London, Archie Rose’s Signature Dry Gin claimed Silver Medals at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) 2022.
Archie Rose was also awarded the Style Winner (and Gold Title) for its Gin Blackberry Spritz Canned Cocktail at the World Premix Awards 2022 (London) and Bronze for its Gin & Tonic canned cocktail.
Archie Rose Master Distiller, Dave Withers, said that he is thrilled to see high-quality Australian gin being recognised on the world stage. “Our line-up of gins are a testament to not only the expertise of our distilling team but the amazing local producers who share our passion for absolute quality, sustainability and consideration of the impact of their growing, harvesting and processing methods. We are proud to showcase the best ingredients this country has to offer.”
For Archie Rose wholesale and trade inquiries in New Zealand contact Nick Baxter at nick@archierose.com.au
CROWN RANGE Lounge has opened in Auckland’s Parnell – the events bar is focused on corporate functions but opens to the public every Friday for live jazz and cocktails. Formerly a wine gallery, the space has a new vibe, hosting performances from jazz legends like Nathan Haines, Caitlin Smith and the Nairobi Trio.
crownrangelounge.co.nz
No.8 Distillery
NEW TO distributor Q Liquid is award-winnnig Moskovskaya Vodka, one of the oldest vodka brands in the world, made in Latvia using the original recipe since 1938. It is a robust vodka with refreshing aniseed flavour and a smooth long-lasting aftertaste with light sweetness. Available in 200ml, 500ml, 700ml and 1L formats.
SPEYSIDE’S TAMNAVULIN Distillery has revealed its latest Single Malt: the ‘Tamnavulin Sherry Cask Edition’.
The newly released Sherry Cask Edition is available through New Zealand distributor Hancocks and shows the classic character of the Speyside distillery and its continued union with Sherry.
Tamnavulin Sherry Cask Edition is matured in American White Oak Barrels and enhanced by finessing in three different types of Oloroso Sherry casks created from a selection of the finest European and American Hogsheads. The team behind the popular Single Malt expertly sourced casks from three individual cooperages across Spain. Each cooperage was selected for its ability to gift different flavours to this single malt and bring to life the quintessential Sherry notes of raisin, vanilla and orange.
This three-Sherry cask finish is warm and inviting, with exotic flavours of glazed nectarines and frangipane, a complex finish of fruit cake and over-ripe apricots and is partnered with the signature sweet, smooth and mellow profile of Tamnavulin.
Joining Tamnavulin Double Cask, the Sherry Cask Edition offers richness, intensity and complexity. With an accessible fruity profile, the new release gives shoppers the opportunity to delve into the world of Sherry-finished single malt without breaking the bank.
The Speyside Single Malt brand was brought back to life in 2016 to offer a compelling single malt proposition to price-conscious consumers looking for a credible, quality alternative to blends and a solution to those looking to explore the malt category. Since then, it has fast developed a reputation as a premium, trusted brand which is demanding consumer and trade attention alike.
Hancocks
JEAN TRINH, founder of Alquímico in Cartagena, Colombia, has been named the winner of Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2022. The prestigious award is voted for by the bartenders on this year’s list of The World’s 50 Best Bars, who were each asked to name one peer who pushes the limits of what it means to be a great bartender.
The award is given to a personality who made a significant impact in the global bar sector over the voting period and recognises their commitment to the international community in that time.
French with Vietnamese heritage, Trinh grew up in his parents’ restaurants. In 2013, his journey led him to Cartagena de Indias in Colombia, opening his first pop-up bar just six months later. Within three years, he established Alquímico in a stunning three-storey mansion in the historic heart of the city.
Renowned for serving more than 850 guests daily, Alquímico offers three unique concepts – La Mansión, El Balcón and Terraza – each with their own
unique cocktail menu, under one roof. Throughout the bar, Trinh champions the diversity and produce of his adopted home.
In 2018, Alquímico invested in a 25 acre farm in rural Colombia to sustainably and organically grow fresh produce for the high-volume cocktail programme. During the global pandemic, in the face of a complete shutdown, Trinh led his team #FromTheBarToTheFarm, housing his bartenders and their families and collaborating with local small producers and farmers to learn and develop sustainable agricultural practices.
In addition to selling their organic produce, they donated food baskets to
the poor, built an apiary to reduce the bar’s reliance on sugar, reforested native trees and created an educational space for the local farming community as well as colleagues within the industry that wished to learn more.
In 2020, Alquímico joined the list of The World’s 50 Best Bars at No.47, the first Colombian bar ever to feature. In the same year, they were also the first bar from Latin America to be awarded the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award.
The awards ceremony for the World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 was to be held in Barcelona, Spain on 4 October.
See the results at worlds50bestbars.com
JACK DANIEL’S “Bonded” Tennessee Whiskey is Bottled-in-Bond, aged in select barrels for added depth and character.
At 50% ABV, the flavour delivers layered notes of caramel, rich oak and spice, giving way to a pleasantly lingering finish.
The Bottled-In-Bond Act (1897) stipulates that the whiskey must be:
• From a single distillery
• From one distilling season
• Bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof)
• Aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years (seasons to mature).
With Jack Daniel’s Bonded Tennessee Whiskey, you can elevate any whisk(e)y cocktail to a Bonded cocktail.
Hancocks
50% ABV, 700ml RRP $85
Available in 6-bottle case
Tasting Notes
Colour: Dark mahogany
Aroma: Caramel, rich oak, spice
Taste: Big and bold with dark brown sugar, cooked fruit and seared oak
Finish: Warm baking spice with a touch of smoke.
1919 Distilling 021 024 22067
1919distilling.com
Archie Rose nick@archierose.com.au archierose.com.au/nz
Armada Spirits info@armadaspirits.co.nz armadaspirits.co.nz
Asahi Beverages NZ 09 298 3000 asahibeverages.co.nz
Astrolabe Wines 03 577 6794 astrolabewines.co.nz
Bach Brewing 09 390 0149 bachbrewing.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 Bond Store 021 667 683 thebondstore.co.nz
Boneface Brewing 04 529 7042 boneface-brewing.com Brandhouse 0508 468 688 brandhouse.co.nz
Bureaucrats Gin 021 243 4424 bureaucratsgin.co.nz Carbon 6IX info@carbonsix.co.nz carbonsix.co.nz
Cardrona Distillery 03 443 1393 cardronadistillery.com
Clearview Estate 06 875 0150 clearviewestate.co.nz
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners NZ 0800 692 337 cocacolaep.com
Coromandel Distilling Company 021 0299 0399 corodc.com
The Dam Fine Gin Company 0800 326 779 thedamsoncollection.co.nz
DB Breweries 0800 746 432 db.co.nz
Denzien Urban Distillery 021 285 1551 denzien.nz
Dhall & Nash 0800 369 463 dnfinewine.com Dr Beak 021 046 4284 drbeak.nz
Dunedin Craft Distillers 027 479 7714 dunedincraftdistillers.nz Duo Gin george@duogin.co.nz duogin.co.nz Elsewhere Gin mark@elsewheregin.com elsewheregin.com
Emerson’s 03 477 1812 emersons.co.nz
Emporium Brewing 03 319 5897 emporiumbrewing.co.nz
Epic Beer 0800 212 337 epicbeer.com
EuroVintage 0800 388 766 eurovintage.co.nz
Exceptional Flavours 022 0399 633 exceptionalflavours.co.nz
Exhibit A 021 824 575 exhibitabrand.com
Federal Merchants 0800 846 824 federalmerchants.co.nz
Felton Road 03 445 0885 feltonroad.com
Foley Wines 03 572 8200
sales@foleywines.co.nz
Forrest Wines 03 572 9084 forrest.co.nz
Garage Project 027 535 0917 garageproject.co.nz
Giesen Group 03 344 6270 giesen.co.nz
Glengarry 0800 733 505 glengarry.co.nz
Good George 07 846 9364 goodgeorge.co.nz
Go Green Beverages 027 511 9882
buybeer@gogreenbeverage. com
Good George Brewing 07 846 9364 goodgeorge.co.nz
Halewood Artisanal Spirits tom.fastier@halewood-int.com halewood-int.com Hancocks 0800 699 463 hancocks.co.nz
Hastings Distillers 06 870 3991 hastingsdistillers.com Holland Road 027 493 4481 hollandroad.co.nz
Imagination imaginationgin.nz Invivo 0800 468 486 invivowines.com Island Gin 09 429 0690 Islandgin.com
Kahurangi Estate 021 424 899 kahurangiwine.com
Kaimai Brewing & Distilling Co. 027 678 9752
kaimaibrewinganddistillingco. co.nz
Kākāpō Distillery hello@kakapodistillery.co.nz kakapodistillery.co.nz
Kana Beverages 021 058 7894
Kanabeverages.co.nz Karven 021 723 090 karven.co.nz
Lavender Hill 09 412 5275 lavenderhill.co.nz
Liberty Brewing orders@libertybrewing.co.nz libertybrewing.co.nz Lion 0800 107 272 lionco.com
Long Breeze Distributors 027 205 2795 longbreezedistributors.co.nz Lyre’s lyreswholesale.co.nz Marisco 09 522 9684 marisco.co.nz
Mineral orders@mineralwine.co.nz mineral.co.nz Mission Estate 06 845 9350 missionestate.co.nz MOA Brewing 09 367 9472 moabrewing.com Mt Fyffe Distillery 021 135 4796 mtfyffedistillery.co.nz
The National Distillery Co. hello@nationaldistillery.nz nationaldistillery.nz
Negociants 0800 634 624 negociantsnz.co No.8 Distillery no8distillery.com Peaked Distillery peaked.co.nz
Peckham’s Cider 03 543 2959 peckhams.co.nz
Pernod Ricard 0800 655 550 pernod-ricard-nz.com
Pōkeno Whisky Company contact@pokenowhisky.co.nz pokenowhisky.com
The Premium Liquor Co. 09 975 7432 premiumliquor.co.nz
Procure Liquor 021 393 652 Procureliquor.co.nz
Proof & Company ordersnz@proofandcompany. com proofandcompany.com Pyramid Valley 027 788 9463 pyramidvalley.co.nz
Q Liquid 09 636 7730 qll.co.nz Rabbit Ranch 03 442 6110 rabbitranch.co.nz
Sandymount Distillery 022 305 6547 sandymount.nz
Sawmill Brewery 09 422 6555 sawmillbrewery.co.nz Sprig + Fern 03 544 8675
sprigandfern.co.nz
Taupō Distilling Co. hello@taupodistilling.com taupodistilling.com Taylor Brown 09 447 3801 taylorbrown.co.nz te Pā Wines 03 570 5192 tepawines.com
Thirsty Camel info@thirstycamel.co.nz thirstycamel.co.nz Thomson 027 828 7271
thomsonwhisky.com
Tickety-Boo Liquor 09 377 7597 tickety-boo.co.nz
Tony Bish Wines 06 650 3353 tonybishwines.co.nz
Twelfth Hour twelfthhourdistillery.co.nz
The Vicar’s Son 021 832 440 vicarsson.co.nz
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Hospo workers’ physical and mental health and wellbeing is the focus of not-for-profit initiative Healthy Hospo. First started in the UK, it is now gathering momentum in New Zealand. Healthy Hospo NZ’s Lorietta Bahr tells us why the work is so important…
How did Healthy Hospo come to NZ?
Healthy Hospo is a not-for-profit run by Lion that aims to improve health and wellbeing in the hospitality industry.
With the industry’s stretched resources and most external wellbeing programs tending to focus on corporates, we saw an opportunity to step in to support and build up this industry that is so important to us and our communities. We looked to Healthy Hospo UK which was already doing great work and then adapted it for New Zealand. A small and passionate team in Lion spent the first couple of years piloting the program and we are now planning how we scale it and continue to deliver an effective and engaging program for the industry.
What does Healthy Hospo do?
We team up with experts to run workshops to help people understand ways to look after themselves physically and mentally within the particular challenges of hospitality, such as shift hours. It’s about giving options and creating awareness so people can better understand what keeps them resilient –it’s not about telling people what to do. We also throw events to bring people together, because we’re social creatures and we know that to change culture you need community and empowered leaders.
Why is something like Healthy Hospo needed here?
Hospitality is a social, vibrant and creative industry. But there’s an all too common reality that includes burnout, sleep deprivation, poor diet, mental illness and substance abuse.
Less than 3% of our industry get the recommended eight hours or more of sleep a night on average, according to a global hospitality sleep survey we ran. Sleep is a key part of emotional regulation and mental health repair, so that figure starts to look concerning. Shift work also presents challenges that traditional wellbeing advice doesn't always consider. Everything we do is tailored specifically for hospitality.
How do you work with industry?
We focus on six areas that are the foundations for people to thrive: Sleep, Nutrition, Exercise, Connection, Mental Fitness, and Leadership.
So far this year, we’ve run 19 workshops across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown with around 500 people taking part.
We’ve also offset gym memberships, helped venues access yoga classes, hosted pottery classes, made sauerkraut, profiled amazing hospitality leaders and much more. The aim is to bring our community together in enriching ways – and we’re always open to creative ideas and collaborations. To finish the year, we’ll be hosting our third edition of Speight’s Run Club and partnering with Sustainable Coastlines to host volunteer days across New Zealand’s main centres. These are open to anyone working within or alongside hospitality.
How easy is it to have conversations around mental health?
Having conversations about mental health can be intimidating, but when it comes to speaking about mental health within our industry, our approach is to be proactive. We want to equip others to help prevent a crisis point. When it comes to personal
conversations, the important thing to remember is that you don’t need to be an expert to check in on friends and work colleagues. Being there to listen when someone is ready to speak is one of the most valuable ways to support each other. In our recent Mental Fitness workshops, we partnered with Movember to encourage and provide tools for these types of conversations.
What has the response been like?
People love what we’re trying to do, and many say it’s been needed for a long time. This year, more industry leaders and large hospitality groups have jumped on board. For example, off the back of one of our bootcamps, a respected bar owner decided to subsidise gym memberships for his staff. One year later, and they’re still showing up for training!
Another moment that has stuck with me was at a meditation session in Queenstown this year. A young woman spoke to us afterwards, full of emotion, sharing what it meant to her that someone was caring specifically for her wellbeing for the first time.
I’m also really proud of the Speight’s Run Club. It grew from 24 Auckland-based runners in 2020, to 100+ nationwide runners in 2021 and we’re about to kick off our third year.
It is worth saying that even with all the positive response, we’ve also met a fair few challenges. This year has been particularly tough for hospitality. We know spare time for anyone working in a bar or restaurant is very scarce right now.
Where to from here for Healthy Hospo?
We have an opportunity to gain even more momentum by forming industry partnerships and empowering more hospi tality leaders to drive change. Our plan is to closely partner with venues and groups, team up with local leaders, and continue being creative in how we reach more hospitality staff across the country.
Find out more at healthyhospo.co.nz @healthyhosponz
