There's no denying gin's time in the sun isn't going anywhere. No longer destined for your grandma’s top shelf, this humble spirit's popularity continues to soar and local Kiwi distillers are leading the charge.
From flavoured numbers to classic craft bottles and colour-changing concoctions, here are 20 Aotearoa New Zealand-made gins that will turn your typical G&T on its head. You can thank us later.
Kākāpo Distillery
Price: $79 (700mL)
Image credit: Kākāpō Distillery | supplied
If you revel in a botanical-forward gin, Kākāpō Distillery's artisan, micro-batch gin might just be a bit of you (it's certainly a bit of us). Currently created in three flavours—kawakawa and pink peppercorn, mānuka honey and elderflower, and rimurimu and thyme—the collection is a stunning liquid homage to Aotearoa native earth and botanicals. It's one to savour rather than knock back, that's for sure.
And if you do fall in love with this tipple, as we did, you'll be stoked to know you can summon the elixir to your work party, social night or event in the form of a chic mobile cocktail bar. *Swoon*
10% of the distillery's profit is donated to Kākāpō Recovery, a collective effort among Ngāi Tahu, scientists, rangers, volunteers and donors to protect and restore our kākāpo which are currently critically endangered with just 244 remaining. Plus, Kākāpō Distillery is Aotearoa's first B Corp-certified distillery which means it isn't just good for your glass, it's good for the planet, too. We'll drink to that.
Moksha Drinks
Price: $89-92 (700mL)
Moksha Drinks was inspired by the Masala chai-studded spice routes of India and is crafted in Takapuna. Daringly, Moksha is less about the juniper and more about the botanicals—it’s known as a ‘tiger among gins’ for a reason.
With a flavour profile of refreshing cardamom, warming ginger, Tahitian lime, heady clove and sweet cinnamon, this is gin unlike you’ve ever had before. Better still, their website features a bunch of recipes whipped up by VT Station mixologist, Sahil Patel, that you can DIY at home for the ultimate sipping experience. Chai martini anyone?
We love that a portion of the proceeds of every bottle sold is donated to Wildlife SOS, a programme that works to conserve India’s natural heritage, forests and wildlife.
Waiheke Distilling Co
Price: $105-200 (700mL)
Image credit: Waiheke Distilling Co | website
Waiheke Distilling Co is packing a big punch with its range of award-winning craft distilled gin. Their signature blend, dubbed The Spirit of Waiheke, embodies coastal freshness with distilled locally-sourced giant kelp, citrus and a hint of spice. Their London Dry is silky thanks to the inclusion of macadamia and we find ourselves reaching for their Red Ruby whenever we're after a sweet feel (hello ripe New Zealand cherries).
For the gin connoisseur who's partial to a limited edition, you might like to dip into their Unchartered, a coveted collection of just 80 bottles of gin aged in a Passage Rock Syrah barrel for notes of oak, caramelised toffee, citrus and warm spice.
Twelfth Hour Distillery
Price: $83.99 (700mL)
Once you’ve tried Twelfth Hour Dry Gin, standard gins won’t get a look in. Dreamed up by a group of friends in the midnight hours, Twelfth Hour is a relative newcomer to the spirits scene but their small batch premium gin has already scooped up a bunch of gold and silver awards from competitions around the world.
So just what makes their gin so darn tasty? Along with a signature blend of juniper, coriander seeds, lemon and orange, it’s spiked with homegrown makrut, an exotic kaffir lime with a delicious zing you’ve probably come across in Thai dishes. Gorgeous paired with your preferred tonic, and garnished with a ribbon of cucumber, this might just be your new favourite tipple.
Elemental Distillers
Price: $93-115 (700mL)
Image credit: Elemental Distillers | Instagram
Housed in a trio of upcycled shipping containers in the South Island, Elemental Distillers produces small batch ‘Roots’ dry gin in Marlborough and Navy Strength iterations. To date, they’ve rounded up an impressive amount of gold awards including snagging World’s Best London Dry at the World Gin Awards earlier this year.
The team works with independent farmers, foragers and co-ops in a fully traceable supply chain, and their distillery uses sustainable processes like water re-circulation systems, worm farms, solar power and gravity-fed piping, bringing a new meaning to ‘responsible drinking’.
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Island Gin
Price: $95-110
Another worthy entry on the best artisanal gins list, sustainability-focused Great Barrier Island business Island Gin took out the coveted Innovation Award at the New Zealand Spirits Awards 2020 despite the fact they’d only been distilling for a year.
Scooping silver and bronze for their moreish Navy Strength gin and Original gins respectively, they also scored top marks for their use of recycled NZ Visy Glass for their beaut kīna-inspired bottles filled by a solar-powered bottling machine. Using locally sourced botanicals and suppliers, such as honey from Great Barrier Island, this little company proves that you don’t need to be on the grid to create beautiful drops. We’re also a bit obsessed with their bronze kina bottle openers.
1919 Distilling
Price: $73-77 (700mL)
Based out of East Tamaki in Auckland, let’s just say 1919 Distilling is proud to be Kiwi. Named after the nearly history-changing prohibition vote of 1919 in New Zealand—49.7 per cent of us voted in favour of banning booze—the brand honours the slim majority of Kiwis who stood up for their right to a drink.
Their sips are all about using New Zealand-grown botanicals like Manuka honey and Central Otago cherries, and their Pineapple Bits gin which started as a limited-edition sip only is now a permanent addition to their catalogue—we’re so ready.
Scapegrace Gin
Price: $79.99 (750mL)
Image credit: Scapegrace | Supplied
From award-winning Kiwi gin brand Scapegrace (who have just reintroduced their original Rogue Society moniker), their Black Gin boasts something so special that it sold out on the first day. The naturally black liquor offers a blend of Aronia berry, saffron, pineapple, butterfly pea and sweet potato, making it sippable straight from the bottle.
But the addition of tonic water is where the magic really happens, transforming the black gin into a moody purple tone right before your eyes. Garnish with an apple slice and you’re set to sip.
On the go? Scapegrace is the only New Zealand RTD producer that uses actual handcrafted batch distilled Gin in their RTDs so you can enjoy premium quality and taste at a mainstream price. Naiiice.
Little Biddy Gin By Reefton Distilling
Price: $79.99-$189.99 (700mL)
No self-respecting list of the best artisanal New Zealand gins would be complete without the award-winning Reefton Distilling Co.’s Little Biddy Gin. Though one of the newer kids on the block having been established in 2018, this brand has been snagging awards since its inception. The range was created in honour of Reefton legend Bridget ‘Biddy’ Goodwin, a gin-toting, four-foot-tall, female gold prospector.
Their search for native botanicals takes the distillery team deep into the same West Coast rainforest where Biddy once fossicked for gold, to craft a range of uniquely New Zealand gins with a pioneer’s attitude. Distilled from fresh native botanicals Little Biddy Gin captures the West Coast rainforest in a bottle.
Dancing Sands Gin
Price: $85-95 (750mL)
Each bottle of Dancing Sands Gin is blended with water from the aquifer that feeds Dancing Sands Spring, which allows them to make the best possible gin and perfect its taste—so it’s no surprise that this is New Zealand's most awarded distillery.
Match this with their meticulous craftsmanship and killer flavour combinations and you have yourself a winner. We can’t choose between their Wasabi Gin, Saffron Gin or Chocolate Gin—so we’ll just have to recommend all three.
You should also definitely sample the Sun-Kissed Gin. Aromatic and bright, it sings of sweet, candied strawberry, perfectly balanced with tart and floral rhubarb—it's basically sunshine in a bottle. Created using locally sourced and all-natural ingredients, it'll take your boozy brunch spritzes to the next level. Cheers!
Lighthouse Gin
Price: $65-85 (700mL)
Image credit: Lighthouse Gin | Instagram
Inspired by the infamous Cape Palliser Lighthouse on the southernmost tip of the North Island, Lighthouse Gin takes influence from its surroundings in picturesque Martinborough. The sip showcases a unique blend of nine native botanicals like Yen Ben lemons and oranges, and with two options up for grabs, we recommend trying the original for a refreshing citrus taste or the Hawthorn Edition for a more intense, peppery flavour.
Should you be lucky enough to find yourself in this stunning part of the world, a new home for wineries Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard and Lighthouse Gin has just opened its doors. Named The Runholder, the restaurant, tasting room, cellar door, distillery, and barrel hall space celebrates local produce from the farm, vine, and beyond so pop in for a visit.
Broken Heart
Price: $90-110 (700mL)
Step into the realm of sipping gins with Broken Heart's award-winning spirits. You can't really go wrong here, but, in addition to whatever takes your fancy, you should also nab yourself a bottle of their Bella Wild Plum Gin Elixir where sweet tangy plums meet spice, pepper, liquorice and almond.
A word for the wise though—this stuff is very easy (and delightful) to drink. What's more, you know a gin is something special when it tastes just as good without any of the booze. Yes siree, if you're enjoying a sober moment, or have gone teetotaller, you can still have your Broken Heart and drink it too with a citrus-spiked iteration of their Original Gin, alcohol-free.
Curiosity Gin
Price: $75-80 (700mL)
On the scene since 2016, the award-winning Curiosity Gin is made 100% in-house, in small batches, starting from locally sourced malted grain and the best quality botanicals available including east coast manuka berries and leaves, fresh Gisborne orange and lime zest and Otago lavender which all conspire to bring out a true New Zealand twist.
We're particularly partial to their Sloe Gin (which incidentally, is NZ's only sloe gin), where sloe berries are steeped in Curiosity Gin for several months in a barrel that was previously used to age Otago pinot noir.
Humdinger Gin
Price: $79 (700mL)
Image credit: Humdinger Gin @thefarmimagery
Proving its excellent taste with numerous awards, Humdinger Gin will have you running back for more. With a few words of encouragement and a bit of imagination, Andrew and Saskia Lewis brought Humdinger Gin to life in the heart of Geraldine.
Offering a range of flavours infused with history and culture from around the world, Humdinger creates citrus, dry, sloe, bourbon barrel-aged gin and finally, pinot noir barrel-aged gin. Quality botanicals are a core element to the name, so they ensure they source from the best of the best. Check out the distillery that has its cellar door open all year round for free tastings and door sales.
The Source Gin
Price: $125 (750mL)
You can’t round up New Zealand’s best gins without mentioning The Source from Wanaka-based Cardrona Distillery. Locally foraged botanicals and rosehip are handcrafted to make the original gold award-winning blend, or opt for their Pink Barrel Aged Gin which spends some time hanging out in Central Otago Pinot Noir seasoned oak barrels. Better yet, it’s in support of Breast Cancer Research—that’s a win-win.
No8 Distillery
Price: $77-90 (700mL)
Image credit: No8 Distillery | Instagram
A proud distillery with four generations in the making, Dunedin’s No8 Distillery has sustainability at the heart of its processes with a refill and bottle swap system and of course, forging its own botanicals.
Next time you’re in Dunners, stop by the new distillery on Hanover Street (they have a free tasting session available five days of the week!) or visit them at Saturday farmer’s markets to get a taste of their delicious products. The No8 Gin Gift Box is the perfect way to see which flavour does it for you—offering their award-winning gin like the Dunners Dry gin, Hibiscus Gin and the Horopito Fire Gin.
Blush Gin
Price: $90 (700mL)
The boys at Blush (yes, lads are behind this stunning pink gin) have been cooking up something special since the release of their first bottle of Rhubarb Gin back in the summer of 2017. A few years on and they’ve added to the line-up Boysenberry Gin and Hot Toddy Gin.
Packaged in a particularly ‘Gram-worthy bottle, this triple-distilled, handcrafted tipple is best served with a premium tonic, garnished with frozen berries and rosemary.
Awildian Gin By Coromandel Distilling
Price: $104.95 (700mL)
What began as a little cabin experiment soon took off as the award-winning Coromandel gin distillery, Awildian. Created by Paul and Daniela, the distillery was born from a few words of encouragement, a keen passion and a great deal of support. Coming from a background of conservation work, caring for the planet is at the heart of their company's values, ensuring their work does minimal damage along its way.
Premium botanicals are sourced right here in Aotearoa when possible, and used to create their dry gin, blue gin, spiced gin, and manuka gin. Based in the heart of Thames, the micro-distillery was named New Zealand's best classic gin at London's 2022 World Gin Awards.
Strange Nature Gin
Price: $89.99 (700mL)
Image credit: Strange Nature Gin | @miladkstudio
The prize for the strangest—and most sustainable—gin on our list goes to Strange Nature Gin. What's so strangely sustainable about it you ask? Well, friends, this is a true grape-based gin that is completely traceable from grape to glass.
Made from the byproduct of Sauvignon Blanc thus reducing waste, it's then distilled with a single botanical, juniper, to deliver a supremely smooth gin bearing all the quintessential notes New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is famous for—part tropical and zesty with hints of fresh pineapple, candied grapefruit and a touch of kaffir lime and blood orange; and part savoury and herbaceous—piney juniper, blackcurrant leaf and fresh green pepper.
As if that's not enough, Strange Nature Gin is launching a nationwide hospitality recycling programme that enables its exquisite bottles to be reused and refilled time and again. Ka pai.
Rifters Gin
Price: $89.95-124.95 (700mL)
Off to quick success, Central Otago builders, Hamish Bourke and Stuart Clark have already made waves after winning national and international awards for gins they created not too long ago. The Arrowtown distillery, Rifters Gin, won the gold and the silver medals at the San Fran competitions and the NZ Spirits Awards for their Quartz Gin.
While their Original Dry Gin went on to win silver medals at both competitions. Foraging botanicals from the property, the thyme, elderberry and manuka gins offer genuine local flavours. The pair hope that when Rifters is sipped on, people think of New Zealand and our natural environment.
Auld Farm Distillery
Price: $175 (700mL)
Have you ever wondered what Southland would taste like in liquid form? Well, Auld Farm Distillery has three unique gins that capture the depths of the Southern Ocean, the vastness of the Southern plains, and the peaks of the mountains in Fiordland. Taste the salty sea air, fresh Bluff oysters and zesty citrus with Ocean’s Keep.
Lovers of florals will savour Endless Fields with its bouquet of sweet tobacco, citrus, coriander and grassy notes. For fresh, herbaceous gin, look no further than the crisp blend of mountain botanicals that is Summit’s Reach. If you're indecisive or just want it all, you can try all three flavours in the Southland Terroir gift box. Either way, you’ll be transported to the raw beauty of the south with each sip.
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Main image credit: Moksha Drinks | Instagram
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