A Rifter is much like that of a forager or a fossicker from the early gold mining era; they explored the rifts around the hills of Arrowtown, searching for that elusive nugget. At the end of a long day, a refreshing gin was always welcomed.

Rifters is a small batch boutique gin. Handcrafted in New Zealand using flavourful botanicals and pure New Zealand artesian water. Made to be enjoyed in good company.

Rifters bottle represents those used by the foragers and fossickers of the Arrowtown founders. The search for it took them to the Arrowtown Museum. It was there that they discovered a number of original Dutch gin bottles that had been unearthed in the town’s surrounding hills. Those bottles had been left behind by gold miners over one hundred and fifty years ago. Rifters bottle is a representation of that Arrowtown history, coloured to match the schist in the mountains that surround them in Central Otago.

Rifters was started by a couple of kiwi builders who are pretty fond of gin. One day in the workshop, they decided they might have a nudge at creating their own. A couple of years later and a whole lot of trial, they figured things out.

Tasting Notes: An enhanced dry gin full of botanical flavour, pure, clean and balanced. Citrus forward, with a fresh dry finish.

Southward Distilling Co. - There is a place where adventure starts.  This wild place is the inspiration for our distillery.  Made up of garden grown, wild and traditional botanicals. We are a modern take on distilling inspired by the wild beauty of New Zealand.

Made for Hanging Ditch, a local Wellington hideaway, this collaboration gin was made citrus forward for a smooth finish to your classic Negroni.

Made in Wellington, New Zealand.

IMAGINATION - Rhubarb and Raspberry gin is inspired by the New Zealand summer which is when both of these ingredients are at their best.  We gently extract the juice from the rhubarb and raspberries and blend of it with a dry gin designed specifically for this recipe.  The floral aroma of orris root is prominent on the nose with juniper, coriander and manuka maintaining the delicate piney heart of this gin.  Whole New Zealand navel oranges and lemons create a citrus complement to the fruity base with cinnamon, licorice and the orris root ensuring a surprisingly sweet spice finish.

Each label tells the story of the ingredients, the place or the people behind what's in the bottle.  This label was inked by the hugely talented Kapiti Coast Tattoo designer and illustrator Sam Philips.  You can check out his work at sampphilipsillustration.com

Southward Distilling Co. There is a place where adventure starts.  This wild place is the inspiration for our distillery.  Made up of garden grown, wild and traditional botanicals. We are a modern take on distilling inspired by the wild beauty of New Zealand.

This gift pack contains:

1 x Mountain Gin 200ml 42%

1 x Coffee 200ml 45%

1 x New Zealand Blood Orange 41%

Made in Wellington, New Zealand.

IMAGINATION - Distilled in an 8 plate fractionating column still.  Juniper and coriander are complemented by the leafy earthiness of manuka to create the heart of this gin.  Whole New Zealand oranges and lemons add a refreshing citrus aroma and cinnamon and licorice leave a sweet lingering spice finish.

Each label tells the story of the ingredients, the place or the people behind what's in the bottle.  This label was inked by Juse from Taupou Tatau tattoo studio, Wellington, New Zealand.

Curiosity Gin – Curious Dry (700ml, 40% alc/vol)

Curious Dry is the world’s only gin made using only New Zealand native botanicals. Wild harvest Kawakawa and Horopito (Bush Pepper), Manuka and urban foraged Tarata (Lemonwood) make a perfectly balanced London Dry style gin with a distinctly NZ taste and deliver a curiously good G&T.

A classical dry gin with a bright herbaceous freshness, Curious Dry delivers what the traditional gin drinker expects with a quintessentially Kiwi flavour.

Perfect served in a traditional G+T garnished with a wedge of lemon. Curious Dry is also perfect to deliver a Kiwi twist to any traditional gin cocktail!

The Boys from Blush have done it again, beautiful fresh Boysenberries from Nelson infused with hand crafted New Zealand Gin. Soft and smooth our second Blush Gin is a little different, this is the first boysenberry Gin the world has ever seen.

Bright red berry fruit bursts allowing the Juniper and citrus to work away in the background providing a beautiful finish. We aim to tickle the pallet, try over ice and top up with your favourite mixer. Someone said it would be dangerously good over ice cream too? We don’t disagree. 

Distilled with raspberries and 100% Auckland grown strawberries this gin is sure to be a winner on a hot summer day.  The flavour profile is refreshing with a lingering flavour of strawberry, best served with a good tonic and a freshly sliced strawberry to garnish.

Twelfth Hour Distillery was born from our desire to fuse fresh, tantalizing, exotic botanicals from around the globe with premium New Zealand gin. Small batch distillation ensures handcrafted premium quality every time. 

After 22 iterations uniting global botanicals with the powerful makrut (kaffir lime) Twelfth Hour Dry Gin has a clean, crisp aroma on the nose.  An initial hit of makrut on the tongue leads into a long dry finish that sees the revitalizing taste linger on the palette.  A punchy gin prefect for summer but made to enjoy all year round.  Team with your favourite tonic then immerse a bruised makrut leaf to enhance the lead botanical or garnish with a ribbon of cucumber for a refreshing twist.

This Savory gin is full of smoke and no mirrors. The rosemary is sweet to start with a lingering smokiness. This is our version of camping and adventure in a glass. Beautiful and Wild.

Southward Distilling Co. - There is a place where adventure starts.  This wild place is the inspiration for our distillery.  Made up of garden grown, wild and traditional botanicals. We are a modern take on distilling inspired by the wild beauty of New Zealand.

Made in Wellington, New Zealand.

Rachel Hall (Distiller) - The Lighthouse "Hawthorn Edition" is a hand-crafted gin made from a special blend of 9 botanicals and distilled twice in our small copper pot still.  The ingredients are blended with pure wharekauhau spring water to produce an intense yet silky smooth character that lifts its flavours to bold new heights.  

This Gin is inspired by Wellington's renowned "Hawthorn Lounge".  A place where cocktail enthusiasts can embark recreating classics and effortlessly imagining new and inspiring creations.  The Hawthorne edition makes a truly exceptional Tom Collins, Dry Martini or Gin and Tonic.

This Damson Plum & Blackberry Gin Liqueur is inspired by an old English sloe gin recipe using New Zealand grown autumn fruits.  The plums have been macerated for 4 months in a dry gin styled specifically for this liqueur developing sour cherry line tones which are prominent on the front palate.  The sweetness of the blackberry and the delicate spices and citrus of the gin fill the background creating a truly characterful gin liqueur.  Drink chilled, straight as a dessert liqueur or with ice and mixers as a delicious gin cocktail.

A vibrant & refreshing Pink Gin that is subtly sweet, floral & citrusy, yet complex with hidden characteristics synonymous with the entire Little Biddy Range. The sweet nose & colour comes from Tayberry spirit & vapor infused blueberries. However the citrus component is from whole NZ Navel Oranges, native Tarata & coriander

Salvage yards were walked in search of heritage coloured glass to inspire the evocative deep green colour of the stunning bottle design that houses the new Strange Nature Gin, which was launched in October 2021 by Giesen Wines. 

This gin contains only one botanical, juniper, for which classic traditional gins are best known but it also has another familiar flavour to New Zealanders - Sauvignon Blanc. 

This gin is made from the alcohol removed from Giesen Wines' 0% alcohol Sauvignon Blanc. It is twice distilled and, while it has the hallmark aromatic flavour notes of Sauvignon, this is a classic style of gin with distinctive peppery juniper aromas. 

“The Sauvignon Blanc spirit tastes so extraordinary we didn’t want to disguise it,” says Kyle Skene, distiller and Giesen Group general manager, who spent 18 months trialling and refining Strange Nature Gin, prior to its launch.

Southward Distilling Co. - There is a place where adventure starts.  This wild place is the inspiration for our distillery.  Made up of garden grown, wild and traditional botanicals. We are a modern take on distilling inspired by the wild beauty of New Zealand.

A gin born from a rogue hop finding its way into a batch of gin. Showcasing floral Nelson Sauvin Hops with grapefruit tones, this gin carries a bold, round mouthfeel bringing unique New Zealand flavours to life. Combining the best of what brewing and distilling has to offer this unique local gin is surprising and full.