Reviewed at our "Rum Pool on the Basin" tastings July 2011 by 50 tasters, by average rating it Score 8.16 Came Second. NOSE: Bananas, classic rum, brown sugar, Scotch, playdough, butterscotch, linseed, Xmas pudding, sultanas, mint, menthol, pistacio nuts, ironing, charr, caramel, plastic, luscious. PALATE: Brown sugar, builds, nice feel, rich, burnt caramel, metals, chewey, wood, alcohol, anaesthetic kava, dark chocolate, good width FINISH: Burnt orange, nice with beer, bourbony, sweet, then goes bitter chocolatey, spicey, toffee apple, very sweet, medium. ;RWS/DMM

Reid+Reid - Reid + Reid Reverend Dawson?s Gin is named after one of New Zealand?s leading prohibitionist who also happens to be the great, great grandfather of Stewart and Chris Reid.

Reverend John Dawson was the Gerneral Secretary of the N.Z. Alliance from 1909  - 1925. During this period Dawson became widely known because of his assiduous parliamentary lobbying and campaigning in favour of total prohibition.

This gin is distilled using the ?one shot? method to produce a classic dry gin focusing on juniper and citrus flavours.

Tasting Notes: Piney juniper with zesty citrus characters. Fresh and bright on the palate with a textural and aromatic finish.

High quality gingerbread liqueur  from French artisan producer Briottet. All the Briottet range have proper 'real' fruit (or in this case, cake) flavour integrity - they taste like the fruit/cake itself, not some confected approximation. Highly recommended!

Cointreau: a masterpiece crafted through the unique distillation of all-natural sweet and bitter orange peels, resulting in a crystal clear liqueur that strikes the perfect balance between sweetness and freshness. For more than 30 years, the finest orange peels are carefully selected by our Master Distiller, Carole Quinton, to create the definitive orange liqueur.

From the finest 100% Weber Blue Agave
Carefully distilled in small batches
Aged in oak barrels for over two months

Four Pillars are an Australian distillery with a focus on the craft of distilling. This gift box comes with three 200ml bottles of Four Pillars gin. Contains:

- The original Rare Dry Gin

- The Bloody Shiraz Gin

- The Olive Leaf Gin

Bombay Sapphire has followed up its English Estate with a marvellous special edition London dry gin inspired by delicate warmth and golden orange glow of the setting sun ? appropriately titled Bombay Sapphire Sunset! This expression has been treated to an infusion of Indian white cardamom, turmeric, Murcian sun-dried mandarin peel, creating a softly spicy flavour profile highlighted by flashes of bittersweet citrus. Just the ticket for enjoying in a G&T while watching the sun set.

TASTING NOTE - Aromatic spiciness of cardamom and piney juniper, with wafts of floral angelica and fragrant turmeric sneaking in. Zesty orange builds along the way, remaining a constant feature of the flavour profile.

An unabashedly new wave gin, where orange and lemon take the Oscar for best supporting actor.

Your first note will be bold citrus which gives way to soft juniper, finally flowing into a welcome ginger note that tails off and leaves you with the anticipation of taking your next sip.

Pot distilled to maximise the flavour, using the authentic London Dry method - with only water added after distillation.

This gin can be enjoyed on ice, or if you fancy G&T's then it's recommended to pair with East Imperial Yuzu Tonic, Grapefruit Tonic or Grapefruit Soda. The recommended garnishes are a fresh lime slice, celery cut or fresh mint/lemon balm. It goes equally well in a cocktail too, to make the ultimate versatile gin.

An impressive whisky liqueur from Drambuie, with the name celebrating both the legend of its creation during the Jacobite uprising of the 1740s and the company's large collection of Jacobite glassware.

A blend of 21 year old whiskies that was matured for a further 24 years in a mix of sherry and bourbon oak, for a total of 45 years, before mixing with Drambuie's secret recipe of herbs and spices.

The liqueur has been filled into an etched lead crystal decanter and is presented in a double doored wooden cabinet with a replica Spottiswoode 'Amen' glass and a leather bound book telling the story of the Jacobite collection.

40% ABV

The small Clark family swells over the summer months as old friends return to the farm in Tasmania?s Derwent Valley to help with the berry harvest. By now, the crop of Thornless Loch Ness blackberries has swollen with vitamins, antioxidants, and anthocyanins. These plump, juicy berries are destined for Marionette M?re?a bright, herbaceous liqueur that tastes like summer on the vine.

No light makes it through Marionette's intensely dark blackberry liqueur. The nose is earthy and full of dark fruit aroma. Tart and almost jammy on the first sip, the sweetness quickly falls away to a glorious, complex palate of sour cherry, spice, and tannins.

Enjoy over ice, in a classic Bramble, or Blackberry Mule.

About Marionette:

Marionette was created by four Melbourne hospitality professionals wanting to celebrate Australian produce and bring liqueurs back into the spotlight. They start with fresh fruit from good people and work hard to capture every last bit of flavour from the produce. Their focus is on creating the optimal building blocks for both classic and modern cocktails?a careful balancing act of sweetness, acidity, and alcohol intensity.

A fresh bright citrus hit. Pouring a grassy gold, with bright scents of gingerbread, fresh orange oil & sweet raisin. Find warm spices & a balanced level of sweetness on the palate. Ginger, cinnamon & more sweet orange close it out, leaving a similar sense of satisfaction one gets from eating a piece of freshly baked cake.

Perfect for Fancy Whisky High Balls, White Ladies, Side Cars.

500mL, 32%

Little Biddy^? Gin ? Black Label is characterised by a backbone of distilled local grain spirit, wild water, and hand harvested native botanicals, boasting an elevated sophistication that is truly divine.

Black Label displays a botanical intensity reminiscent of the loftiest heights of the West Coast rainforest and the purest depths of the wild water feeding it. Foraged Watercress, Snow Moss, Kahikatea tips, and Toatoa all deliver a soulful aromatic experience. At 46% ABV, the concentrated distillate ensures brighter, more crystalline flavours awash with volatile aromatics. A sophisticated and layered gin, suited to quiet, contemplative moments, and discerning minds.

Created in honour of Reefton legend little Biddy, a pipe-smoking, gin-toting, 4 foot tall gold prospector.  Our search for native botanicals takes us deep into the same West Coast rainforest where Biddy once fossicked for gold, to craft a uniquely New Zealand selection of small batch distilled gins with attitude.

Crystal Head is a Canadian vodka producer co-founded by actor;Dan Aykroyd;and artist;John Alexander. The vodka is quadruple-distilled, triple-filtered through;charcoal;and triple-filtered through;Herkimer diamond;crystals, whatever they might be! It looks pretty cool tho'. Especially if you like skulling.

This blend is the fruit of generations of knowledge and a selection of the best vintages in the history of Saint James. This exceptional rum covers the entire aromatic palate of our aged vintages.
Marc Sassier, Saint James oenologist

APPEARANCE: Bright mahogany.

NOSE: A very special Saint James with an unusual sweet fruity dominance (fig, dried date). The classic notes of very old Saint James follow on in the background with fine smooth notes of undergrowth, roasting (mocha) and spices.

PALATE: A lively woody attack which quickly becomes warm and rich. Dominant fruit which lingers on notes of fruit brandy (cherry, prune).

The year 1998 was an exceptional harvest year in Martinique.

This Saint James single cask was bottled in 2016, after 17 years of ageing. The casks used are either small Quercus Alba (American white oak) casks or second hand casks that have previously held Saint James.

After 10 years, 5 barrels were chosen from 28 by Marc Sassier, the Saint James oenologist, and Gilbert Bolinois, the cellar master. The selected rum was thus able to continue its ageing and offer this rare bottling.

Each bottle is numbered, and the cask number is mentioned on the label.