The relationship between Australia and New Zealand is an especially close one. Like siblings with love and tease each other, and nothing feels better than beating each other at a sporting match!

The Kiwis are a long way from most places, and I think that’s fostered their self reliance, global world view, and a pursuit of excellence in pretty much everything.

The evolution of craft gin has been a recent development for the country, and has been approached with professionalism (after all their wine and beers are world class) and polish, thoughtfully informed by unique local botanicals.

Here’s a list of the current distillers, note the makers may have released multiple gin labels, so this list does not include every single gin available.

For the most part, production is small batch, and availability outside NZ can be a challenge, but I do recommend you seek them out, they offer a distinct and polished gin expression.

In March 2019, I had the honour of being a guest international judge at their inaugural craft spirits awards in Wellington- you can read about that experience and the winners here.

Updated 20 June 2019

1. 1st Cut Gin, Nelson
2. 1919 Distillery Gin, Auckland
3. Ariki Gin, Auckland
4. Blenheim Bay Gin, Blenheim
5. Black Robin Gin, Auckland
6. Black Collar Distillery, Bay of Islands
7. Blush Gin, Albany
8. Broken Heart Gin, Queenstown
9. Bureaucrats Gin, Wellington
10. Cardona, Cardona, South Island
11. Christie’s Crisp Gin, New Zealand (no website)
12. Curiosity Gin,Christchurch
13. Dancing Sands Distillery, Takaka
14. Dellows Distillery, Waiheke
15. Denzian Urban Distillery, Wellington
16. Elementals Spirits, Malborough
17. First Cut, Nelson
18. Gin and Bare it Gin, Central Otago
19. Hidden World Gin, Auckland
20. Indiginous Gin, Kapiti
21. Island Gin, Great Barrier Island
22. Juno Gin, New Plymouth
23. Karven Gin, Auckland
24. Kiwi Spirit, Takaka
25. Lavender Hill, Coatesville
26. Lighthouse Gin, Martinborough
27. Little Biddy, Reefton
28. Liquid Alchemy, Nelson
29. Matakana Moonshine Gin, Matakana
30. Mahurangi Gin, Waiwera
31. Prenzel Shop Marlborough
32. Puhoi Organic Distillery, Puhoi
33. Rogue Society Gin, Auckland
34. Reid & Reid, Martinborough
35. Revenge Gin, Auckland
36. Roaring Forties, Nelson
37. Riot and Rose, Marlborough
38. Sacred Spring Gin, Takaka
39. Smoke and Oakum
40. South Gin (out of production)
41. Southward Distilling Small Batch gin, Wellington
42. Sundown Gin, Auckland
43. Thomsons Victor Gin , Ricverhead
44. The Source Gin, Cardrona
45. TeKiwi Unique Gin, Takaka
46. Vaione Gin, Auckland
47. Victor Gins i, Riverhead
48. Waiwera Mahurangi Gin, Waiwera
49. Wild Diamond Gin, Wanaka