FIRST JOURNEYS - 80 GINS AROUND THE WORLD - PIN 33 OF 80
REID + REID GIN, New Zealand
AROUND THE WORLD, ONE BOTTLE AT A TIME,
PHILEAS FOGG WOULD SURELY APPROVE
Reid + Reid are, as the name suggests, brothers who joined the craft gin revolution in 2015 with a view to promoting the unique flora found in their country.
We have all heard of, and probably have, a pot of honey in the cupboard claiming to be mānuka, but kawakawa and horopito?
Unless you're from that neck of the woods, you have probably never heard of them, but these chaps have cleverly used them as botanicals in their gin.
Horopito is a small New Zealand tree with leaves that pack a powerful peppery punch, giving it the nickname pepper tree. Kawakawa is another versatile native plant, with aromatic leaves and berries that have long been used in traditional Māori medicine.
These local botanicals bring savoury, spicy and floral characters to the gin, and are foraged by Chris and Stew themselves and carefully blended with more traditional gin botanicals.
And then there's the base spirit.
They use a whey-based spirit — made from whey, a by-product of the dairy industry. So yes, we're talking about the liquid left over when milk is turned into cheese, being fermented and distilled into the base for your gin.
It's actually a rather clever bit of upcycling and gives the spirit a distinctive creamy texture and mouthfeel without making the gin taste like a glass of milk!
The brothers started out on a much smaller scale, but in 2020 they moved into a purpose-built distillery and tasting room on Todds Road in Martinborough, on Chris's vineyard.
They've also planted native botanicals, citrus and Pinot Noir on the property.
And there is now an outdoor G&T bar too.
It's a stunning setting and I do urge you to check out their page and see the latest photos — this is one of those distilleries where the sense of place really is part of the product.
They have several gin expressions — Native, Barrel Aged and Rev. Dawson — as well as an Aperitivo, Martinborough Cup, Dry and Red Vermouths and other releases.
I did manage to get hold of a bottle of their Barrel Aged Gin. This starts life as their Native Gin, using the three New Zealand botanicals — kawakawa, mānuka and horopito — and is then aged for three months in ex-Martinborough Pinot Noir French oak barrels.
And then we come to Reverend Dawson.
This is where the family history gets wonderfully ironic.
Reverend Dawson was the brothers' great-great-grandfather and one of New Zealand's leading prohibitionists. He was General Secretary of the New Zealand Alliance from 1909 to 1925 and spent years lobbying and campaigning for total prohibition.
His descendants, meanwhile, decided to make gin.
I rather suspect Reverend Dawson might have had something to say about that!
The gin named after him is a classic dry style, distilled using the one-shot method and focusing on juniper and citrus.
I absolutely love a family story with a twist.
It's a really stunning gin and those native botanicals really play a big part in the aroma and flavours. It's got a spicy kick, but also a mellow, sweet, fruity finish.
"A Kiwi gin made with native botanicals, a dairy by-product and a rather wonderful family connection to prohibition!"
SPICY NEGRONI
50ml Reid + Reid Barrel Aged Gin
50ml Capertif Cape Vermouth
50ml Campari
Garnished with a spicy red chilli 🌶️
The oak, the Pinot Noir influence, the peppery native botanicals and the chilli...
This one definitely has a kick!
And I think Reverend Dawson would probably be turning in his grave.
Which, given that we're drinking his great-great-grandchildren's gin, seems only fair.
"Show me a bottle
and I'll tell you a story."