Clarity Distilling Company’s dry gin wins double gold at San Francisco Spirits Competition

A Tauranga distillery that has only been in existence for six weeks has won big at the world’s premier spirits competition. Luke Kirkness reports.

A newly minted Tauranga distilling company won the second-highest award at the world’s premier spirits competition last month.

Clarity Distilling Company’s first batch of commercially made dry gin won double gold at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits competition — meaning all judges gave it a gold medal.

The only award higher, platinum, was out of reach because it was only awarded to entries that had received a double gold medal for three consecutive years.

Its co-founders, George White and Stephanie Downer, have worked alongside each other since 2015 and come from a business management and childcare background.

White and Downer shared how the distillery came about, their reaction to the win and explained what people can expect to taste.

Downer, from Rotorua, said the pair both enjoyed drinking gin and joked about making it themselves.

After they did, they got bit by a “little passion bug” and realised they could make a business out of something “that we really, really love”.

White explained Downer started working alongside him at one of his former businesses and the pair clicked because of their shared values and work ethic.

“Clarity came from a concept purely around ... this idea of coming up with a drink that we don’t hide from people,” he said.

Clarity Distilling Company co-founders George White and Stephanie Downer. Photo / Alex Cairns

“The name says it all.”

All the botanicals used in Clarity gin were handled and distilled separately, either by directly distilling out of the ethanol mixture or vapour infusion.

There were other aspects White and Downer wouldn’t go into detail about and the interview was also conducted at White’s home in Bethlehem to avoid giving away any secrets of their distillery.

Their current gin range is its dry gin, the winner of the double gold, and its 2023 gin. They also sell vodka, but gin is their primary focus.

The former is a bold and balanced heightened classic gin that has earthy notes which leave a lingering finish on the palate, and the pair proudly say it can hold its own against any tonic, citrus or flavours added to it.

Downer said the rooty, spicy dry gin was the one the pair created “for ourselves”, and the flavours were those they wanted to taste when drinking a gin.

The latter is a modern-day easy-drinking gin for those who prefer gins that are naturally sweeter, was enhanced with citrus notes and leaves a long finish on the palate. It won a gold award at the 2023 New Zealand Spirits Awards.

Before anyone tastes the gin though, the first thing they will notice is the eye-catching labels.

The front is cut off on an angle to showcase a design on the back of the bottle and was specifically designed behind the idea of Clarity being transparent.

“We don’t hide what’s in it,” White proudly said.

The designs were hand-drawn and painted with watercolours by Downer, with its dry gin inspired by the dry, earthy botanicals that make up the flavour profile, while the 2023 gin was inspired by nature.

The designs were hand-drawn and painted with watercolours. Photo / Alex Cairns

Clarity Distilling Company went to market in March, just in time to send their product off to the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Founded in 2000, the competition was the oldest and largest of its kind, according to its website.

There were entries from more than 30 countries and all drinks were blindly tested to ensure they were all given equal consideration.

The judges evaluated the entries based on a range of factors, including aroma, taste, finish and overall quality.

Downer said the time pressure to get their product shipped off in time was “intense”.

“Literally the day we launched the product in New Zealand, two bottles from the first commercial batch were shipped overseas.

“If you want to win a competition or you want to do well at the competition, you’ve got to do well at San Fran - that’s the one you want to do well at because it’s recognised worldwide as a massive achievement.”

White and Downer didn’t have enough money to send both gins and opted to send the dry gin.

And it paid off.

“Winning any award is amazing, but double gold is truly phenomenal and exceeded our expectations,” White said.

“We created our dry gin to be enjoyed in both summer and winter, with warm and comforting notes for winter and the option to add a slice of lemon or tonic in the summer.

“We are immensely proud to showcase our gin to the world, and it’s an honour to showcase it as a product of New Zealand.”

Getting the fledging distillery’s new products into liquor stores and on the shelves of bars and restaurants was the next focus for Clarity, and White and Downer said the award would go a long way towards enabling that.