Papaiti Gin co-owners and founders Adrian Rumney and Nikki Oesterle.
Papaiti Gin co-owners and founders Adrian Rumney and Nikki Oesterle.
A Whanganui gin distillery is toasting its success in earning a prestigious double gold medal at the annual New Zealand Spirits Awards.
Papaiti Gin was awarded a best-in-class double gold medal for its Whanganui Dry Gin, adding to an impressive medal haul — in the two years the distillery has been operating, it has already won 22 medals nationally and internationally.
Co-owner, founder and managing director Nikki Oesterle said as a young distillery it was “wonderful and reassuring” to get a validation from industry experts that it was on the right track.
“We do what we do because we love creating gins our customers enjoy — it’s even better if the industry feedback is that good and the gins are praised for their unique flavours and subtle elegance.”
Oesterle said all its gins were produced in its Ūpokongaro-based distillery using predominantly locally sourced botanicals.
In creating its award-winning gin, the distillery wanted something that would reflect the spirit of Whanganui, she said
“Our Whanganui Dry is a classic London dry style, but with a contemporary twist. Just like Whanganui is a very traditional place with a lot of modern things going on.”
They used pink peppercorn instead of the more traditional liquorice root, so it has a berry sweetness with a little bit of zesty spice. Instead of orris root they used almonds to create a smooth mouthfeel.
“The Whanganui Dry is an interesting gin because it not only appeals to people who love London dry-style gins, but also to those who enjoy the occasional pink gin. It’s been popular and appeals to quite a wide range of consumers because it’s very versatile and works in a gin and tonic just as well as it does in a negroni or a Papaiti punch.”
Oesterle said because the business had been around for only under two years, it was still working on getting the brand out there and its gin on to shelves in bars, restaurants, and bottle shops nationwide.
Next on its agenda were some limited-release bespoke gins it was working on in collaboration with several local businesses. It had also branched into the wedding scene, creating small 250ml bottles designed to match wedding themes for guests to take home, Oesterle said.
They were also looking forward to the summer, when both riverboats will be stopping in Ūpokongaro more frequently, so they can welcome passengers to the distillery.
“A few years down the track, we’d love to move the distillery into town, open a dedicated gin bar and have more space for bigger gin-making classes, so that’s definitely something we’re working towards.”
Judging for the awards, which are hosted by industry bodies Spirits New Zealand and Distilled Spirits Aotearoa, took place this month in Wellington, and 22 judges tasted and graded 451 entries.
