Reid & Reid Native Gin

Brothers Stew and Chris Reid spent two years foragingForagingPlants gathered by hand in the wild (woods, heath, coastline) rather than grown or bought in.Glossary the landscapes of New Zealand for aromatic native plants that would best complement a classic dry ginDry ginGin with no perceptible sweetness: in the European Union, the word "dry" allows at most 0.1 g of sugar per litre.GlossarySee Dry gin gins. They settled on kawakawa, mānuka and horopito, and Reid + Reid Native Gin is the result: hand-crafted and distilled in small batchesSmall batchProduction in small quantities per distillation run, often in a small still. The term has no legal definition.Glossary in a bespoke copper pot stillPot stillA traditional still, often copper, that distils in batches. It keeps more texture and character than a column.Glossary in Martinborough, and bottled at 42% ABV. The distillers call it a quintessential New Zealand gin. Martinborough, in the south of the Wairarapa, is best known for its vineyards.

Citrus · Spicy · Floral · Herbal

JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary and floral notes open the nose, followed by citrus. On the palate, a peppery, ginger-like spice builds, and the finish is vibrant and aromatic. Each native plant has its part: kawakawa, a shrub with heart-shaped leaves long used in rongoā Māori, brings a peppery, slightly minty warmth; mānuka adds a resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary, honeyed and herbal depth; and horopito, the New Zealand pepper tree, supplies a hot, lingering bite. Juniper stays at the centre, so the gin tastes of the bush without leaving the classic dry style. The spice is lively rather than heavy, which keeps the gin fresh. The citrus keeps the spice bright.

Reid + Reid works from Martinborough, in the Wairarapa, where the brothers also age this gin in local pinot noir barrels for their Barrel Aged version. The Native's pepper and citrus suit a dry Martini, a Negroni or a Gimlet. Neat over ice, the horopito's pepper shows clearly. It also suits a Gin Sour.

For the G&T, pour 45 ml of Native Gin over firm ice and add 100 ml of East Imperial Old World Tonic Water. Place a kawakawa leaf and a lemon twist in the glass, and serve the same garnishes beside it. The dry tonic leaves room for the native plants, and the lemon lifts the citrus.