Juno Autumn 2026 Seasonal Gin

Parsnip in a gin may sound a little left-field, as Juno admits, but paired with smoked juniper, zesty orange and black cardamom it becomes, in the distillery's words, deliciously divisive. The New Plymouth distillery bottles its Autumn 2026 seasonal gin at 44% ABV. The label pays tribute to another local misfit: the Power Station Chimney, part of the Ngāmotu skyline since 1972 and still the town's tallest structure, an icon for some and an eyesore for others. Like every Juno seasonal, it is made in limited quantity.

Citrus · Spicy

Parsnip gives the gin an earthy, gently sweet and nutty centre, close to the taste of the roasted root. Smoked juniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary adds a dry, resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary and slightly campfire note that holds the sweetness in check. Orange brings a bright citrus edge, and black cardamom, smokier and more camphor-like than green cardamom, deepens the finish with warm spice. The combination is unusual but coherent: smoke and spice frame the root, and the orange keeps it lively. It is a gin for cooler evenings that stays dry rather than tasting like dessert. A few drops of water bring the orange forward and soften the smoke.

Juno suggests three ways to drink it: with ginger beer for a smoky twist, classic with a neutral tonic, or bold on the rocks. Its smoke and spice also suit a NegroniNegroniAn Italian cocktail of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and red bitter (Campari), served over ice with orange peel. Born in Florence in 1919.Glossary or a Hot Toddy. Over a large cube, the parsnip sweetness and the smoke are easiest to follow.

For the G&T, pour 45 ml of Autumn 2026 over firm ice and add 100 ml of Schweppes Premium Mixer Ginger & Cardamom Tonic. Place an orange twistTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary and a few cardamom pods in the glass, and serve the same garnishes beside it. The ginger and cardamom tonic follows the distillery's own idea of ginger beer, and the orange lifts the smoke.