Righto, team, strap in for episode 55 of the Gin and Jandals podcast, your go-to for the lowdown on New Zealand Gin. This week, Mark and Chris are giving Whistlebird Gin a whirl, diving deep into another one of the staggering number of Kiwi gins out there.This is a yarn-spinner of a gin, packed with a massive 18 botanicals.... They're doing things a bit differently down in Wellington, macerating their botanicals using sound waves—infrasound, no less—and even chucking some AI into the mix. It's bottled at 44% ABV.The bottle itself is a bit flash, with a stout shape and a cool cut glass effect representing the frequency wavelengths used and the Bauhaus movement.Tasting it neat was complex, but in a Gin & Tonic, it proved to be easy drinking. Despite all those botanicals, they blend together into a subtle, almost wildflower-like single flavor, rather than competing. There wasn't a massive hit of juniper or orris/licorice for either of them. They found it had a subtle sweetness.Picked up on special for around $60, it generally sits between $65 and $74, and they reckon that's a good price for what you get.The verdict? Whistlebird is a nice contemporary gin that's great for pretty much any occasion. It looks sharp, tastes pleasant, and is a ripper for impressing guests. It's more of a gin to sip slowly and chat over than a sculler. Despite initial chuckles about the 18 botanicals and techy maceration, they concluded it's a good tasting gin and one of the few contemporary ones they've genuinely liked recently
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Bluff Gin
Join the "Gin and Jandals" podcast hosts as they dive into Bluff Gin from the very bottom of New Zealand. They explore the fascinating story behind its unique glass buoy bottle, inspired by local legends of protecting whales from Japanese whaling nets. Find out if this classic London Dry gin, with its six botanicals including juniper, lemongrass, and hibiscus, lives up to its award-winning reputation. Will the hosts agree on whether it's a "bracing bluff winter's day" in a glass or just a "boring" classic? Tune in for their honest tasting notes, discussions on the perfect tonic pairing (and the not-so-perfect ones!), and whether this gin is best for showing off or savoring solo. Plus, stick around for a hilarious debate about the potential of a mutton bird gin!
The global Gin renaissance (Ginassance?) has been just as popular in New Zealand as it has elsewhere. With 100s of locally made Gin's the Gin and Jandals podcast tries each and everyone of them and provides honest feed back from a couple of Gin drinking, Jandal wearing, kiwi blokes.
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