Cardrona Distillery, based in the Cardrona Valley on the South Island of New Zealand, was founded on the dream and vision of Desiree Reid in 2015. Reid aimed to produce locally-crafted spirits at the bespoke distillery built at the foot of Mount Cardrona, making use of the abundant natural resources and quality local ingredients which were within foraging distance.
The location Reid chose is not only stunningly beautiful but also gives the distillery access to the mineral-rich waters of the mountain pass – which shines through in the high-quality spirit production.
By October of 2015, the first spirits were produced at Cardrona Distillery, and they haven’t looked back since. The family-run distillery, led by head distiller Sarah Elsom, now produces luxurious, award-winning small batch single malt whisky, gin, vodka and limited-edition liqueurs, each created to capture the purity and beauty of its location.
All of the spirits produced on site are from the same barley-based alcohol. When production first began, the barley variety Reid wanted to use was not available in New Zealand, so the grain was imported from the UK. It has since been introduced and is now available much more locally to Cardrona.
While the portfolio of Cardrona Distillery might be quite small, it is nothing if not perfectly formed.
The inaugural single malt whisky release, Just Hatched, was bottled at three years old – hence the name. Available as a very limited run, this young spirit has been briefly aged in Spanish sherry casks and Kentucky bourbon casks, before being bottled at cask strength – 64.4% ABV.
On tasting, Just Hatched is viscous and full-bodied, with plenty of fruit and spices. It’s buttery and sweet, with hints of toffee and honey. There’s a subtle note of citrus in there too, making it fresh and youthful.
Add just a touch of water – sacrilege for some – and the flavour opens out further, developing a more floral edge, and enhancing the buttery notes. Overall, Just Hatched is a fresh, young and honest expression. It does have a slightly harsh edge which some may find too much, but that can’t be entirely unexpected given its youth and high cask strength.
The Reid single malt vodka is another high-strength spirit at 44% ABV. The initial hit on the nose is of gentle fruits, predominantly lemon, pear and banana – a surprisingly sweet aroma that is unexpected from a vodka. These sweet characteristics are created by the fermentation process – a minimum of 70 hours. Once on the palate, the pear remains and is joined by a subtle hint of toffee.
Adding ice or a touch of water smooths out the slightly rough edges, leaving you with a wonderfully mellow glassful. Whether you prefer to enjoy it neat or to whip it up into your favourite vodka-based cocktail, The Reid is a great spirit to add to your drinks cabinet.
Cardrona Distillery also features a gin in the line-up, named The Source. The Source is intended to be a celebration of the base spirit, that not only incorporates lots of locally foraged, fresh ingredients but also packs a punch at 47% ABV.
There are six botanicals added to the spirit to create the mix of flavours. Alongside the traditional juniper, Cardrona adds fresh lemon peel, orange peel, coriander seeds, angelica root and rosehip, which was originally introduced to the area by Chinese gold miners. The botanicals are introduced to the base spirit and distilled over an eight hour period to maximise flavour. The result is a wonderful citrus taste, with fruit coming to the fore with each sip.
When tonic or ice is added to the clear liquid, you will notice that it clouds. This is due to the spirit being non-chill filtered – a method that helps it to retain a vibrant, full flavour.
As well as the single malt spirits, Cardrona Distillery also produces a small range of liqueurs under the name Rose Rabbit. Rose Rabbit Orange Liqueur takes the white spirit base used in all Cardrona offerings and adds in orange peel and pith which then combines for around eight weeks. After that, sugar is added to balance the acidic tones and create a balanced liqueur but keeps the alcohol level quite high.
The result is a sweet, aromatic spirit, which is great to drink neat over ice or make part of your favourite cocktail. Add it to bourbon for an Old Fashioned inspired tipple, or drop a measure in to lift the flavours of a Cosmopolitan.
Rose Rabbit Elderflower Liqueur is created in a very similar way, but this time the base spirit is married with lemon peel initially, with locally handpicked elderflower being added to infuse overnight, prior to bottling.
This brief infusion adds the pleasing floral notes to the juicy flavour, creating a well-rounded spirit that makes a great long drink when added to a classic tonic, or adds an aromatic twist to a glass of chilled champagne.
The Rose Rabbit liqueur range is finished off with a sweet and playful butterscotch liqueur, which, with its toasted notes and toffee flavours would make a tempting tipple over ice, in a creamy hot chocolate, or even drizzled over your favourite dessert.
What: Cardrona Spirits
How much: From £30
Where: CardronaDistillery.co.uk
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