Mt Fyffe Distillery

On the foothills of Mt Fyffe, Kaikōura, you’ll stumble across one of New Zealand’s smallest nano gin distilleries, Mt Fyffe Distillery. 

Founder, distiller and marketer, Justine Schroder’s passion is evident when she talks about her gin journey. Previously a midwife, Justine was keen on a new creative challenge that would involve the 260ha family sheep farm. After two years of research, trial runs and planning, Mt Fyffe Distillery was born. 

There are two-story inspired gins on offer, the Shearwater and Woolshed Gin. It’s all about getting Kaikōura into a bottle, especially the Shearwater, which is inspired by the flight path of the shearwater, an endemic New Zealand bird that can only be found in the Kaikōura Ranges. It’s a contemporary gin where oceanic seaweed is paired with high country rosehip and blue borage. The Woolshed Gin pairs kanuka flowers with the freshness of mint and a hint of elderflower, all foraged from the farm and slopes of Mt Fyffe - along with the spring water which comes from the farm, too. 

All elements of the business are conducted from the old house garage. It’s an honest set up complete with hanging botanicals, storage, hand bottle labelling and a tasting counter. The 40-litre copper alembic still, affectionately known as Bruce, produces around 35 bottles every run.

Considering Justine is relatively new in the gin game, it’s pretty remarkable she’s already picked up a couple of awards for her gin. A portion of the profit from each bottle goes towards local trusts and she’s exploring what she can do with her by-product as well as trialling some exciting new products. 

To experience a Mt Fyffe Distillery tasting, you need to book in advance. Or how about a scenic flight, in collaboration with South Pacific Helicopters, around the peninsula and mountain range before landing on Mt Fyffe and hearing the stories and a tasting from Justine? That’s got to be the best way to experience these bespoke gins that like to live life on the edge.