Mt Fyffe Distillery

North Canterbury’s newest gin distillery was born in 2019 when Justine Schroder – midwife, mother, farmer, gin lover – attended a gin making course, fell in love with the process and started brainstorming her way to a brand new business venture.

“I love a good challenge, so the opportunity to create something unique from scratch, supporting local businesses along the way and producing a fantastic product from the area is what has driven me through the whole process,” explains Justine. “Sustainability and supporting local trusts and groups by giving back are also key to my business ethos.”

Creating two blends of gin was important to Justine to showcase how a small area can produce such wonderfully different story-inspired gins. Woolshed Gin has been inspired by Justine’s surroundings; she forages the 260ha sheep farm that her and husband Barry run, for botanical elements including kanuka, mint and elderflower. The other blend – Shearwater Gin – draws inspiration from the Hutton’s shearwater; an endemic New Zealand bird whose colonies can now only be found in the Seward Kaikoura Ranges. Following the flight path of this little seabird Justine has paired high country botanics, such as rosehip, with seaweed from the Kaikoura coastline to produce the oceanic fresh Shearwater Gin.

After foraging, Justine carries out the distilling, bottling, labelling and packaging by hand. She even makes the eye-catching natural wood presentation boxes. The result: beautifully presented, delicious artisan gin.