The global Gin renaissance (Ginassance?) has been just as popular in New Zealand as it has elsewhere. With 100s of locally made Gin&#39;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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Chris and Mark break their New Zealand-only rule for McQueen and the Violet Fog, a Brazilian gin boasting 21 botanicals and sugarcane roots. Packed with poetic backstory and celebrity hype, will this foreign experiment deliver high-caliber flavor or feel like drinking washing-up liquid? Tune in to find out!

McQueen and the Violet Fog

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Chris and Mark check out Tahu Gin, the world&#39;s first Māori-based spirit distilled between Whanganui and Raglan. Packaged in an extraordinarily tall bottle, this 41.25% ABV classic dry gin promises a smooth, easy-drinking style. Does its premium price tag deliver a story worth telling?

Tahu Gin

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Chris and Mark head to Dunedin with Number Eight Distillery’s Dunners Dry Gin. Packaged in a unique conical flask bottle, this native-meets-traditional spirit packs a punchy, verdant kawakawa bite. Is this &#34;bushy&#34; brew a versatile staple or just a chemistry experiment?

Dunners Dry Gin

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Chris and Mark mark Episode 81 with an obscure barrel-aged Pinot Grigio gin from Waiheke Island. Featuring macadamia and a 38% ABV, this unique bottle blends wine notes with spirits. Will the hosts discover a hidden gem, or plunge into a waterfall of disgust

Awaawaroa Gin

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Chris and Mark raise an &#34;Oogi Wawa&#34; toast to Iti, a &#34;little&#34; gin from the sunny Bay of Plenty. Behind a black-and-white Mount Maunganui label, does this nutmeg-hinted classic justify its hefty $80 price tag? Join the guys to find out!

Iti Gin

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Is the party really in the back? Chris and Mark dissect Clarity’s Sundrop Gin, exploring its &#34;mullet&#34; bottle and 11 botanicals. They debate if this $62 spirit is a summer essential or a &#34;Monday to Thursday&#34; staple. Tune in to see if these good times roll

Clarity Sundrop Gin

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Mark and &#39;special&#39; guest Nick dive into the 57% ABV Lighthouse Hawthorne Edition. Exploring its &#34;firm botanical backbone&#34; and zesty citrus profile, the duo debates if this bottle is a winter winner or a Sunday night &#34;also-ran&#34;. Plus, they reveal a unique post-nap tasting strategy.

Lighthouse Hawthorn Gin

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Chris and Mark hit Episode 77 with Wellington’s Whistlebird Solstice Gin. They explore the mystery of &#34;ultrasonic&#34; elephants and debate whether this zesty spirit belongs in summer or winter. Join the &#34;Everyman&#34; reviewers as they decide if this distinctive bottle is a mellow masterpiece

Whistlebird Solstice Gin

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Chris and Mark explore the NZ Gin Day 2025 souvenir gin by Sandy Mount Distillery. Dubbed the &#34;platypus of gin&#34;, this spirit features botanical contributions from across the country. The hosts debate if this committee-designed bottle is a unique success or a confusing identity crisis.

NZ Gin Day 2025 Souvenir Gin

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Chris and Mark toast &#34;Fi sihtak&#34; to a special edition gin from the National Distillery. As the distillery faces liquidation, the guys dive into a clear Damson Plum Gin. Is this 44% ABV spirit a bittersweet swan song or a plum-forward masterpiece?

Damson Plum Gin

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Chris and Mark toast &#34;Yucky da&#34; as they explore Milford Gin. This episode dives into the spirit&#39;s Welsh connections and a unique botanical: lava seaweed. Is the striking black bottle hiding a premium masterpiece? Join the guys to uncover a mysterious &#34;green&#34; tasting experience

Milford Gin

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Chris and Mark warp into the universe of Scapegrace Blood Moon Gin. Amidst Klingon toasts and Star Trek debates, they put this ubiquitous &#34;Blood Moon&#34; spirit to the test. Is it a premium masterpiece or just a &#34;stunning&#34; bottle? Tune in to see if their blood screams

Scapegrace Blood Moon Gin

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Chris and Mark return to cozy up with Coatesvillian Black Label. This self-described &#34;winter gin&#34; promises a spicy, citrus warmth perfect for autumn firesides. Does this orange and cardamom-infused spirit earn its merit, or is it just a thin polar fleece?

Coatesvillian Black Label

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Chris and Mark offer a &#34;Bar Salamati&#34; as they dive into the vibrantly orange Rose and Twig Blood Orange Gin. They debate its rectangular &#34;house brick&#34; bottle design and questionable sweetness. Is this 37.5% ABV spirit a summer staple or just a cocktail in a glass

Rose & Twig Blood Orange

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Chris and Mark review Jardim from Waiheke Island’s Heke Bar and Distillery. This episode explores a Portuguese-inspired &#34;garden&#34; gin featuring botanicals foraged right on the island. Join the &#34;working man&#39;s reviewers&#34; as they decide if this premium bottle is worth the ferry ride.

Jardim 'Garden' Botanical Gin

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Chris and Mark kick off 2026 by diving into their first-ever Navy strength gin. They explore the explosive &#34;gunpowder&#34; history behind the spirit while taste-testing the award-winning Clarity Navy Gin. Find out if this high-proof bottle lives up to its reputation in our season premiere

Clarity Navy Gin

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The 2025 Gin and Jandals Awards are here!. We’re tackling the year&#39;s most surprising, overpriced, and disappointing bottles. From Amada’s simplicity to the unique Wakami &amp; Lime, which spirits soared and which fell flat? Grab a glass to see who claimed the Supreme Prize!

Best of 2025

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The team celebrates the season by uncorking Wild Rain Pink Gin from Reefton Distilling. Marketed as &#34;juicy berry deliciousness&#34; at a bargain price, could this be the next great New Zealand gin? Join the hosts to discover if it is truly summer in a glass.

Wild Rain Pink Gin

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This week, we ditch proper gin for the Batched Strawberry Rhubarb Gin Sour, a &#34;posh RTD&#34; designed specifically for those who can&#39;t be bothered mixing.

Batched Strawberry Rhubarb Gin Sour

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Prepare for a punch in the chops! The hosts tackle Dr. Beak Juniperus Gin, a pricey 48% ABV spirit. This wildly aggressive, juniper-forward pour demands extreme over-tonicking to tame its initial &#34;mouth encapsulate&#34; kick. A hardcore gin lover&#39;s challenge!

Dr Beak - Juniperus

New Zealand Gin Tasting

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.