Whanganui isn’t just where we make our gin - it’s what shapes it. The river, the soil, the gardens and the people around us all influence how Papaiti Gin looks, smells and tastes. Here’s how this landscape finds its way into every glass.
Photo:Adrian Rumney
Which features of Whanganui inspire our gin?
Whanganui is a region of contrasts - wild coastlines, fertile volcanic soil, misty river valleys and rich creative energy. The Whanganui River itself runs through the heart of everything we do. It connects mountain to sea, past to present, and serves as the backbone for our storytelling.
That sense of connection and movement runs through each gin we make.
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Whanganui Dry reflects the crisp clarity of the river at dawn.
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The Potager takes inspiration from the kitchen gardens found across the district.
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Mountains to Sea follows the geography of our region in liquid form - an aromatic journey from alpine herbs to coastal botanicals.
Each gin starts with a moment from this landscape. Our job is to translate that feeling into flavour.
What local botanicals or fruits do we source and why?
We choose ingredients that genuinely belong here. Every botanical has a purpose — either for flavour or for storytelling.
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Kawakawa and horopito: native leaves that bring warmth, spice and a distinctively New Zealand edge.
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Pear: grown in our local orchard, it gives The Orchard gin its delicate sweetness.
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Fresh basil, rose hip and stinging nettle: from our own garden, echoing Whanganui’s love of growing and sharing food.
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Manuka leaf and kelp: linking the back country and the sea in Mountains to Sea.
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Citrus peels: dried in-house from locally sourced lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit.
Because these botanicals are seasonal, we source and prepare them at their peak, then preserve or dry them to ensure every batch tastes exactly as intended.
Each gin has a consistent flavour profile, but it’s built from ingredients that started life in different moments of the year — so while the recipe never changes, its roots remain deeply tied to the rhythm of our local seasons.
How does the environment determine our distilling choices?
Our process is shaped by respect for the place we’re in.
We distil slowly and in small batches, adjusting for seasonal temperature changes to conserve water and maintain precision. Cooling water is recirculated to minimise waste, and we always work in rhythm with the seasons — fresh herbs in summer, roots and bark in winter.
The water we use is quadruple-filtered rainwater, collected and purified on site. It’s incredibly soft and clean, which makes it ideal for distilling — helping our gins achieve their signature smooth texture and crisp clarity.
Even our upcoming move from Upokongaro to Drews Avenue in the city has been guided by the landscape — from the quiet countryside to the creative heart of Whanganui, keeping the river at our doorstep.
What story do we tell through the bottle?
Every Papaiti Gin tells a story about this region.
Our labels take their form from the kingfishers that flash along the Whanganui River - the curve of the design echoing both a wing in flight and a ripple on the water. It’s a visual link between river and sky, a small reminder of the landscape that shapes us. The botanicals come from the same soil that feeds our gardens, and the names - The Orchard, The Potager, Mountains to Sea, Whanganui Dry - trace a journey from backyard to coastline.
But the story isn’t finished until someone opens the bottle.
We see gin as a way to bring people together: shared around a table, beside the river, or under the trees at sunset. It’s a reminder that stories - like rivers - are meant to flow.
In the end, Whanganui gives us more than ingredients.
It gives us identity.
And that’s what you taste in every sip of Papaiti Gin.
