A word from Jo
After a very wet and humid spring I think we were all looking forward to some clean summer heat and dreaming of those bright sunny days!
It was during this time that our team were developing our Summer 2025 gin. Looking for light, refreshing styles, clean palates and something that is just downright delicious. And we have delivered!
With some terrific timing, the team at Wonky Box were beside us at a Go Green Expo with boxes of exactly what we needed – blood oranges. Fascinating to look at, and fabulous on the palate.
Orange alone ran the risk of being sweet, even though the blood orange is a little more tart than its Navel cousin. Bay leaves became the savoury element, stepping the blood orange towards refreshing rather than sweet, and the touch of white peppercorns kept it all on the fun side.
Together – just right! Light, fresh, bright, clean, savoury – all the words we want to hear in summer and all the things our palates enjoy when the days are hot.
Cheers to Summer fun.
Shop our 2025 Summer Seasonal Gin here and check out our Summer 2025 Cocktail on our cocktails page.
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Congratulations to our Winning Artist – Brad Frederickson
Originally from Taranaki, I’ve been fortunate to combine my passions for wine and art into one creative journey. After years of working as a travelling winemaker in different regions around the world, I returned home to launch my own wine label, Outside The Box Wines. The label reflects not only my winemaking philosophy—exploring alternative styles—but also my rekindled love of art, as I create original paintings for each label.
Art was a passion of mine in high school, but I was encouraged to pursue a more practical career path, as I was told, “You’ll never make any money as an artist.” Starting my wine label gave me the chance to challenge that idea and bring art back into my life in a meaningful way. My artistic approach is self-taught, learning from YouTube tutorials, trial and error, and whatever I see that stimulates my creativity.
Winning this competition is a significant milestone in my creative journey, and I hope my work inspires others to reconnect with their passions, no matter how far they may seem.