The festive season is upon us and we are very merry to be bringing you the delicious Strange Nature Premium Gin to you this month to kick off the Summer season in style! 

What’s in this month’s box? 

700ml Bottle of Strange Nature Gin

East Imperial:

-Light Tonic Water

- Yuzu Lemonade

Marlborough Sea Salt Proper Crisps

PARCHED Dehydrated citrus

CLINK Garnish Wheel

CLINK Glass

This month, we interviewed Rhys Julian, General Manager and Part Owner of Strange Nature Distillers to get an understanding of what makes this gin so special, how to best enjoy it and also where to go if you want to enjoy a gin in Marlborough!

What was the inspiration behind this gin?

Whilst many gin brands boast about their botanicals and at times don’t divulge where their base spirit comes from, Strange Nature is all about its unique base spirit and is inspired by producing a gin that has genuine provenance and traceability. Rather than adding multiple botanicals, Strange Nature goes against the grain by using the grapes grown from a Marlborough vineyard to create a very unique but contemporary style gin.  The vibrant white spirit is then distilled with the only botanical Strange Nature needs, the one that defines gin - juniper - giving it an unexpected taste profile.

The team at Strange Nature Distilling knew they were onto something special when they first tried the pure Sauvignon Blanc alcohol.  Essentially a delectable by-product that finds its ori-gins from the production of New Zealand’s first 0% alcohol Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc wine.  Knowing it would make the perfect gin, Strange Nature then spent the subsequent 18 months trialling and refining Strange Nature.  Every detail of this new start-up has been carefully considered, right down to the bottle which involved multiple visits to salvage yards and pouring over heritage glass to find the look and colour they wanted for the beautiful bespoke bottle.

What's your favourite way to enjoy the gin?

Our perfect Gin and Tonic serve: Source you the most stylish short tumbler glass from your collection, then build your glass with lots of ice.  Pour 45ml of Strange Nature; to really maximise your appreciation for all the unique flavours within this premium gin, taste it first over ice.  Add Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic; The citrus, savoury and herbaceous flavours of this tonic perfectly complement Strange Nature flavours.  Lastly, Garnish with a slice of lemon or lime (squeezed) and a sprig of Thyme.

Introducing a Strange Spritz cocktail which is ultra-refreshing and not too sweet, a strange twist on the well-known Aperol Spritz.  Considering Strange Nature’s wine ori-gins, we suggest using a wine glass built with ice.  Pour 45ml Strange Nature Gin and 15ml Aperol, then top with East Imperial Grapefruit soda water, finished off with an orange peel garnish. 

Where is your favourite place to enjoy a gin cocktail in the area? 

In the complicated world that we live in, Strange Nature believes when it comes to gin… less is more!   Strange Nature is not about overdoing it, but instead offering a gin packed full of flavour but with only two natural ingredients; grape and juniper. The Good Home bar and restaurant located in downtown Blenheim is a great location to enjoy Strange Nature Gin.  There is no better way to enjoy the uncomplicated flavours of Strange Nature in an environment such as The Good Home which prides itself on providing a feeling of comfort, a place you can finally let out your breath, relax, unwind and be at ease.

What's a secret that every gin lover should know when visiting the Area?

Marlborough is undoubtedly one of the most successful wine regions in NZ from both a domestic and global standpoint, famous for producing the exquisite wine - Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The best way to understand the passion, amazing terroir and climate that sits behind Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is to explore the many vineyards and wineries via a bike tour.  Marlborough offers a raft of different winery bike tours for various ages and abilities;  www.exploremarlborough.co.nz.

And now to mention our other fantastic suppliers in this month’s box….

East Imperial 

East Imperial is committed to delivering an experience like no other. All of their products are made with only the purest ingredients sustainably sourced from Asia and Africa, providing you a unique flavoring that will change your drink forever!

Their traditional small-batch method ensures quality by enhancing subtleties in any spirit’s botanicals.  They’re also proudly made in New Zealand. 

Light Tonic Water 

Superbly crafted, the Light Tonic Water has been perfected with the same exacting care as you’d expect from any drink proudly carrying the East Imperial name. With less than 18 calories / 3.75g of sugar per serve, this is a truly refreshing and healthy tonic water.

So here’s to enjoying a refreshing G&T without the guilt of calories, and without compromising on taste.

LIGHT TONIC WATER TASTING NOTES:

Packed full of rich citrus oil and aromatics, they call on tropical Manao lime to provide balance alongside a hint of lemongrass and Kaffir lime, delivering a truly fresh and revitalising flavour profile.

Yuzu Lemonade

A stunningly bright and exotic take on traditional Lemonade. Using the zest and oils of the Japanese yuzu citrus combined with natural cane sugar. 

YUZU LEMONADE TASTING NOTES:

The lemonade is bright, fresh & floral. The initial palate is punchy with fresh citrus and a touch of sweetness, developing into a robust and full bodied palate with a velvet like mouth feel. The finish is crisp and dry with the carbonation serving floral notes of yuzu and citrus pith.

Proper Crisps: Marlborough Sea Salt 

Founded in 2007, the current owners Ned and Mina became the Head Potatoes in 2010.  They have worked with a dedicated team of potato professionals, to cultivate Proper Crisps from seed to success.  There’s a reason they’re the fastest growing snack company in New Zealand. It’s because we like to do thing properly; and they believe that starts from the ground up.  

The Marlborough Sea Salt Crisps and their Award Winning Proper Original Flavour! They take delicious, 100% New Zealand grown potatoes, batch cook them in High Oleic Sunflower Oil before finishing them off with a light sprinkle of Sea Salt from Lake Grassmere (Marlborough) – it’s all about the potato!

Parched

Parched launched in 2022 to challenge the way the humble garnish is traditionally perceived. They spent months refining their process to create a garnish that was natural, simple and sustainable, yet elegant with a hint of luxury. 

From at-home enthusiasts to the country’s premium bars and restaurants, the ideal finishing touch is now always at your fingertips. 

This month we have included their Mixed Citrus Garnish - the perfect accompaniment to your Summer G&Ts!

We've also included a CLINK Gindulgence glass so you'll know exactly which drink is yours during the silly season!

We have loved putting together this box and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. 

Have a wonderful holiday season, full of love, laughter and a decent pour of gin!

From the team at CLINK