Business is booming for a Greytown-distilled gin with bottles of the high-end spirit moving on to shelves across the ditch after a successful launch throughout New Zealand.
Lighthouse gin is the brainchild of retired energy consultant and chemist Neil Catherall and Mela apple juice producer Andrew Wright, both of Greytown.
They came
up with the idea to make their own alcohol over lunch at Gladstone Vineyard, and initially tinkered with making apple brandy and wine.
They soon switched to gin, specifically London dry-style gin, and have been steadily increasing sales since the first batches rolled out in July 2009.
Mr Catherall, who looks after the distilling, said the company that produced it, Greytown Fine Distillates, now had 30 shareholders, and was hoping to expand after a successful start.
"It's just a matter of building the base and doing the hard yards. The main goal is to build the brand in New Zealand."
He said 62 cases had sold in December 2009, and that figure increased to 138 cases in December 2010, an indication of the company's expansion.
He said the product was now on the shelves of several liquor chains throughout the country.
But Mr Wright said the international market was also firmly in their sights, with plans in place to expand exports after an initial tentative push into Melbourne.
"We entered in two international competitions, in San Francisco and London, and won a bronze award in both, and that's given it the foundation.
"Now it's just building on that base, and now we're looking at Australia."
Retailing at $45 for a 700ml bottle, the gin was at the high end, but Mr Catherall said it was "probably the only artisan gin in the country".
As such, it was double-batch distilled in a purpose-made copper still next to apple juice vats at Mr Wright's juice factory, and had a range of "botanicals" including kawakawa leaves, oranges and lemons added to the juniper berries and coriander that made it a London dry gin.
Many aspects of the production have also been kept local.
The 200-litre copper still was built by Masterton engineer Kevin Leevers to a design by Mr Catherall, and the packaging was designed by Greytown's Simon Diplock.
Mr Catherall said there has been strong feedback from food and wine critics around the country, winemaker Jane Cooper and Cuisine food editor Ray McVinnie both reported to be fans.
