Creating a top-notch gin can be a hard-fought battle. Much like elusive gold nuggets found in the hills in Arrowtown, Rifters Gin is another rare jewel to come from the region.
This small-batch premium gin is handcrafted at Arrowtown Distillery, using flavourful botanicals and pure New Zealand artesian water.
Rifters was started by Kiwi builders Hamish Bourke and Stu Clark, who confess to being pretty fond of gin. One day in the workshop, they decided to have a nudge at creating their own. A couple of years and a whole lot of trials later, they figured things out. So much so, that Rifters has gone on to win multiple gin awards around the globe.
In a nod to the heritage of the local rugged landscape, the word ‘rifter’ refers to a forager or fossicker from the early gold mining era. The unassuming (at first glance) glass bottle has been thoughtfully designed to represent those determined rifters who founded Arrowtown.
The coloured glass matches the lakes and rivers that flow through Central Otago, and the ridges and triangles on the side of the bottle represent the veins of the valleys and the Central Otago mountain tops. The ring on the bottom respects the rivers, lakes, and glacial water used to craft the gin.
Rifters Gin continues to showcase the skill and dedication of people passionate about their craft. Enjoy the smooth flavours of Rifters Gin with one of these recipes on this page, or for more inspiration, visit riftersgin.com.
The Rifters Grifter
Ingredients
- 45ml Rifters Original Dry Gin
- 15ml fresh lemon juice
- 30ml cranberry juice
- 30ml grapefruit juice
- Soda water
Method
Select a tall Collins Glass and fill it with ice. Add Rifters Gin, lemon juice, cranberry juice, and grapefruit juice. Stir all the ingredients while slowly topping up the glass with soda water. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and a wedge of grapefruit.
Rifters Arrowtown Collins
Ingredients
- 45ml Rifters Blue Gold Gin
- 15ml pickle brine
- 30ml lemon juice
- 15ml sugar syrup
- Soda water
Method
Select a tall Collins Glass and fill it with Ice. Next, add Rifters Blue Gold Gin, pickle brine, lemon juice, and sugar syrup and top with soda. Stir together the ingredients.
Elderflower Cucumber Sour
Ingredients
- 30ml Rifters Original Dry Gin
- 30ml elderflower liqueur
- 30ml lime juice
- 1/8 of a telegraph cucumber (chopped)
- 3 mint leaves
- Ice
Method
Add chopped cucumber to a Boston shaker, then muddle and squish the cucumber to a paste-like consistency. Add ice to the top of the shaker, pour spirits and lime juice over ice, and add mint. Shake vigorously and double strain into your favourite glass. Garnish with a dehydrated or fresh lime slice.
