Celebrate Matariki with a cozy catch-up and a cocktail that brings a true taste of Aotearoa. This warming winter drink blends bourbon, lemon and the rich, earthy sweetness of mānuka honey — perfect for stargazing nights and sharing stories.

Fun fact: Mānuka honey is made by bees who gather nectar from the mānuka bush, a native New Zealand shrub that only flowers for a few short weeks each year. A rare bloom, for a rare drink!

Ingredients:

• 50ml Bourbon

• 20ml Fresh lemon juice

• 15ml Mānuka honey syrup (see below)

• Hot water (optional – for a toddy version)

• Lemon wheel or thyme sprig (to garnish)

To make Mānuka Honey Syrup:
Mix equal parts mānuka honey and hot water until smooth. (e.g., 2 tbsp honey + 2 tbsp hot water)

Method (Shaken):

1. Add bourbon, lemon juice, and mānuka honey syrup to a shaker with ice.

2. Shake well and strain into a rocks glass over ice.

3. Garnish with a lemon wheel or sprig of thyme.

Optional Hot Toddy Version:

1. Add bourbon, lemon juice, and mānuka honey syrup to a mug.

2. Top with hot water and stir.

3. Garnish with lemon and enjoy fireside!

Tash McGill is our Super Spirits head judge. Tash is one of New Zealand’s leading spirits writers, industry advocates and educators, chairperson of the New Zealand Whisky Association and international spirits judge. She also specialises in food & beverage, hospitality & tourism sectors and in businesses that are scaling from start-up to growth. 

With 14+ years in the Hospitality industry, and a passion for anything booze; he has a love for anything spirit wise. Originally from the UK but proudly calls New Zealand home. Give him a follow at @drinkscal to see what amazing cocktails he's creating! 

We asked Cal a couple of questions: 

PJ is a cocktail alchemist, focusing on creating drinks using unusual techniques or ingredients. He has studied the WSET Level 3 in Spirits, and a general certificate in distilling from the IBD, as he one day hopes to run his own distillery under the name “Cauldron.” 

We asked PJ the following questions: 

What do you enjoy about being a judge? I enjoy being able to use everything I've learned over my years in the industry and through my WSETs to pick out the best of the best.

What do you look for in the categories that you judged? For gin, I look for a great example of the category. For London Dry, I look for a clean, well-balanced spice and citrus profile, and for Contemporary, I look for something a little more fun and exciting to stand out. For rum, I'm looking for a good amount of fruity funk!

What are some key tips when looking for a spirit in store as a customer? I'd say these days it's more important than ever to support local. Look for trusted Kiwi brands that are branching out and doing cool stuff! Ask bartenders what their favourites are, they've likely tried a lot more than you have

Light, floral and super refreshing—perfect for a toast to World Gin Day!

Ingredients:

· 45ml gin (London Dry or botanical)

· 15ml elderflower liqueur (like St-Germain)

· 20ml fresh lime juice · 10ml sugar syrup (optional, to taste)

· Soda water

· Fresh cucumber slices & mint for garnish

Method:

1. Muddle 2 cucumber slices in a shaker.

2. Add gin, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, and syrup.

3. Shake with ice and strain into a tall glass filled with ice.

4. Top with soda water.

5. Garnish with cucumber ribbon and a sprig of mint.

Patsy Bass – Founder of Reefton Distilling Co. & Little Biddy Spirits.

Born in Reefton and although her family moved away while she was a young child they came back at every opportunity so still feels like she grew up there.  Almost 20 years ago she bought a bach in Reefton, and in 2016 began to wonder what life would be like if she made the full-time move to Reefton. With the closure of mines & mills, Patsy was keen to see what she could do to create a business to help revitalise Reefton, after exploring many ideas the distillery took flight.

The support of the town and people in Reefton has played no small part in their success. In just under 2 years they had set-up a thriving business, created jobs local people with flow on effects for other businesses.

Today, Little Biddy Gin is the fastest growing gin in New Zealand and has won many national and international awards over the years. The most recent release, Little Biddy Amber, achieving a Gold Medal at the prestigious 2025 San Francisco Spirit Awards (along with their Classic sku!)

Winter in New Zealand calls for two things: something warm in your glass and something hearty in your bowl—so why not combine the two? Our Mulled Wine Beef Chili is like your favourite cozy jumper in food form. It’s spicy, rich, a little bit boozy, and totally soul-soothing. We’ve taken a classic chili and given it a cheeky winter twist with bold red wine and warming mulled spices. Trust us—your tastebuds (and your toes) will thank you.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef or turkey

• 1 can crushed tomatoes

• 1 can kidney beans

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup red wine

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Brown meat with onion and garlic. Drain fat.

2. Add tomatoes, beans, wine, and spices.

3. Simmer for 30–45 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.