Gin & Jandals

Chris and Mark review Jardim from Waiheke Island’s Heke Bar and Distillery. This episode explores a Portuguese-inspired "garden" gin featuring botanicals foraged right on the island. Join the "working man's reviewers" as they decide if this premium bottle is worth the ferry ride.

Chris and Mark kick off 2026 by diving into their first-ever Navy strength gin. They explore the explosive "gunpowder" history behind the spirit while taste-testing the award-winning Clarity Navy Gin. Find out if this high-proof bottle lives up to its reputation in our season premiere

The 2025 Gin and Jandals Awards are here!. We’re tackling the year's most surprising, overpriced, and disappointing bottles. From Amada’s simplicity to the unique Wakami & Lime, which spirits soared and which fell flat? Grab a glass to see who claimed the Supreme Prize!

The team celebrates the season by uncorking Wild Rain Pink Gin from Reefton Distilling. Marketed as "juicy berry deliciousness" at a bargain price, could this be the next great New Zealand gin? Join the hosts to discover if it is truly summer in a glass.

This week, we ditch proper gin for the Batched Strawberry Rhubarb Gin Sour, a "posh RTD" designed specifically for those who can't be bothered mixing.

Prepare for a punch in the chops! The hosts tackle Dr. Beak Juniperus Gin, a pricey 48% ABV spirit. This wildly aggressive, juniper-forward pour demands extreme over-tonicking to tame its initial "mouth encapsulate" kick. A hardcore gin lover's challenge!

Join the Gin and Jandals podcast as we sample Imagination Gin's Wakame and Lime dry gin, a unique New Zealand spirit. We explore the seaweed base and the impressive textured bottle. This gin is a pleasant, higher-tier winner, tasting good both neat and in a G&T

Join us as the hosts offer a salute to the King and review Coronation Gin, a 40% London dry gin commemorating the 2023 coronation of King Charles III. Purchased from the Tower of London, the gin is subtly flavored with juniper and citrus notes. The hosts debate if this non-polarizing "Princess Anne of gins" is worth its price tag.

The hosts review Amada Premium Dry Gin from the Bay of Plenty. This "straight up honest gin" features a simple botanical blend: juniper, coriander, licorice root, and angelica. Praised for its 42% ABV and smooth mouthfeel, the simple gin is versatile and earns high praise from the hosts

Stuck on a dreary Auckland Friday, the Gin & Jandals seek summer cheer with Karvin Dry Gin, a contemporary, award-winning spirit. Mark and Chris investigate claims of organic botanicals and artisan water. While struggling to enjoy it neat, a resulting Gin and Tonic earns a "resounding positive." Tune in to hear why this subtle sipper is deemed essential for a slightly special summer.

We review 69 Brosses Gin Classica a Spanish gin from Valencia. Named after the founder's birth year (not botanicals), it features botanicals like juniper, cardamom, cilantro, and angelica. At 37.5% alcohol, it has a herby and floral flavor that's silky when neat. Mixed with tonic, it remains a classic, balanced gin with undiluted flavor.

Join us for a review of Curious Garden Dry Gin, a pour that's anything but ordinary despite its humble price tag. We explore this unassuming everyday sipper, from its no-frills bottle to its surprisingly 'weird sweet' flavour that caught us off guard. Is it your new "Monday to Friday gin" or the perfect companion for a laid-back summer evening by the pool? We compare it to other Kiwi gin contenders and chat about the ever-evolving landscape of gin prices.

This episode reviews Resurrected IPA Gin, a distinctive London dry from Auckland's Behemoth Brewery in partnership with 1919 Distilling. Does a funky label and an equally funky concept make for a flavorsome gin, or should beer and gin keep to themselves.

Welcome to the world's greatest ever podcast on New Zealand Gin! In this episode, we celebrate New Zealand's impressive performance at the World Gin Awards 2025. We delve into the World's Best Matured Gin category, featuring Awildian from the Coromandel, and the Best London Dry, highlighting New Zealand's country winner, Island Gin. We also conduct a full review of Little Biddy Amber gin, a bright "summer gin" with notes of orange, lemon, and ginger, discussing how best to enjoy it.

Kia ora! Gin and Jandals is back after a bit of a break! This episode features Southwood Distillery's Smoked Rosemary Gin from Wellington. A contemporary gin at 45% ABV, it highlights a bold smoked rosemary flavour.

Righto, team, strap in for episode 55 of the Gin and Jandals podcast, your go-to for the lowdown on New Zealand Gin. This week, Mark and Chris are giving Whistlebird Gin a whirl, diving deep into another one of the staggering number of Kiwi gins out there. This is a yarn-spinner of a gin, packed with a massive 18 botanicals.... They're doing things a bit differently down in Wellington, macerating their botanicals using sound waves—infrasound, no less—and even chucking some AI into the mix. It's bottled at 44% ABV. The bottle itself is a bit flash, with a stout shape and a cool cut glass effect representing the frequency wavelengths used and the Bauhaus movement. Tasting it neat was complex, but in a Gin & Tonic, it proved to be easy drinking. Despite all those botanicals, they blend together into a subtle, almost wildflower-like single flavor, rather than competing. There wasn't a massive hit of juniper or orris/licorice for either of them. They found it had a subtle sweetness. Picked up on special for around $60, it generally sits between $65 and $74, and they reckon that's a good price for what you get. The verdict? Whistlebird is a nice contemporary gin that's great for pretty much any occasion. It looks sharp, tastes pleasant, and is a ripper for impressing guests. It's more of a gin to sip slowly and chat over than a sculler. Despite initial chuckles about the 18 botanicals and techy maceration, they concluded it's a good tasting gin and one of the few contemporary ones they've genuinely liked recently

Join the "Gin and Jandals" podcast hosts as they dive into Bluff Gin from the very bottom of New Zealand. They explore the fascinating story behind its unique glass buoy bottle, inspired by local legends of protecting whales from Japanese whaling nets. Find out if this classic London Dry gin, with its six botanicals including juniper, lemongrass, and hibiscus, lives up to its award-winning reputation. Will the hosts agree on whether it's a "bracing bluff winter's day" in a glass or just a "boring" classic? Tune in for their honest tasting notes, discussions on the perfect tonic pairing (and the not-so-perfect ones!), and whether this gin is best for showing off or savoring solo. Plus, stick around for a hilarious debate about the potential of a mutton bird gin!

In this episode, we try Horopito Gin

In this episode, we try mystery x

In this episode, we try Back Robin Rare Gin