Bayside

Bayside Rum Co began in Auckland when bartender Egor Petrov spent the 2020 lockdown researching rum production, having long wanted to make a spirit that could represent New Zealand internationally. He launched the brand's Three Moons rum in December 2021, with quirky labels designed by his wife Anna featuring local landmarks such as Auckland's Mission Bay. It began as a genuinely small operation, built from a home experiment rather than an existing distillery background.

What sets Bayside apart is its use of kumara in fermentation, believed to be the only rum made this way anywhere in the world. The kumara helps get the yeast working alongside a molasses base, lending the finished spirit a fruity, earthy character distinct from more traditional sugarcane rums. Three Moons went on to win a silver medal at the 2022 New Zealand Spirits Awards, a strong result for such a small, independent producer.