Black Collar

Black Collar Distillery was founded in 2017 by Jonathan Mclean in the Bay of Islands, Northland, building a name across a range of clear spirits rather than settling on one style. The gin steeps organic botanicals in a high proof sugarcane spirit before a single pot still distillation, then rests after cutting with pure water to let the flavours settle. It leans on a classic London Dry structure, bold juniper backed by citrus and a whisper of spice.

The distillery made its name at the 2019 International Wine and Spirits Competition in London, where its vodka took gold, the only New Zealand winner in that category, while the gin picked up a bronze. That followed an earlier silver at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, a strong run for a distillery barely two years old. It remains one of the more awarded names in Easy Tiger's gin and New Zealand gin selections.