Clarity Distilling Company already has reason to pop some celebratory corks having bagged a handful of prestigious international awards, most recently the Gold and Best in Show at the 2024 London Spirits Competition, for their Clarity 2023 Gin – fending off hundreds of competitors from around the world.
Even more impressive, the Kiwi company was only founded just over a year ago, by George White and Stephanie Downer.
“We have been working together for about seven years in various other businesses, and we realised that we shared the same passion and drive to create and set up a business together,” George tells Verve. “We both enjoy gin, and being able to change the flavour profile of a drink to suit your own palettes was an extremely attractive proposition. Clarity was born on the principle that we are transparent with our processes and ingredients as our customers need to know that they are drinking quality.”
What do you find most satisfying about your work, and most challenging?
Gin is an extremely creative spirit, being able to experiment with flavours and ultimately create a product we love that we can then share with people and see and hear their feedback is amazing.
Being only one year old, we’re still learning the industry. Making connections with retailers and bars and restaurants to get our products into the market has taken time. We are also incredibly small, with only the two of us working in the distillery, so we wear all the hats between us – from distilling to bottling to marketing and everything in between!
Can you tell us about those ingredients?
All the flavour in our gin comes from the botanicals during the distillation process so ensuring we source consistently high-quality botanicals is vital. Through trialling botanicals that are grown in different regions around the world, we’ve selected ones that we believe offer the best flavour profiles. Our coriander seeds and citrus are both locally grown here in New Zealand.
Any recommended mixers and/or cocktails?
For an everyday drink, we love a classic G&T, preferring to use plain Indian tonic water. When we’re feeling like something a bit fancier, our 2023 gin makes an amazing Martini, and both work extremely well in a French 75 for a really special occasion.
Can you tell us a little about your distilling process – and the cool artwork on the bottles?
Our flavour is created from distilling natural botanicals, with no flavourings or additives in anything that we produce. We distil all botanicals individually and then blend the individual distillates as per our recipe. This individual distillation allows us to very closely control the temperature of the still and how long we distil the botanical, enabling immense control over the flavour profile of that single botanical and ensuring consistency of our product batch to batch. The inspiration for the artwork on each bottle is drawn from that gin’s flavour profile.
All the artworks are painted and hand-drawn by Stephanie. Our Dry Gin is a rich, earthier, more spiced gin and the artwork embodies that by incorporating colours and shapes reminiscent of the earth and shifting sands. With our Navy Gin, the artwork is a bit more obvious, conveying the story behind the high-proof navy gin that was carried on British Naval ships in the 1700s. The swirls of the waves draw from the dynamic, rough seascape, embodying the courage of sailors navigating tumultuous waters.
Matches Made in Heaven
“Like wine, whisky goes with everything, you just need to know which whisky with what food,” says Michael. “A light ex-bourbon whisky to start the meal, a salty character whisky goes well with red meats and salads, finished with a light ex-red wine whisky, or peated, with a good cigar, maybe!”
“Pōkeno Origin, with its lovely citrus notes, pairs beautifully with seafood or deserts,” says Matt, “whereas Pōkeno Discovery with its rich sherry notes pairs better with meet or cheese.”
Here are some more pairings to consider:
Sushi and tequila. Fish especially is complemented by the earthy and citrus notes of tequila.
Chocolate cake and stout beer. The rich, chocolatey sweetness of chocolate cake pairs beautifully with stout’s roasted malt and coffee flavours, while the beer’s creamy texture complements the cake’s richness.
Spicy tacos and margaritas. The heat from spicy tacos is cooled down by the refreshing, citrusy flavours of this classic cocktail. An obvious one, and a goodie.
Curry and riesling. The sweet, floral notes of riesling counterbalances the spicy and aromatic flavours of curries, while the wine’s acidity also helps refresh the palate between bites.
Blue cheese and port wine. Bold, pungent blue cheese pairs beautifully with the rich sweetness and nuttiness of a good port, the sweetness complementing the salt.
Bacon-wrapped dates and bourbon. The smoky, savoury flavours of bacon-wrapped dates are perfectly enhanced by the caramel and vanilla notes of bourbon.
Oysters and champagne. One of the most famous – and loved – food and booze pairing for good reason! The briny, mineral flavours of oysters are complemented by the crisp acidity and effervescence of champagne (or sparkling wine), while the bubbles cleanse the palate and enhance the freshness of the oysters.
