FAQs

Lighthouse Gin is a small-batch craft gin made in Martinborough, New Zealand. Handcrafted by Head Distiller Rachel Hall, it features nine botanicals, including hand-zested Yen Ben lemons, creating a bright, citrus-forward gin with a smooth, balanced finish.

Lighthouse Gin is made with nine botanicals, hand-zested New Zealand Yen Ben lemons, and natural spring water from the Remutaka Ranges. Its distinctive double- distillation process creates a refined, citrus-forward gin with a lighter juniper profile.

Lighthouse Gin has a bright, citrus-forward flavor with subtle juniper, coriander, and warm spice notes. Fresh lemon zest leads the palate, followed by cinnamon and cassia bark, with a soft, lingering finish of licorice root and almond.

Lighthouse Gin is crafted with nine botanicals: Yen Ben lemons, navel oranges, juniper berries, coriander seeds, almonds, cassia bark, cinnamon quills, liquorice root, and orris root. Together they give way to a low juniper, citrus forward taste profile that is clean, fresh, and vibrant.

A citrus-forward gin emphasizes bright lemon, orange, or other citrus flavors alongside traditional juniper notes. Lighthouse Gin is a citrus-forward New Zealand gin featuring hand-zested Yen Ben lemons and navel oranges, creating a fresh, vibrant flavor with subtle juniper and spice.

Yen Ben lemons are a variety of lemon grown in New Zealand. Lighthouse Gin uses hand-zested Yen Ben lemons to bring a bright, fresh citrus character to the spirit. Head Distiller Rachel Hall personally zests the lemons as part of the gins small-batch production process.

Lighthouse Gin is a citrus-forward New Zealand craft gin, not a London Dry Gin. Unlike London Dry Gin, which follows specific production requirements, Lighthouse uses a distinctive double-distillation process and nine botanicals, including hand-zested Yen Ben lemons, to create the bright, smooth, citrus-forward character of our gin.

Lighthouse Gin begins with a grain-based spirit and pure New Zealand spring water. Nine botanicals are prepared and macerated overnight in a copper-pot still before the first distillation. The gin is then distilled a second time without the botanicals, creating a smooth, refined finish.

Lighthouse Gin is bottled at 40% alcohol by volume (ABV), or 80 proof. This approachable strength allows its bright citrus notes, subtle juniper, and other botanicals to shine.

Yes. Lighthouse Gin has earned numerous awards and accolades including:

• Top 100 Spirits of 2024 & 90 Points from 2024 Wine Enthusiast
• Gold Medal and 95 points at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC)
• 94 Points, New Zealand Spirit of the Year, & Gold at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards
• Double Gold at the 2025 International Women’s Spirit Competition
• Double Gold at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition
• 93 Points & Gold at the 2025 USA Spirits Ratings
• 92 Points & Double Gold at the 2025 TAG Global Spirits Awards

Gin is a distilled spirit flavored with juniper berries and other botanicals, such as citrus peels, herbs, and spices. Lighthouse Gin is made from a grain-based spirit and nine botanicals, including juniper, Yen Ben lemons, navel oranges, and coriander.

Gin and vodka are both distilled spirits, but gin is flavored with juniper and other botanicals, while vodka has a neutral flavor profile. Lighthouse Gin combines juniper with citrus and spice botanicals for a bright, aromatic character.

Gin typically has a juniper-led flavor, often described as piney or herbal, with additional citrus, floral, or spice notes depending on its botanicals. Lighthouse Gin has a lighter juniper profile, with bright lemon zest, coriander, cinnamon, and a smooth finish.

London Dry Gin is a production-defined style of gin, not a reference to where it is made. It requires juniper to be the predominant flavor and restricts the addition of flavors and sweeteners after distillation. Other gin styles offer more flexibility in production. Lighthouse Gin is a New Zealand craft gin known for its bright citrus profile, lighter juniper character, and distinctive double-distillation process.

The best gin for a gin and tonic depends on your flavor preferences. Citrus-forward gins like Lighthouse Gin offer bright lemon notes and subtle juniper that pair well with tonic water. For a refreshing serve, combine Lighthouse Gin with tonic over ice and garnish with a fresh lemon wedge.

A smooth, balanced gin works well in a classic martini, allowing its botanicals to complement the dry vermouth. Lighthouse Gin’s citrus-forward character makes it a great option.

Lighthouse Gin can be used in classic gin cocktails like the Gin & Tonic, Martini, Negroni, and Corpse Reviver #2. Its bright citrus profile also works well in refreshing cocktails like the Kiwi 75 and Rachel’s Gin & Tonic. Check out our Signature Cocktails.

Lighthouse Gin is handcrafted in Martinborough, New Zealand, near Cape Palliser at the southern end of the country’s North Island. The region’s rugged coastal landscape inspires the brand, while locally sourced spring water and Yen Ben lemons help shape its signature flavor.

New Zealand craft gins often showcase distinctive botanicals, local ingredients, and individual distilling techniques. Lighthouse Gin reflects its New Zealand origins through hand-zested Yen Ben lemons, natural spring water from the Remutaka Ranges, and small-batch production in Martinborough.

Yes. New Zealand is home to a growing craft gin industry! Lighthouse Gin, established in 2005 in Martinborough, is a New Zealand craft gin known for its citrus-forward profile, hand-zested Yen Ben lemons, and small-batch production led by Head Distiller Rachel Hall.

Lighthouse Gin uses natural spring water from an ancient aquifer in New Zealand’s Remutaka Ranges. Head Distiller Rachel Hall personally collects the water from Wharekauau Country Estate for use in crafting Lighthouse Gin.

Lighthouse Gin takes its name from Cape Palliser Lighthouse on New Zealand’s rugged North Island coast. First lit in 1897, the lighthouse has guided generations of seafarers through the challenging waters of Cook Strait. Its coastal setting inspires the spirit and identity of Lighthouse Gin.

Rachel Hall is the Head Distiller of Lighthouse Gin and New Zealand’s first female Head Distiller. She joined Lighthouse Gin in 2010 and became Head Distiller in 2014, bringing a meticulous, hands-on approach to crafting the brand’s signature citrus-forward gin.

Lighthouse Gin is handcrafted by Head Distiller Rachel Hall in Martinborough, New Zealand. She oversees the small-batch production process, personally collecting spring water, hand-zesting Yen Ben lemons, and carefully preparing the botanicals used to create Lighthouse Gin.

Rachel Hall takes a meticulous, hands-on approach to crafting Lighthouse Gin. She personally collects spring water from the Remutaka Ranges and hand-zests Yen Ben lemons to preserve their bright citrus character. Her attention to ingredients and double-distillation process helps define Lighthouse Gin’s smooth, balanced style.