Wellington's vibrant events calendar has a new boozy addition this week, with the launch of the inaugural Wellington Gin Trail. Running from April 16-26, the 10-day event sees 30 central city venues offering bespoke gin cocktails, curated tasting menus, and hands-on workshops for enthusiasts of the botanical spirit.
The event arrives to fill a gap in the market left by Gindulgence, a popular national gin festival that is not stopping in the capital this year. Unlike a single-location, ticketed festival, the Gin Trail is modelled on successful culinary events like Wellington on a Plate. Patrons can conduct their own self-guided tour, picking and choosing from a wide array of unique offerings across the city.
The initiative is the brainchild of the Wellington Community Revitalisation Society, a not-for-profit charity dedicated to supporting the local hospitality industry. Organiser Brett McCall says the event was conceived at the start of the year and quickly gained enthusiastic support from venues and gin suppliers.
A trail designed for discovery
Participation is designed to be simple and rewarding. Gin-trekkers can pick up a physical Gin Trail passport at any of the 30 participating venues. Each time they purchase a featured gin drink or experience, they collect a stamp. After collecting six stamps, the completed passport can be submitted to enter a draw for a grand prize package valued at $5000, which includes a tour and guided tasting at the award-winning Imagination Distillery on the Kāpiti Coast.
The trail is organised into six geographical 'legs' to help people navigate the offerings. These include a 'Cuba Quarter' leg, featuring popular spots like Nolita and Lola Rouge, and a 'Heritage Pub' leg for those seeking a more traditional atmosphere at institutions such as The Old Bailey and Thistle Inn. This structure encourages residents and visitors alike to explore different corners of the central city, potentially discovering new favourite watering holes along the way. For those looking to make a day of it, the trail offers a perfect map for exploring the capital's unique neighbourhood culture. The non-profit event, which cost about $10,000 to organise, is focused entirely on driving business back into local establishments. It comes at a critical time for the hospitality sector, which continues to navigate a challenging economic environment of rising costs and shifting consumer habits. Initiatives that create vibrancy and give people a reason to come into the city are seen as vital for the industry's health, especially as businesses and households grapple with pressures like looming increases in water bills. As an example of businesses innovating to meet these challenges, Speight’s Brewery slashes emissions with new $7.2m electric boiler.
From classic sours to cocktail masterclasses
The variety of experiences on offer is a testament to the creativity of Wellington's bartenders and the versatility of modern gin. At Dockside on the waterfront, mixologist Madhav Dhir has crafted the Silk Side Sour ($20), a sophisticated twist on a classic. Using Scapegrace’s award-winning Classic Gin, he replaces traditional lemon juice with a syrup made from a 12-hour cold brew of tea, cucumber, and lemongrass. Dhir says this technique retains the delicate botanicals, resulting in a subtly fragrant and refreshing cocktail.
Over on Cuba Street, Nolita is offering a Rhubarb Custard Pie cocktail for $16. The sweet-and-sour pink drink, which uses gin from local Rongotai distillery Southward Mountain, is saved from being overly sweet by a cinnamon, sugar, and cookie dust rim that enhances its pastry-like flavour profile.
For those wanting a guided tasting, Dragonfly on Courtenay Place has a gin tasting flight for $29. It features three distinct mini cocktails starring the restaurant's own gin: the sweet and tangy Cocodrillo with a coconut foam topping, a classic dry Dragonfly Martini made with yuzushu liqueur, and a refreshing house G&T.
The modern 'ginaissance'
For patrons wanting to get behind the bar themselves, Mishmosh in the Allen Street precinct is hosting a Gin Cocktail Masterclass ($55). The class, which can accommodate groups from six to twenty, teaches attendees how to make two different cocktails: the citrusy 'Golden Hour' and the fruit-forward 'Slow Grower'.
Mishmosh bartender Charlotte Kurta, who helped develop the cocktails, says the culture around gin has transformed completely in recent years. She remembered her grandfather’s penchant for London Dry, but now sees the spirit as far more versatile. This local observation reflects a global trend, often dubbed the 'ginaissance', which has seen an explosion in craft distilleries and innovative flavour profiles. New Zealand has been at the forefront of this movement, with local makers gaining international acclaim for using unique native botanicals. Organisations like Distilled Spirits Aotearoa highlight the quality and diversity of spirits now being produced across the country.
The second drink is 'a little bit dangerous', and tastes like a lolly with ingredients like watermelon, elderflower, cranberry and apple juice.
Mr McCall says he is not trying to break any records with the first iteration of the Gin Trail, but would be happy if a few thousand Wellingtonians took part. "Our objective is to run events that create vibrancy on the street and help venues with turnover," he says.
With a diverse lineup of venues and a focus on community and craft, the Wellington Gin Trail is poised to become a welcome new tradition in the capital's world-class hospitality scene. The final ingredient, as Mr McCall notes, is the enthusiastic participation of the public over the next ten days.
