From Terroir to Terpenes: A Psychedelic Gin Journey Through New Zealand (3pm Sat & Sun)
After 25 years in wine—working alongside legends such as Danny Schuster, the only New Zealander with a permanent exhibition at the Smithsonian honouring his contribution to California wine, and my brother, Andy Anderson, the only person to win the IWSC Trophy for Best Pinot Noir in the World two years running—I was inspired to pursue winemaking. That path eventually led me to become a winemaker at Pegasus Bay.
After making wine around the world at Archery Summit in Oregon, Torbreck in the mighty Barossa Valley, and Domaine Debray in Burgundy, I found a new creative frontier in distillation.
My path into gin began with Scoundrels and Rogues, a brewing crew I was fortunate to be part of. We realised that the equipment we used to brew beer could also be used to make gin—and that was where the journey began.
That discovery opened the door to the dynamic world of terpene chemistry and the remarkable relationship between gin-making, culinary culture, and the medicinal histories of plants and herbs. Distillation became a way to capture place: turning botanical flavour, aroma, and memory into a sublime liquid expression.
That journey led me to become a terroir-gin specialist, most notably through Elsewhere Gin, while also creating distinctive, place-driven gins for exceptional brands and destinations. Since then, I have created gins for Otahuna Lodge’s Tai Tapu Chapters I and II; Takapoto Estate’s Lake Karāpiro Gin in Cambridge; Flockhill Lodge’s Arthur’s Pass Gin; O.G.B.’s Gooseberry Gin from Lake Pukaki; King of Snake’s Omakase Gin; Austin Club’s Little Akaloa Passionfruit Gin; Carbon Property’s Southland Gin; King’s Truffles’ Truffle Gin; and Lexus New Zealand’s Aotearoa–Japan Fusion Gin.
Through Elsewhere Gin, I have also created place-led releases using wild and locally grown botanicals from Bannockburn in Central Otago; Fox River on the West Coast; Waipara in North Canterbury; Little River on Banks Peninsula; Hahei in the Coromandel; Endeavour Inlet in Queen Charlotte Sound; and Tōtaranui in Abel Tasman National Park.
In this workshop, I’ll introduce three gins from the Elsewhere Psychedelic Terroir Gin range. Each is built around botanicals foraged during unforgettable camping trips with friends and family through some of Aotearoa’s most remote and beautiful landscapes.
These are faithful expressions of Tōtaranui, Central Otago, and North Canterbury—crafted with a winemaker’s understanding of terroir, balance, and texture, then distilled into something genuinely worth drinking.
Expect stories of wild places, curious plants, scent, taste, terroir, and the art of translating landscape into gin.
*Workshop places are limited and available on a first-come, first-served walk-up basis. Places cannot be booked in advance.
Workshop is R18