In the South Island, between Waimakariri and the West Coast, there’s a rather famous road that crosses the Southern Alps. You might have heard of it. It’s called Arthur’s Pass.

Used by Māori for centuries to bring pounamu across the mountains, this crossing was made into a ‘road’ in 1866 as the gold rush reached full swing. Nowadays the gold is all gone (or so they say), but that hasn’t stopped people flocking here for a look. It’s a go to for travellers looking for exploration and relaxation amidst the magnificent sights of the Southern Alps.

Although Swanndri and Reefton Distilling Co. craft quite different products, we’ve got a lot in common. Collaborating on a limited edition release of Little Biddy Gin seemed to come about quite naturally. After Swanndri came to visit the Reefton Distilling Co. during a photoshoot back in September 2020, both teams noticed the similarities in our values and approaches to bringing our respective products to life, and an idea was born. The result is a Limited Edition Little Biddy Gin bearing the iconic Swanndri red and black check – a well-loved pattern often favoured by Reefton Distilling Co. Ambassadors and Water Prospectors Nigel and Steffan MacKay.