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Malkat Gin

Gin lovers, reviewers and makers. Hello gin lovers! We’re a gin-loving duo from Wellington with a passion for all things gin! Ginners are winners!

At Malkat Gin, we’re all about exploring New Zealand’s finest small-batch gins, along with some unique international finds. Our channel is a celebration of craft distilling, where we review, taste, and dive into the stories behind each bottle. We’re always on the lookout for new, boutique, and experimental gins and love visiting distilleries to meet the makers and see their process firsthand. If y

ou’re a gin producer with a story to tell, we’d love to connect and help shine a light on what you do. We’re also venturing into the world of gin-making ourselves, with Mal experimenting and sharing his distilling journey. Whether you’re a fellow enthusiast, a curious newcomer, or a proud producer, join us for reviews, tasting notes, distillery tours, and plenty of gin fun. Cheers,
Malkat xx

04/07/2026

While we're taking a little break, we decided to try some gin hospitality in Spain. What a fantastic experience. Mal is getting pretty brown in 39+ degrees Celsius heat. I'm just pinker. 😆🤣

02/04/2026

Sorry we’ve been a bit quiet on the video front lately—turns out filming reviews in the middle of a building site is slightly more "industrial" than we planned!

But don’t worry about us; the dust hasn't reached the top shelf. We’re revisiting some of our all-time favorite Scottish gins. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿✨

Stay tuned for the new space, but for now... cheers!

22/03/2026

This week… we don’t have a gin review. Actually, we don’t have anything at all.

The studio has been stripped back to the bare bones - and we mean bare. It’s a little chaotic, a bit unexpected, and definitely not what you’re used to seeing from us.
You probably won’t believe it until you see it… so hit play and come take a look.

And while we rebuild - if you're a gin distiller in New Zealand, or overseas with a supplier here, and we haven’t reviewed your gin yet, get in touch. We’re always keen to discover something new.

If you enjoy the ride (and want us back up and running!), make sure to like, subscribe, and follow along for what comes next.

15/03/2026

This week we head to beautiful Raglan to check out Tahu Gin.

Kate picked this one up through the Airpoints Store, which is actually a pretty handy way to top up the gin shelf using your Airpoints instead of cash. Always a win.

Tahu Gin is described as a classic dry gin made with traditional botanicals for the purist. The recipe includes botanicals like juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, orris root, citrus peel, cassia bark, cardamom, black peppercorns and makrut lime leaves, giving it a citrusy aroma with a smooth but slightly warming palate.

The name “Tahu” in te reo Māori refers to a husband, spouse, partner, lover, or sweetheart, which is a pretty fitting name for something you might end up spending a lot of time with.

This bottle retails for around $95, which definitely puts it toward the premium end of the New Zealand gin shelf. It’s bottled at 41.25% ABV in a 750ml bottle.
So the real question is… is it worth the price? We crack it open, taste it neat, and see how it stacks up.

If you enjoy honest gin reviews, gin cocktails, and the occasional nonsense, make sure you like the video and subscribe so you don’t miss future reviews.
Let us know in the comments if you’ve tried Tahu Gin and what you thought.

Air New Zealand

07/03/2026

This week we’ve hastily put the wee studio back together for another gin review, and this time we’re trying Delight Lavender Gin — a collaboration between lavender growers, Ranui Essentials in Martinborough, and National Distillery Company in Napier.
This one was recommended by our dear friends Craig and Alicia, who picked up a bottle and told us we absolutely had to give it a go. So naturally we listened… and cracked it open to see what we think.
At 44% ABV, this gin leans into lavender as one of its standout botanicals, which makes it a great candidate for trying it in a classic cocktail that already loves floral notes — the Aviation.
Watch along as we taste it neat, talk about the flavour, and see whether it’s a gin worth adding to your shelf.

If you enjoy honest gin reviews, gin cocktails, and the occasional bit of nonsense, make sure you like the video and subscribe so you don’t miss future reviews.

Aviation Cocktail Recipe
2 oz Gin
½ oz Lemon Juice
¼ oz Crème de Violette
¼ oz Maraschino Liqueur
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
Shake well and strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass.
Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

01/03/2026

We’ve tried a few of the Imagination gins in the past, and they’ve never disappointed; so when this striking Blueberry Spice Gin from their Forager’s Series caught our eye, we knew it had to go on the table.
With its bold colour and layered spice profile, this one promises to be a little different, and we were keen to see whether it delivers on flavour as well as looks.
We get into the botanicals, how it drinks in a classic G&T, and whether this latest Imagination release lives up to our past favourites.
If you’re into honest gin reviews, interesting botanical combinations, and discovering standout craft gins, make sure you like, subscribe, and comment to let us know what we should try next.
This gin is currently sold out on the Imagination website, but still available online from Easy Tiger Spirits
Cheers 🍸

22/02/2026

Another week and another non-gin… not gin? 0% alcohol road test. 🤷‍♀️
This time Kate is trying Ecology & Co in a can. Actually two cans, because they do at least two flavours. You can buy Ecology & Co as a bottled non-gin non-spirit and add tonic yourself, but the cans make life easier by coming pre-mixed.
So… RTDs?
But also… not RTDs?!
We try the two flavours: A (not) London Dry-style gin & tonic, and an (not) Asian Spice-style gin & tonic.
(Before anyone panics, the (not) bit is our joke, not the actual product name.)
While Mal is not usually a fan of non-alcoholic alternatives, he steps in to give his opinion anyway — because honest feedback matters.
If you’re curious about zero-ABV gin alternatives, pre-mixed alcohol-free drinks, or just enjoy watching us work out what exactly is in the glass, hit like, subscribe, and tell us what you think.
Cheers 🍸

15/02/2026

With all the delicious raspberry gins around — and our deep, nostalgic love of the Jelly Tip ice cream — we decided it was time to take matters into our own hands and create a Malkat Jelly Tip Cocktail.
After a bit of trial and error (although let’s be honest… none of the errors were wasted), we finally landed on a version we’re very happy with — and we’re sharing it with you.
In this video:
- Mal explains what a Jelly Tip actually is (for anyone who didn’t grow up in NZ)
- We break down what’s in the cocktail
- Suggest alternative gins if you can’t get your hands on the Good George Aotearoa Christmas Gin
- Show you exactly how to build the cocktail at home
- Bonus content: how to make your own vanilla syrup

Huge shout-out to our dear friend Mārtiņš at Moore Wilson’s for some very sage advice along the way — always appreciated.
We hope you enjoy watching (and making) this cocktail as much as we enjoyed drinking it.
Cheers 🍸

08/02/2026

This week we’re following up with another Unlikely Companions Gin for a proper test run — this time it’s their Rose + Szechuan Gin.
We really enjoyed their Sea Salt + Kelp Gin that we tried before Christmas, so expectations were already set reasonably high. Floral and spice can be a tricky combo though, so the big question is:
👉 How does this one stack up — and do we actually agree?
We get into the balance between rose and Szechuan pepper, how it performs in a classic G&T, and whether it lives up to its Unlikely Companions sibling… or gets politely sidelined.
If you’re into honest gin reviews, interesting botanical combinations, and watching us work out whether we’re on the same page or not, make sure you like, subscribe, and comment — especially if you’ve tried this one yourself.
Cheers 🍸

01/02/2026

Kate is back again with another Elta Ego 0% ABV review, and this time it’s their non-alcoholic Negroni.
We love our Negronis — the bitter, balanced, boozy goodness — so fair warning: we’re going in as harsh critics. Can a zero-alcohol version actually capture that classic Negroni bite? Or does it fall flat?
Watch to see how this stacks up.
🍊 Bitter?
🍹 Balanced?
❌ Or just… mocktail?
If you’re into honest non-alcoholic cocktail reviews, gin alternatives, and seeing whether zero-ABV drinks can really stand up to the real thing, hit like, subscribe, and drop a comment telling us what non-alcoholic drink you want us to test next.

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