Lighthouse Gin is not the loudest name in the room, but it doesn’t need to be. Rooted in the rugged coastal soul of Cape Palliser, New Zealand’s southernmost tip, it speaks through clarity of flavour and quiet confidence. Now recognised as Spirit of the Year, New Zealand at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards, Lighthouse Gin is stepping into a broader spotlight.

We sat down with Rachel Hall, the country’s first female head distiller and the steady hand behind every small batch of Lighthouse, and Jason Daniel, CMO at Foley Family Wines & Spirits, to explore the brand’s next chapter. From expanding international reach to championing sustainability and storytelling through gin, they reflect on the deep connection between place, process, and people, and how an award can mark not a finish line, but a beginning.

Image: Lighthouse Gin crowned as Spirit of the Year, New Zealand at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards.

Congratulations on Lighthouse Gin being named Spirit of the Year, New Zealand at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards. How do you plan to leverage this recognition to elevate your brand both locally and internationally?

Jason Daniel: We’re honored to be named Spirit of the Year, New Zealand, at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards. This recognition not only affirms the artisan craftsmanship of our head distiller, Rachel Hall, behind every bottle of Lighthouse Gin but also energizes our success in the United States. We’re weaving this distinction into our marketing so customers, trade partners, and consumers can celebrate this milestone with us.

Lighthouse Gin is deeply rooted in its surroundings, from the Remutaka Range aquifer to the Cape Palliser inspiration. How do you communicate this sense of place in global markets, and what makes Lighthouse truly distinct in an increasingly crowded premium gin category?

Jason Daniel: Each batch of Lighthouse Gin is handcrafted by New Zealand’s first female head distiller, Rachel Hall, and an embrace of the brand’s remote provenance, from the pure spring water drawn from an ancient aquifer to the native Yen Ben lemons Rachel hand-zests herself. In a gin category dominated by juniper-heavy London Dry styles, Lighthouse stands apart with its citrus-led botanical blend, with Yen Ben lemons at the forefront. The result is a clean, vibrant profile that transports drinkers to this special edge of the world.

Image: (Left) Cape Palliser Lighthouse, and (Right) Rachel Hall, Head Distiller.

Rachel Hall: We communicate Lighthouse Gin’s sense of place by highlighting our roots in New Zealand and using local ingredients that truly reflect our environment. From the lemony Yen Ben lemons to the pure local spring water from Wharekauhau, we let these elements shine. The result is a beautifully balanced gin — not overwhelmed by juniper — where the citrus notes take centre stage, capturing the fresh, clean essence of our home.

With your gin’s citrus-forward profile and handcrafted ethos, who is your ideal consumer, and how do you reach them across different markets?

Jason Daniel: Lighthouse Gin resonates with curious, experience-driven drinkers—those who crave artistry and a sense of place in what they pour. These are the flavor seekers and modern explorers, whether they’re behind the bar or at home. Across markets, we meet them where they are: through premium on-premise placements, immersive tastings, and digital content that evokes the bold spirit of New Zealand’s rugged, southern coast.

Where is Lighthouse Gin currently available outside of New Zealand? Are you working with key distributors or retailers in the US or other export markets? Which on- or off-premise partners have proven most important to your international growth so far?

Jason Daniel: Lighthouse Gin is available nationally in the U.S. and throughout New Zealand, with growing interest in additional global markets. We’re working closely with key distributors and retail partners in the U.S. to support growth in both on- and off-premise channels. Our most successful international placements have been with premium cocktail bars and independent retailers who value craft, story, and standout liquid.

Image: Cocktail - Spice Cove.

What role does marketing play in supporting your importer and retail partners? Are there specific activities—digital campaigns, tastings, collaborations—that you’ve found particularly effective in moving stock and building consumer loyalty?

Jason Daniel: We have a new campaign beginning this year that puts front and center Rachel Hall, New Zealand’s first female head distiller, and how she crafts Lighthouse Gin her way with hand-zested Yen Ben lemons, told in a lighthearted, quirky tone that embraces the authentic charm of New Zealand. We’ve also found that experiential activations like guided tastings and mixologist-led events are the most powerful tools for conversion. 

Image: The Lighthouse Gin Garden Party 2025.

Lighthouse recently opened its own distillery, a major step. What does this expansion mean for your production capabilities, visitor experiences, and long-term ambitions for the brand?

Rachel Hall: Opening the new distillery was a significant milestone for Lighthouse Gin. It’s a testament to how far we have come and where we will grow and expand, allowing us to be more creative in the future. 

The distillery also lets us welcome visitors to see how the gin is made, meet the people behind it, and experience our connection to place firsthand. 

Image: The Runholder (Martinborough, NZ) - (Left) Tasting room, and (Right), Distillery inside the Runholder.

Sustainability often sits at the heart of modern craft spirits. Could you share how Lighthouse Gin is approaching environmental responsibility across sourcing, packaging, or production?

Rachel Hall: We're always thinking about sustainability — it's a part of how we do things. We use renewable energy from our solar panels and only take as much water from the spring as we need. When it comes to ingredients and packaging, we look at where it comes from, how it’s made, and we order in bulk to cut down on waste.

As New Zealand’s first female Head Distiller, you’ve been instrumental in shaping Lighthouse’s evolution. What drives your personal approach to distilling, and what legacy do you hope to create through this gin?

Rachel Hall: I’ve been with Lighthouse Gin since the early days and was trained by the original master distiller. Foley purchased it in 2014, and the new distillery opened in 2024, which allows for more capacity and creativity. I love the ethos behind Lighthouse and where it came from. I give everything I have and say yes to every opportunity.

My approach to distilling is very hands-on. No cutting corners, doing it right, and tasting every step of the way. For me, it’s about staying connected to the process, to the ingredients, and to the spirit of what Lighthouse stands for. 

I hope my legacy shows that hard work really does pay off — that if you roll up your sleeves, trust yourself, and stay true to who you are, you can build something lasting and meaningful. And as a woman in this role, I’d love my journey to help open more doors and inspire other women who want to follow their own path in the industry.

Image: Rachel Hall, New Zealand’s first female Head Distiller.

Conclusion

As Lighthouse Gin grows its presence across shelves and back bars from Wellington to New York, its compass remains fixed: careful craft, meaningful provenance, and a spirit that reflects its home as much as its maker. For Rachel Hall and the team at Foley, the Bartender Spirits Award is less a peak than a signal fire, illuminating the path ahead with the same clarity and purpose that has always defined their distillation. With a new distillery, new markets, and a firm grip on what makes their gin distinct, Lighthouse isn’t following trends. It’s carving its own route, one considered, citrus-laced pour at a time.

In conversation with Malvika Patel, Editor and VP, Beverage Trade Network

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