Gin Distillery An Extension Of The Southern Pioneers Food Hub

It started with a group of like minded people sitting around a table testing chocolate and gin. The Southern Pioneers Food Hub was a helpful tool that turned one dream into reality.

Bluff Distillery Company founder Jane Stanton was proud as punch at the official opening on Friday, sharing her vision for the new tourism and hospitality project with Chris Fraser and Blair Wolfgram along the way.

When the Southern Pioneers Food Hub first launched just before Covid-19, Jane already had plans for the distillery underway, including the design of gin bottle protoype, and then approached co-director Chris with her vision – encouraging other shareholders to join the venture.

“Chris immediately started trialling the gin recipe for the project as it evolved.”

Cecelia Tarrant, Ian Collier, Sarah Atmore  and Dave Nash came onboard, along with local and Hokonui rūnaka, and part of the former Ocean Beach freezing works was brought back to life.

“Through gin and paua, we can tell the story of Bluff to the world,” Jane said in her speech.

Dignitaries at the opening including Tā Tīpene O’Regan (Ngāi Tahu), MP Hon. Penny Simmonds and Mayor, Nobby Clark, in his first public appearance since heart surgery.

Sir Tīpene said it was a remarkable collaboration between all of the parties to bring the project to life, and thanked everyone for having the vision and the courage to do it.

“This is an endeavour that celebrates the collective will to rebirth this community and economy,” he said.

Penny said there was great excitement in watching the developments of aquaculture in the south, and admitted that when Jane came to her with the idea for a distillery, “I thought she was mad.”

“But the mixture of aquaculture and hospitality is exactly what we want to see here.”

The Bluff Distillery Company has been working on perfecting its classic London Dry Gin which has been described as having hints of citrus.

The still was named Hannah – in honour of entrepreneur and nineteenth century Bluff publican, Hannah Ward Barron, nee Dorney.

“It was appropriate to unveil the name on International Women’s Day, when Hannah faced so many challenges as she established the Ward name in Southland,” Jane said.

To this day Hannah still continues to be a victim of intergenerational slander – a woman, an entrepreneur, a publican, and a shrewd business woman was a direct threat and challenge to the emerging order within the Bluff community, she said.

The opening of the distillery was, of course, the perfect opportunity to combine Jane’s love of chocolate with something slightly stronger, and as she explained to the crowd at the opening, “you name it, gin’s in it.”

Pre sales of Bluff Gin can be made here