Three Sheets: New Zealand

An isolated island nation in the southwest Pacific Ocean, New Zealand may not be highly populated, but it’s teeming with dazzling and diverse natural scenery.  Nicknamed ‘The Paradise of the Pacific’, the country is home to stunning rugged landscapes, gorgeous beaches and spectacular geothermic and volcanic activity.  South Island is the larger of New Zealand’s two islands.  It’s a clean and green adventure playground with extreme activities and alcoholic beverages to match.   

WHERE WE WENT

• Southern Distilleries – A boutique spirit manufacturer in the small town of Timaru, Southern Distilleries makes and bottles quality rums and whiskeys.  Old Hokonui is a moonshine whiskey that is produced from an Scottish family recipe dating back to 1895.  Southerner Creme is a malted liqueur blended with cream, wild honey and herbs.  A distillery tours and a visit to the Hokonui museum are a must see for all travelers, whiskey drinkers or not. 16 Hokonui Drive, Gore
• The House Bar —  Eichardt’s Private Hotel is home to The House Bar, a Queenstown icon since 1867.  Master bartenders here pay tribute to extreme mountaineering with a very inventive cocktail.  Sir Ed, a drink that got the bar into the World Cup of Cocktails, was created in honor of Sir Edmund Hilary, a kiwi known for being the first person to climb Mount Everest.  The drink’s ingredients are what Hilary had available to him on the mountain – tea, dates, apricots and honey…with a little vodka and rum thrown in. Marine Parade, Queenstown 9300
• The World Bar —  The World Bar is a popular restaurant and bar for in Queenstown featuring a long list of beers and creative cocktails.  It’s a great place to sample beers from Montheith’s Brewing Company, a brewery on the west coast of New Zealand that has been crafting fine beers for over 150 years.  Monteith’s Original Ale is a richly hopped, yet surprisingly chuggable beer.  Monteith’s Black Beer has nice chocolate and coffee flavors.  Loopy Juice is the house ale.  At 5% alcohol, it has the highest proof of any other beer in the bar.  The World Bar is best known for its menu of teapot cocktails.  A couple rounds of flavorful shots are served in teapots that are delicious and unique.  The Tropicana teapot is a popular tropical concoction. 27 Shotover Street, Queenstown Town Centre 9300
• Skybar —  Head to Skybar in Queenstown if you seek a flare for the theatrical.  It sits high above the hustle and bustle of busy Camp Street and boasts a diverse mix of classic and contemporary cocktails.  The Flaming Kiwi is an alcohol bomb for badasses.  Shots of kiwi-flavored vodka and high-proof rum are set above shots of Monteith’s Radler Bier, a lemon and lime-flavored lager.  The vodka is set ablaze and plopped into the beer making it the craziest bomb you may ever see. 26 Camp Street, Queenstown Town Centre 9300

New Zealand Facts:

• New Zealand gained its independence from Great Britain in 1907 making it the youngest country in the world.
• New Zealand was the first democracy in the West that gave women the right to vote.
• To become a New Zealand citizen, you must swear an oath of loyalty to Queen Elizabeth.
• Bungee jumping was invented in New Zealand.
• New Zealand has won the most Olympic gold medals, per capita, amongst all the participant countries.

Recipes:

Sir Ed
Apricots
Honey
Lemon juice
2 Shots of date-infused vodka
Splash of Nepalese Masala tea
Splash of Rum

Thoroughly muddle apricots.  Add honey and lemon juice and muddle some more. Add vodka and tea and shake.  Strain into a mountaineer’s cup, top off with a splash of rum.

Tropicana Teapot
Vodka
Rum
Strawberry Liqueur
Banana Liqueur
Coconut Liqueur
Cranberry Juice
Pineapple Juice 

Combine all and serve in a teapot.