Spirit of place
From wild thyme in Central Otago to horopito in Southland, Elsewhere Gin captures New Zealand’s landscapes in remarkably distinctive spirits.
New Zealand is a forager’s paradise. You just have to know where to look.
For Mark Rose, that means seeing possibilities where others might see little more than scrub-covered hillsides or windswept coastlines. As the founder and distiller behind Elsewhere Gin, Mark has built a business around capturing the flavours, aromas, and stories of place in a bottle.
Together with his wife, Zoë, he creates small-batch premium gins inspired by regions throughout New Zealand.
For Mark, the concept behind Elsewhere Gin is closely linked to his background in winemaking.
“Each gin is a celebration of the regions,” he says. “You could paint a place, write a song about it, or tell stories about it. To be able to put it into a drink that someone can enjoy at the end of the day is another level entirely.”
The philosophy draws heavily on the winemaking concept of terroir – the idea that climate, landscape, soil, and people all contribute to the character of a finished product.
“You can take the same Chardonnay clone and grow it in Hawke’s Bay and Central Otago, treat it exactly the same, and it will taste completely different. That’s because of the microclimate, the macroclimate, the terrain, and the people.”
Elsewhere Gin applies the same thinking to spirits. Each regional release is designed as a snapshot of a particular place and moment in time.
The Central Otago gin, for example, brings together botanicals that speak directly to the region. Black cherry, rosehip, aronia berries, wild thyme, and Bannockburn “Legends Vineyard” Pinot Noir all contribute to a spirit that reflects the landscape’s distinctive character.
“It’s a pretty faithful snapshot of what’s happening on that landscape,” says Mark.
Like vintage wine, each batch evolves. Seasonal conditions influence the plants gathered, meaning no two years are exactly the same. While Mark often returns to favourite locations for future releases, new discoveries regularly inspire fresh creations.
The journey into foraging began during Mark’s time at Pegasus Bay Winery, where community foraging festivals brought together chefs, fishers, hunters, winemakers, and food producers. There he met respected foragers Melanie White and Peter Langlands, who helped him develop his knowledge of native and wild ingredients.
“I started foraging, reading, and learning as much as I could,” he says. “Once you learn, a boring hillside of trees starts to look promising. I just couldn’t help myself.”
The distinctive bottle labels, created by artist Alaina Rhind, visually capture the essence of each gin’s ingredients and region.
Collaboration has also played an important role in Elsewhere’s success. One such partnership emerged with Carbon Property’s Ben Lagan, who was searching for meaningful gifts for clients.
“It matched our ethos,” says Ben. “High quality, bespoke, and boutique.”
The partnership eventually led to a Southland-inspired gin celebrating the best of the region. During a rain-soaked research trip through The Catlins and down to Bluff, Mark gathered inspiration – and botanicals.
The resulting gin features vibrant red horopito, fragrant celery pine, rimu fronds, blackberries, mānuka leaves, seawater, aromatic wormwood, and tauhinu. Ben says, “The feedback from our customers has been amazing.”
Together, they create more than a gin. They create a taste of place – a liquid postcard of remarkable landscapes.