A local couple with a deep passion for the ocean are making waves in Aotearoa's bourgeoning gin market with their unique, conservation-led approach to the distilled beverage.
Distilling may seem like an unexpected trajectory for a couple who have dedicated much of their lives to being on the water. Matt Bridge is a longtime professional sailor, while Angie Bradley, who grew up on Auckland's North Shore, crewed on super-yachts and has enjoyed being in and around the water since birth. Their love story even began out at sea: the pair met while working on boats over two decades ago.
Their decision to venture into New Zealand's gin landscape was sustainability-driven; the couple wanted to create an artisan, marine-flavoured spirit that celebrated their love of the ocean, while also contributing to its conservation. Sea Lovers was born.
Bridge cut his teeth in distilling just a few years ago, founding New Zealand's only botanical rum distillery, Lunatic & Lover, with Bradley in 2019. The two had talked about opening their own rum distillery for years, but finally took the plunge - while Bridge looked after the product, Bradley took care of marketing and sales. Since then, the Auckland distillery has won several awards, and is now home to Sea Lovers - although Bridge maintains he is still a "rum man" at heart.
The New Zealand-owned, locally made gin, although barely six months old, has already begun to establish itself as a beverage that is unlike anything else on the market. It's not often one can say that enjoying a G&T is helping the environment, but in this case, you can: $5 from every bottle sold is donated to Our Seas Our Future, a marine conservation non-profit.
"This whole project is really about the act of creating something: making a tangible, physical (and delicious) product is a very rewarding process," Bridge - whose first offshore passage was on a sail-training ship to the Philippines when he was just 17 - told Newshub.
"It started with a superlative liquid that we really felt was so good, it would be a travesty not to release it. From there, it's evolved in a wonderful way to encompass doing something positive for an environment we love and owe so much to."
Sea Lovers' main point of difference is that it's made from locally sourced marine ingredients, which are married with more traditional botanicals such as juniper, coriander and angelica. These unexpected additions include Waiheke Island oyster shells, rosemary, and wild-harvested kelp from the East Cape.
"There are three hero ingredients that we use that really give the gin its unique character. The oyster shells come from Te Matuku on Waiheke Island, and they go in the pot of the still when we distill the gin," Bridge explained.
"They lend the spirit a salinity and minerality and a lovely full mouth feel. Adding to the marine experience is the wild-harvested kelp from the East Cape. This amazing plant gives depth and a beautiful umami note which is counter-balanced by the brightness and freshness of rosemary.
"We go to great lengths to source the rosemary by stealing it out of the neighbour's garden," he joked.
"These three work in tandem with other more traditional gin botanicals to give the signature profile and complexity."
The small batch gin is distilled in a 1000-litre, hand-beaten copper pot still using a combination of maceration and vapour-infusing techniques in a single shot process, Bridge said. The spirit is then rested for three weeks to allow the flavours to marry and settle, with all aspects of the distillation and production process carried out in Auckland.
Bridge said they have several initiatives in place at the distillery to ensure the gin is manufactured as sustainably as possible, including recapturing heat to reduce power consumption and limiting the use of water. Eco-conscious, plastic-free packaging, however, has been their primary focus.
"We use 100 percent post-consumer recycled glass bottles that have a thinner base to reduce shipping weight," Bridge explained.
"The stoppers are natural cork and even the adhesive the labels are stuck on with is designed to improve ease of recycling. One of the things that breaks my heart when I'm out on the water or at the beach is seeing discarded plastic floating around so for this reason, it's very important to us that we don't use any plastic whatsoever in any of the packaging."
As conservation is a cornerstone of the Sea Lovers' project, it was important for Bridge and Bradley to partner with a local initiative dedicated to protecting Aotearoa's coastlines and marine environment. They picked Our Seas Our Future, a non-governmental organisation that's volunteer-driven and not-for-profit.
"The conservation element is integral to the whole concept. We partner with Our Seas Our Future to this end and for every bottle that sells, we donate $5. They do a range of great work in various areas; everything from education, advocacy and research to direct action such as beach clean-ups," Bridge explained.
"We'd also like to think we could use the brand to raise awareness of how beautiful, incredible yet fragile our marine environment is. At the end of the day, people are far more likely to look after and respect something that they really love and have an affinity for."
One of the things that breaks my heart when I'm out on the water or at the beach is seeing discarded plastic floating around
As to where your money goes, this year alone the $5 donations from every bottle sold have helped fund over 3000 beach clean-up kits, to be used by school children or Our Seas Our Future community members. Donations have also gone towards the organisation's 2024 tertiary scholarship for students undertaking critical marine research, the funding of educational resources, and a film competition inviting kids to share their stories around the need for marine conservation.
If you're wondering how best to enjoy Sea Lovers and its bold marine flavour, Bridge recommends a classic G&T with a good-quality, light tonic or soda to allow the ingredients to shine; East Imperial's Light Tonic Water is a good bet.
"For those looking for something a little more adventurous, I've recently fallen in love with Sea Lovers in a classic dirty martini. Something about the savoury flavours and the olive brine works so well together," he added.
As well as launching a new gin and working on sustainability initiatives, the couple are also busy in their respective careers: Bridge is a consultant for one of the world's leading sailmakers, where he advises clients on their sail programmes, while Bradley runs her own events company. They have two sons and reside on Auckland's North Shore.
Sea Lovers Gin ingredients
- Himalayan and Macedonian juniper blend
- North Island kelp
- Waiheke Island oyster shells
- Homegrown rosemary
- Hawke's Bay lime
- Coriander
- Angelica
- Cassia
- Orris root
- Green cardamom.
Sea Lovers small batch gin is available online or in stores with a RRP of $86.
