From Bronze to Gold

July 28, 2026 Caci Erasmus

The Award-Winning Journey of Chivalry Premium Dry Gin

At Sip Distilling, every bottle tells a story.

It’s a story of craftsmanship, refinement, and never settling for “good enough”. While our labels may have evolved over the years, one thing has never changed – our commitment to creating exceptional New Zealand craft spirits.

This year marked an exciting milestone for our distillery as Chivalry Premium Dry Gin was awarded a Gold Medal at the 2026 Super Spirits Awards, recognising the same handcrafted recipe that first began its journey several years ago.

While the bottle has changed, the recipe that earned its reputation has remained exactly the same.

A Recipe That Was Right From The Beginning

Long before Chivalry Premium Dry Gin existed, the spirit was known simply as SIP Original Dry Gin.

When we first launched our original dry gin, we were still a young Auckland distillery building our reputation. The branding was simple, the bottle was different, and we were still refining how we presented ourselves to the world.

What never needed changing was what was inside the bottle.

Our carefully balanced botanical recipe quickly proved itself on the international stage.

In 2023, SIP Original Dry Gin was awarded a Bronze Medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition, one of the world’s most respected spirits competitions.

Considering the gin was still in its original packaging and branding, this achievement confirmed something incredibly important:

The spirit itself was already exceptional.

A New Look for an Award-Winning Gin

As Sip Distilling continued to grow, we wanted our flagship dry gin to reflect the premium quality it had always delivered.

Rather than changing the recipe, we chose to elevate the presentation.

The result was Chivalry Premium Dry Gin.

Presented in an elegant premium bottle with refined branding, Chivalry represents the same handcrafted dry gin recipe that earned international recognition from the very beginning.

Every botanical remains carefully selected and vapour infused to create the crisp juniper character, bright citrus notes, and smooth finish our customers know and love.

Sometimes the best recipe doesn’t need reinventing.

It simply deserves a presentation worthy of what’s inside.

Gold at the 2026 Super Spirits Awards

This year, that decision was rewarded.

Chivalry Premium Dry Gin received a Gold Medal at the 2026 Super Spirits Awards, recognising the quality, balance, and craftsmanship behind our flagship gin.

For our team, this award represents more than another medal.

It confirms that years of dedication to small-batch distilling, premium ingredients, and traditional craftsmanship continue to produce a spirit recognised among New Zealand’s best.

More Than One Award-Winning Spirit

While Chivalry Premium Dry Gin proudly took home Gold, it wasn’t the only spirit recognised this year.

Pink Shimmer Gin

Our vibrant Pink Shimmer Gin was awarded:

Bronze Medal – Junipers New Zealand Gin Awards 2024
Bronze Medal – Super Spirits Awards 2026 (Flavoured Gin Category)

Blending raspberry and delicate floral notes with our signature shimmer effect, Pink Shimmer Gin has become one of our most popular spirits for gifting, celebrations, and cocktails.

Purple Shimmer Gin

Purple Shimmer Gin also continues to impress judges and customers alike, receiving:

Bronze Medal – Junipers New Zealand Gin Awards 2024
Bronze Medal – Super Spirits Awards 2026 (Flavoured Gin Category)

Featuring lavender, rosemary, and blue pea flower, it delivers a beautifully balanced botanical profile with a visually striking shimmer.

Chivalry Spiced Rum

2026 also marked an exciting first for our rum collection.

During its very first year of competition, Chivalry Spiced Rum received a Bronze Medal at the Super Spirits Awards.

It’s an achievement we’re incredibly proud of and a fantastic start for a spirit that has quickly become a customer favourite.

Rich molasses, smooth caramel, and carefully selected warming spices combine to create a rum that’s equally enjoyable sipped neat or mixed into premium cocktails.

Why Awards Matter

Spirit competitions bring together experienced judges who evaluate products through blind tastings, assessing aroma, flavour, balance, complexity, craftsmanship, and overall quality.

While every medal is something to celebrate, what matters most is consistency. Awards provide independent recognition that a spirit has met a high standard when judged alongside products from across New Zealand and beyond.

This year was particularly significant for Sip Distilling. Alongside winning a Gold Medal for Chivalry Premium Dry Gin and multiple additional medals across our range, our founder and head distiller, Caci Kendall, was invited to join the judging panel at the 2026 Super Spirits Awards.

Being selected as a spirits judge is an honour reserved for respected industry professionals with recognised knowledge and experience in distillation and spirit evaluation. It reflects not only the quality of our products but also the expertise behind every spirit we create.

For our customers, these achievements provide confidence that every bottle is crafted by an award-winning distiller whose work has been recognised by independent judging panels and whose expertise is trusted within the New Zealand spirits industry.

Every medal, every bottle, and every new release represents our ongoing commitment to producing premium handcrafted spirits from Auckland, New Zealand, without ever compromising on quality.

Crafted in Auckland. Enjoyed Throughout New Zealand.

Every bottle of Sip Distilling spirit is handcrafted in small batches at our Auckland distillery.

From award-winning dry gin and shimmer gins to premium rum, vodka, ready-to-drink cocktails, gift boxes, and tasting experiences, everything we create is guided by one simple philosophy:

Never compromise on quality.

Whether you’re discovering Sip Distilling for the first time or have supported us since our original dry gin days, we sincerely thank you for being part of our journey.

Experience Our Award-Winning Collection

Explore our collection of award-winning spirits online, including:

Crafted in Auckland. Award-winning by design. Delivered throughout New Zealand.

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