AUSTRALIA. In the latest breakthrough for fast-growing New Zealand gin Strange Nature, Lotte Duty Free has become the exclusive Australian launch partner for the brand’s new Barrel-Aged Gin expression.
The launch is a particular coup for Lotte Duty Free as the expression is unavailable in the Australian domestic market.
The super-premium gin is priced at A$94.99 (US$62.25) with Lotte Duty Free, compared with A$80 (US$52.40) for the original Strange Nature expression.
Lotte Duty Free Oceania CCO and Vice President Sean Lee said, “We are excited to be working with Strange Nature. As such an innovative brand, they are a natural fit with Lotte Duty Free Oceania, and we’re proud to add Barrel Aged to our great range of exclusive products featured with our proud airport partners in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Darwin.”
Strange Nature Distilling General Manager & Part Owner Rhys Julian said: “Strange Nature Barrel-Aged Gin is an elegant extension of Strange Nature’s original gin brand. Embracing the golden age of strange, the gin has been gracefully aged for nine months in used French and German wine barrels.
“This aging process has resulted in a gin that preserves the signature flavours of Strange Nature while unveiling exciting new dimensions.”
Strange Nature Barrel Aged-Gin is a limited release with only 1,200 bottles from a total production of 3,000 bottles available to the Australian market. It is available exclusively available via Lotte Duty Free in Melbourne, Brisbane and Darwin airports.
The launch complements Strange Nature’s partnership with Lotte Duty Free at Wellington International Airport in New Zealand and the brand’s presence across Lotte Duty Free’s multiple travel retail stores.
Strange Nature has been listed in Wellington since the start of the year. Due to its strong performance and in-store activations, Lotte Duty Free made a call to roll out the brand across its Australian stores.
Julian told The Moodie Davitt Report: “We were aware as a brand of the growing presence of Lotte Duty Free in the Australasian market. Therefore, we have worked hard alongside the company here in New Zealand to build our brand at Wellington Airport.
“The end goal for us was to ultimately provide Lotte Duty Free some solid commercial reasons to consider then listing Strange Nature throughout their Australian duty free stores. We were able to generate an amazing sales run rate in Wellington and compete with other long-standing global gin brands.
“Our design team over delivered on the in-store display artwork, the overarching theme tempting travellers to ‘Seek Strange and Find Wonder.’
“This was coupled with staff training as well as funding Brand Ambassadors to taste Strange Nature with travellers. Making the decision to offer Lotte Duty Free the limited-release Strange Nature Barrel Aged-Gin in Australia was a no-brainer when factoring in the support they have showed our brand during our short partnership.” ✈
Note: Strange Nature was developed during the COVID lockdown in New Zealand. Family-owned Giesen Wines, one of the country’s most successful – and best – winemakers, was trialling ways to make zero-alcohol Sauvignon Blanc, never expecting the alcohol extract to have a rich, herbaceous-citrus flavour that would “lend itself so perfectly to gin”. Read the full story here.
