Burnt Hill Vodka is going against the grain

Craft beers and speciality gins have climbed up the alcohol popularity ranks in recent years, but two friends want to show the world that their volcanic-filtered vodka is the new artisanal craft spirit to test their tastebuds on.

When jewellery store owner Ben Paul and airline pilot Nathan Johnston became friends in 2016, it wasn’t long before the pair realised they also wanted to go into business with each other.

“Idealistically, we were very similar and had plans and visions of wanting to be part of something bigger than just ourselves,” Johnston tells BusinessDesk. 

“We wanted to give a bit more back than just what we were doing in our day jobs.”

They considered throwing themselves into the world of craft beer or gin but found both of those markets oversaturated. Their families also had a range of dietary needs and they wanted to focus on alcohol that everyone in their families could enjoy – while also giving it a twist.

From all of this, Burnt Hill Vodka was born.

Johnston says historically, most vodka has been made with grains or potatoes but the pair of friends decided to use pure sugarcane instead so their vodka could be gluten-free and also more environmentally friendly. 

Creating less of an environmental impact is also an important aspect, with Johnston and Paul determined to tax the environment as little as possible in the pursuit of making the best vodka available on the market.

“I think we all need to be really mindful about how we consume and what we are consuming, where it's coming from and what happens to it after we're finished with it,” Johnston says.

Putting the volcano into vodka

They use pure sugarcane which has been sourced sustainably and distilled a total of eight times by the company’s master distiller. Spring water is added to finish it off and “every drop” of the vodka gets passed through a crushed volcanic rock filter.

“Volcanic filtration is known as being the best filter which is hugely important,” Johnston tells BusinessDesk.

“The other part that actually makes volcanic water so desirable is its minerality. For us, because the distillation process and whatnot can be pretty harsh, you sometimes want to reintroduce some of the better stuff back in.”

Shaking up peoples’ assumptions about vodka was also important for the pair, which meant filtering Burnt Hill’s vodka until it had a creamy and soft texture in the mouth was paramount.

The business also has a volcanic-flavoured brand as well. It gets its name from a small extinct volcano called Burnt Hill in Canterbury which is often used as a navigational landmark for pilots flying over the Canterbury plains, something Johnston became familiar with when he flew over the region.

Johnston said the plan from the get-go was to create a vodka that could be enjoyed by everyone, with a super-smooth, naturally made vodka that captures Aotearoa's terroir – making it the country's first volcanic-filtered craft spirit.

The business launched in 2018 with a small production run of 250 bottles, with their first stockist Liquorland Pukekohe near Paul’s home. 

Fast forward just four years later and this year’s production of Burnt Hill Vodka will reach nearly 5,000 bottles – a 1,624% jump in sales from its modest beginnings.

Burnt Hill is now available at over 150 outlets nationwide, including Glengarry and Moore Wilson. It’s also found itself featured on menus at some of NZ’s top restaurants and bars, including Mr Morris, Amano, Ada, Alma, Lilian, Homeland and Monique Fiso's Hiakai.

Although sales have jumped since it started, Johnston says he and Paul are most proud of how Burnt Hill Vodka got through the pandemic. 

“Obviously, everyone in the hospitality industry over the last two years has had a really hard time,” he says.

“We're really proud of our success because it's been pretty hard for when you're a brand new player.”

Looking to the future

Johnston admits that juggling a quickly growing drinks business while he and Paul both work full-time in their separate jobs can be hard but the pair make it work.

“You've just got to make it work and take those opportunities,” he says.

Now that they’re used to the juggle and also have a bigger team of people than just themselves to run every single aspect of the business, Johnston and Paul have big hopes for the future.

As well as getting Burnt Hill Vodka around the regions of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, Johnston says they’re constantly trying to continue building on the relationships they already have and look further afield at the same time.

“The logical choice is something like Australia and maybe even where we can look into some of those other businesses or other markets up into Europe, things like that,” Johnston says.

But they’re still not quite ready yet and want to make sure their volcanic-shaped vodka footprint has made its mark in NZ first.

Johnston has to think for a moment when asked to name his favourite aspect of Burnt Hill’s vodka.

“My favourite thing about our vodka is just how incredibly clean and full of character it is,” he says.

“When you're pouring it, you feel like you're having an experience.”