International awards and new bar for Christchurch spirit makers
It started with four mates sitting around having a drink, bouncing ideas off one another.
The Spirits Workshop brands Curiosity Gin and Divergence Whisky are the joint brain-children of four former dairy industry workers, Rod Quinn, Bernard May, Sam Toucek and Antony Michalik.
The quartet quit their various management roles at Westland Milk Products in 2016 and took a leap of faith by buying a whisky distillery, with the hope of running their own consumer-led business where they saw a potential gap in the market.
Early gin-making success has allowed both brands to expand, particularly in the past year, with the opening of the Curiosity Gin cocktail bar in Christchurch’s most popular hospitality space, Riverside Market, in November.
The bar offers specially-infused cocktails with five varieties of gin and three kinds of whisky, with various tasting notes and flight cards.
Are you a fan of whisky or gin?
Read more by clicking the link below.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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53.8% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.1% Critical thinking
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29.4% Resilience and adaptability
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2.7% Other - I will share below!
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