Now that spirit has been bottled, with the launch in Invercargill today of Spirit of Munro YAK-3 barley vodka, celebrating both the Burt Munro Challenge - the largest motorcycle rally in the southern hemisphere - and those striving to set world records.
The Spirit of Munro series is a partnership between Burt Munro’s family and The New Zealand Whisky Collection.
It was inspired by the legendary Southlander who toiled for years modifying a 40-year-old Indian motorcycle, finally achieving his dream of setting the land-speed world record in Utah, United States, in 1967.
It was Burt Munro’s son John, who lives in Oamaru, who introduced record-setting pilot Graeme Frew to The New Zealand Whisky Collection.
Mr Frew set New Zealand and Australasian air-speed records in his restored World War 2 fighter-plane YAK-3 and asked for the Munro family’s blessing to race with Burt’s racing number 35.
Impressed with Mr Frew’s achievements, Mr Munro thought a partnership with the Full Noise air-racing team would be fitting and approached The New Zealand Whisky Collection to release another product in the Spirit of Munro series, which was all about New Zealanders and their passion for speed, he said.
Mr Frew said Burt Munro’s story proved anything was possible if you believed in yourself, worked hard and followed your dreams.
"It is a real honour to have the support of John and the Munro family in our endeavours to not only go back to the US and race but also in our attempts to set a class world speed record in Full Noise. Burt was fascinated by any machinery designed to go fast and we carry his race number with pride. We think he would approve," he said.
The first release of vodka was distilled in Dunedin from 100% malted South Island barley and bottled in Oamaru.
The spirit had been cut down to 35% ABV and would be sold in 350ml bottles for $35 to honour Burt Munro’s race number, New Zealand Whisky Collection sales and marketing manager Laura Byars said.
Ten percent of all proceeds would go to helping team Full Noise get the plane to the US.
It would be launched in Invercargill through selected Invercargill Licensing Trust liquor stores and venues today, and then online on Monday.
Driving south to Invercargill yesterday, Mrs Byars said it was "so nice to be doing something completely different".
John Munro was also attending the Burt Munro Challenge and it was nice to have the family’s support.
"It’s about supporting people trying to achieve great things and working together," she said.
The vodka was triple-distilled, meaning it was simpler in style with a "lovely, clean, fresh flavour", she said.
The secret was about the distilling experience and the ingredients. "We take time and passion, [it’s] not a mass production facility.
"It’s all about the passion for the craft and taking time and being enthusiastic about what you do and using quality ingredients," she said.
Mrs Byars had watched The World’s Fastest Indian, which starred acting royalty Sir Anthony Hopkins, while living in Finland. That was long before she had met his family. Now she had heard first-hand stories about Burt Munro, she was keen to watch it again.
