FAQs
ABOUT US
What was the inspiration to start a distillery?
Our owner, Jack, first ventured into alcohol-making when they noticed their godparents, who live on the other side of town, were tossing grapes from their old fashioned grapevine on their farm cottage veranda to the cows. Jack usually visited once or twice a year to pick some for eating, but that year we hadn’t heard from them. When Jack saw the grapes being discarded, he joked that they shouldn’t go to waste and could be turned into wine. That sparked an idea, and he decided to make his first batch of port, which turned out to be quite successful among family members. The following year, Jack made 50 bottles of port in memory of one of his uncles who had passed away. Later, Jack stumbled upon an ad on Facebook showcasing beautiful copper stills for distilling. Being a bit like a magpie drawn to shiny things, he couldn’t resist—he ended up buying not just one, but two hand-crafted copper stills made in Portugal!
PRODUCTION
What does small-batch mean?
Small batch in our production process refers to a limited-scale distillation, where we
combine several 16-litre distillations to produce a maximum of approximately 90
bottles of gin, depending on the alcohol strength. This approach allows for greater
control and attention to detail, ensuring a high-quality product.
Do you produce your own alcohol from scratch?
Currently, we do not produce our base spirit from scratch. We purchase lactanol in
bulk, which is ethanol derived from whey—a sustainable by-product of the dairy industry. This method is environmentally friendly, as it repurposes excess whey that would otherwise disrupt soil if spread on farms.
How do you source other botanicals?
We use typical dried gin botanicals sourced from a reputable supplier who imports
them from around the world, based on Waiheke Island. Additionally, many of our
botanicals are grown on-site to maintain freshness and quality
Do you age your spirits?
Currently, we do not age our spirits for sale. However, we are conducting various
experiments involving different types of wood and charring techniques. These include a variety of oak as well as homegrown Manuka and Kanuka wood.
SUSTAINABILITY
Are your ingredients sustainably sourced?
Yes, our ingredients are ethically and sustainably sourced. We work with a reputable supplier based on Waiheke Island who imports high-quality ingredients from around the world. Additionally, most of our ingredients are either locally sourced or
homegrown on-site, ensuring freshness. These are used immediately or dried for later
use.
What steps do you take to reduce environmental impact?
To reduce our environmental impact, we recycle condenser water in our distillation
process, allowing it to cool alcohol vapour multiple times before being replaced. We
also use Lactanol, a sustainably sourced product derived from whey. Any excess
botanicals harvested and the spent botanicals from the distillation process are
composted, creating scrumptious nourishment for our gardens and closing the loop on waste in a sustainable way.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Do you offer tours and tastings at your distillery?
Currently, we do not offer tours or tastings at our distillery as we are just getting started. However, we are considering this for the future. Visitors also cannot purchase
products directly from our location since we only have a license to sell liquor online.
Customers may not pick up liquor directly or buy at the distillery door, but we will ship
products directly to you.
Do you offer limited edition or seasonal releases?
We do offer limited edition and seasonal releases, such as our Backyard Gin, which is
highly seasonal due to its use of common summer herbs.
What was the inspiration for the Backyard Gin Label?
The Backyard Gin label was designed by Ronnie Baker, a renowned illustrator based in
Queenstown, New Zealand. The inspiration for the label comes from a photo taken at
the bottom of our driveway, looking up through native QEII Trust bush. This area often features families of pukeko in the swamp at the bottom, which follow cars along the driveway.