Kiwi Spirit Distillery

At Kiwi Spirit Distillery in Golden Bay, you’ll find craft gins, spirits and liqueurs made with local botanicals and more than a dash of good taste. 

Stop at the cellar door for a complimentary tasting, which will guide you through the distillery’s award-winning range, including the classic dry Championz Gin, earthy Greenstone Gin made with native totara and kahikatea berries, and cocktail-friendly liqueurs such as Boysenberry or Tangelo. Staff will talk flavour profiles, tonic and the unique qualities of each spirit as you sip and are happy to answer questions. Dozens of recipes are available online if you want to recreate one of the tasters poured by the staff. 

Although there’s no regular menu, you can build your own cheese and charcuterie platter from offerings tucked in the small fridge to the side of the tasting bar, and every second Sunday of the month, Kiwi Spirit hosts a Sunday Session from 12-5 pm where you can purchase full-size cocktails paired with a specialty burger.

The cellar door is also where you can get a taste of Kiwi Spirit’s signature TeKiwi 100% Blue Agave Tequilana. The agave is grown in a hothouse behind the distillery and as New Zealand’s only tequila, the taster is more than worth the slight splurge.