The worldwide craft beer phenomenon has paved the way for craft spirits.

With a boom in premium products overseas, from Japanese whiskies to British gins, trailblazing Kiwi distillers are taking inspiration from the land, forging alcohol with ingredients such as manuka and homegrown malted barley - creating a taste that is uniquely New Zealand.

We explore some of the country's best multi-award winning producers to discover an industry full of passion, innovation and desire to bring locally forged artisan spirits to the global stage. 

CARDRONA DISTILLERY, WANAKA

"It all started when I was a 21-year-old managing a gastro-pub in Chelsea, London", recalls Desiree Whitaker, owner of Cardrona Distillery in Wanaka

Mum came over ... and took me to Scotland where we visited a small distillery. From then I was hooked – 'the spirit' was in my blood."

Visiting the Cardrona Distillery, you would be forgiven for thinking you had driven from New Zealand to the Scottish highlands. The beautiful schist-clad buildings are home to a passionate team that combine traditional and modern methods to create unique craft spirits.

Where/What is it?

Located 15 minutes from Wanaka in the Cardrona Valley, the distillery is a boutique maker of Scottish-style whisky and other high quality spirits, such as vodka, orange liqueur and an award-winning gin.

The family-owned facility is the dream of former dairy farmer Desiree Whitaker, finally opening in December 2015 after years of careful planning.

Their products are distinctive in that they are all single-malt alcohols, made from the same base spirit.

Though the whisky may still be ageing in casks, the other spirits are ready to go and the beautiful stone buildings alone are worth making the trip for. 

The cafe is great spot for a drink and a snack, but the tour is the real draw. We're shown around the facility by distiller Daniel Quinn, who gives us an easy to understand walk-through of how single-malt spirits are made.

The process of turning malted barley, yeast and water from the Cardrona Valley into spirit comes to life as we get to touch, smell or taste different stages of production

Read more at source: Stuff.co.nz