KAWAU BAYDISTILLING CO.
KAWAU BAY DISTILLING CO.See the range ↓

KAWAU BAY DISTILLING CO.

New Zealand malt whiskey

Made in Forrest Hill, Auckland.

Find a bottle ↓
THE LABELPŌHUTUKAWAOUR RANGE

OUR WHISKEY

What we make

The range includes our original malt whiskey, a malt whiskey and whey spirit blend, and whiskey with soda in a can.

GREEN LABELKawau Bay Malt Whiskey, green label bottle

40% ABV · 700 mL

Malt Whiskey

Our original malt whiskey has a lighter, delicate style, with subtle florals and gentle sweetness.

Product details ＋
Strength
40% ABV
Bottle
700 mL
Style
Malt whiskey

A carefully made malt whiskey, shaped by comparing woods, yeasts and combinations side by side. Try it neat, or with a splash of water.

Ask about this bottle ↗
CREAM LABELKawau Bay Malt Whiskey and Whey Spirit Blend, cream label bottle

40% ABV · 700 mL

Malt Whiskey &
Whey Spirit Blend

This brings our malt whiskey together with a spirit made from whey, the liquid left when milk is made into cheese. It’s a different way to work with a New Zealand ingredient.

Product details ＋
Strength
40% ABV
Bottle
700 mL
Blend
Malt whiskey & whey spirit

The blend combines malt whiskey with whey spirit. If you’d like to compare it with the original or ask about a tasting, send us a message and we’ll help.

Ask about this bottle ↗
PREMIERKawau Bay Premier Whiskey and Soda can

5% ABV · 330 mL

Whiskey & Soda

Our canned whiskey and soda contains carbonated water, whiskey and a pinch of salt, with no added sugar.

Product details ＋
Strength
5% ABV
Can
330 mL
Added sugar
None

No added sugar. Approximately 1.3 New Zealand standard drinks per 330 mL can. Best served chilled.

Ask about the can ↗

Contact us for current prices, availability and where to find a bottle.

Let’s talk ↗

OUR STORY · FATHER & SON

How we got started

Could we make a whiskey with a distinctly New Zealand character, in a lighter, more delicate style?

For about three years, my father and I tried different woods, yeasts and combinations in a massive series of A/B tests. I don’t have a mass spectrometer. I have my nose and my taste, so we compared everything side by side, with friends and family helping us decide what was worth pursuing.

Kawau Bay was previously known as Forrest Island Distillery.

WHERE IT STARTED

Early experiments at Kawau Bay, Snells Beach.
Today, the distillery is in Forrest Hill, Auckland.

The distiller with a glass of whiskey in the rack roomCopper pot still in the distilleryOak casks resting in the rack room
INSIDE THE DISTILLERY IN FORREST HILL, AUCKLAND
Pōhutukawa branches reaching over the sand and casting shade beside the water at Big Manly Beach
Big Manly Beach, WhangaparāoaPhoto: BillT / alphacrucis · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized; cropped to fit.

THE CRAFT

Why we use pōhutukawa charcoal

We wanted to bring something to the whiskey that felt inseparable from Aotearoa.

Pōhutukawa are a defining feature of so many North Island beaches, especially along the east coast. They grow right on the beach, with branches reaching out over the sand and giving you somewhere cool to sit on a hot day. They’re a big part of what makes those beaches so beautiful.

That connection was one reason we wanted to try pōhutukawa charcoal. We liked the subtle floral delicacy and gentle sweetness it brought to the drink, and kept comparing the results as we refined the process. Choosing the right yeast helped give those quieter notes room to come through.

THE CHARCOAL
Pōhutukawa
THE YEAST
Chosen through trials
A golden retriever sitting on coastal rocks at sunset

CONTACT

Say kia ora.

Ask about a bottle, stocking Kawau Bay or arranging a visit. Send us a message and we’ll get back to you.

Loading the enquiry form…

We’ll use your details to respond to your enquiry. Spam checks are provided by Cloudflare.

DISTILLERY
Forrest Hill, Auckland
Visits by arrangement