New Zealand Distillery Crafts Whisky in Rare Kauri Cask

A New Zealand distillery has created a whisky aged in a kauri cask, a rare feat given the wood’s scarcity and challenging properties. The resulting spirit is a unique expression of Kiwi craftsmanship, with a flavor profile that’s proving to be quite distinct.

The Kauri Challenge

In 2023, the company launched a native wood cask project, the first of which was a tōtara cask whisky. This inaugural whisky earned awards at several international competitions. Now, they’ve set their sights on a second: a kauri single-cask whisky. According to Johns, the kauri cask almost didn’t come to fruition.

Kauri is notoriously difficult to work with. It’s not just the difficulty in acquiring it. “It’s very brittle and snaps and breaks and cracks,” explained Johns.

A Cooper’s Expertise

The team obtained the kauri wood from a Te Kauwhata resident who had it stored for three decades. Mike Tawse, a cooper originally from Scotland, is believed to be the only person in New Zealand trained in the craft of barrel making.

Tawse described the kauri cask’s creation as “certainly been a challenge.” He added, “It was breaking as I was making it, but I just persevered. In the end, it was a bit smaller than I would have liked it to be, but I just had to say that’s good enough.”

Flavor Profile and Release

“It’s interesting on the nose, very rich and perfumy that you wouldn’t associate with whisky at all. But when we first tried it, it did have a dryness that wasn’t good,” said Johns.

He continued, “A year in, we randomly found it and tried it again and we thought oh wow, it’s actually good. It’s difficult to describe.”

According to Statista, the global whisky market is forecast to reach $78.97 billion in revenue in 2024. The demand for unique, small-batch whiskies like this is growing.

More Special Editions

The distillery is also set to launch a sauvignon blanc cask whisky in partnership with The Hunting Lodge Winery. This whisky matured entirely in a sauvignon blanc barrel. “You can really smell and taste the sauvignon blanc and those lovely citrus notes,” said Johns.

Johns stated that the kauri cask will be a limited release of approximately 100 bottles, available exclusively in New Zealand in July. The next native wood cask release, however, is estimated to be two years away.

The company is also experimenting with tawa wood for future releases. Tawse noted that coopering is a unique, though physically demanding, trade.

In addition to the kauri cask, the distillery recently restored a sherry cask, which was a collaboration with Michael Fraser Milne of Whisky Galore. This 100-year-old cask, named Solera La Ina Hogshead No. 121, adds another layer of historical significance to the distillery’s offerings.

The distillery, founded in 2017 by Johns and his wife, Celine, is open to visitors on Saturdays. The company is also present at Fieldays, where they recently launched their first Port Cask Whisky.