Verve sits down and raises a glass with Liz Scott who co-founded Waiheke Distilling Co with her husband, Glen.
How did your gin journey begin?
Over one too many gins! As a husband-and- wife team with backgrounds and interests in distilling, property, and botanicals we sought a business that would enable us to craft an artisan product in a beautiful setting that could be shared with others. Whilst crafting gin in this rugged and relatively remote landscape is logistically challenging, we’re rewarded by an exceptionally clean and pure spirit that captures the essence of Waiheke.
What do you most love about gin?
That it’s a beautiful, versatile spirit that can be enjoyed simply with tonic or soda on a lovely summer afternoon, but when the sun goes down can star in an array of opulent cocktails. We love that gin making allows us to explore the concept of showcasing the garden in a glass.
Why do you think it has become such a popular drink in recent years?
Gin has a fascinating history and lends itself to many varied cocktail creations. The boom in craft gins really took off when boutique distilleries were able to experiment with local botanicals to craft bespoke blends that represented their provenance.
Could you tell us about interesting ingredients and/or gin making techniques that you employ?
We use macadamia in our distillation, giving a lovely, silky and almost creamy mouth-feel. We also use a vegan-friendly base ethanol as opposed as to a whey base. Most of the citrus is harvested from the property, the rainwater is collected on-site and the large spray-free, beef-riendly botanical garden is our ideas factory for our blends and perfect serves.
See more at www.waihekedistilling.co.nz
