New Zealand distillery to launch single malt
New Zealand’s Cardrona Distillery is set to open in October this year, specialising in single malt whisky, vodka, gin and triple sec.
The Cardrona Distillery is readying to open in October this yearPlans for the distillery, which will feature a visitors’ centre incorporating a museum and will also create fruit schnapps, were approved in July last year.
The distillery, based between Queenstown and Wanaka, is currently under construction.
With Bourbon barrels from Kentucky and Sherry casks from Spain, the distillery plans to release a 10-year-old “Speyside-style” single malt by the mid-2020s.
Cardrona is also selling an initial 100 whisky casks through its Foundation Casks programme. Buyers can select either a 500-litre Sherry butt costing NZ$21,000 or a 200-litre Bourbon barrel costing NZ$10,500.
Foundation Casks will be filled in the first year of the distillery’s establishment and purchasers will be invited to witness the filling ceremony. Casks will then be stored in the distillery’s warehouse where they will be looked after for minimum of 10 years.
“Foundation members purchase something unique,” said Desiree Whitaker, founder and CEO of The Cardrona Distillery. “Together we will allow time to work a magic based on pure alpine water, rich malted barley, traditional copper pot stills and oak casks that reflect the owner’s preference for colour, flavours, notes and aromas.”
Jennie Whitlock has been appointed distillery manager of Cardrona having gained her IBD Stillman Certification whilst at The Macallan.
In October last year, New Zealand’s Dunedin Distillery launched the world’s first 25-year-old single malt outside of Europe and Japan.
