Perched on the ridge overlooking Cowes Bay (formerly Pikau Bay) at the remote eastern end of Waiheke Island, Waiheke Distilling Co crafts contemporary boutique spirits deeply rooted in its coastal landscape. The family distillery operates on historic land once home to Waiheke's earliest beachside hotel and a working sheep farm, blending modern distilling craft with pastoral heritage.
Surrounding the distillery is a spray-free, bee-friendly botanical garden planted in 2019, providing native and cultivated ingredients such as coastal kelp, kawakawa, coriander, and macadamia that shape their gin and vodka blends. Guests visiting the cellar door can wander the botanical gardens, take in expansive Hauraki Gulf views, admire the intricate macrocarpa carving by Nico Otero, and experience tastings in The Woolshed—a restored agricultural space featuring original shearing-era timber and an authentic wool press.
High on the ridge overlooking the sheltered waters of Cowes Bay, Waiheke Distilling Co operates at the meeting point of maritime history and modern botanical craft. Long before modern tourism, Cowes Bay—originally known as Pikau Bay—was a celebrated destination for Victorian day-trippers arriving on steamer boats for summer regattas. Hospitality in the bay dates back to the 1860s, complete with an early post office, a seaside hotel, and an open-air dance pavilion. Today, Waiheke Distilling Co honours the meaning of Pikau—‘to take care of’—by restoring hospitality to this remote eastern outpost of Waiheke Island.
At the core of the distillery's spirits is an intensive connection to the soil. In 2019, former pastoral farmland was thoughtfully converted into a spray-free, bee-friendly botanical garden. This living library provides the botanicals, garnishes, and flavour inspiration that define every batch. Specimen junipers grow on-site alongside home-grown coriander collected seasonally for its nutty, citrus profile. Subtle macadamia nuts provide texture and a smooth mouthfeel, while wild herbs like native kawakawa, horopito, and coastal botanicals thrive in the island air.
Standing among the grounds is a prominent macrocarpa sculpture carved by artist Nico Otero. Its sweeping form echoes the coastline of Waiheke and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, accented in blue to represent Tangaroa and Hinemoana, the deities of the ocean, grounding the distillery firmly in its maritime home.
Each spirit created on-site reflects the rhythm of the island. The flagship Spirit of Waiheke Gin takes direct inspiration from the ocean below, incorporating dried New Zealand giant kelp to impart a gentle, savoury depth balanced by hand-ground cardamom pods. In contrast, the Waiheke Dry Gin reimagines the classic London Dry profile with soft pink peppercorns that lend a mild aromatic warmth.
Innovation also brings collaboration with storied neighbours, including the limited edition Larose Unchartered barrel-aged gin. Bottled at a bold 52% alcohol by volume, this spirit rests in French oak casks previously used for Stonyridge Larose, picking up layers of vanilla, spice, and vinous complexity without overpowering its bright juniper core.
Visitors making the journey to Cowes Bay can explore the spirits where they are made. In late 2024, the distillery opened The Woolshed, a reimagined space housed within the property's original mid-century sheep-shearing building. Weathered timber walls and the preserved historic wool press create an atmospheric venue for guided spirit tastings, private events, and relaxed afternoons overlooking the gulf.