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New Zealand

Pokeno Distillery

SPELLBINDING and AUTHENTIC

Nestled at the foot of the volcanoes overlooking the northern island of New Zealand, dive into the Pokeno distillery. Ambassador and proud of its environment, it invites you to discover this remote territory, guided by the respect of traditions to position the country as a new essential land of whiskies. Without compromising on quality, the Pokeno distillery promotes a local supply, a long fermentation and a slow distillation to guarantee body and roundness to its whiskies. 

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A "NO COMPROMISES" PHILOSOPHY

Pokeno's mission is simple: never compromise on quality! All the raw materials are local; the distillery sources its grains from three family farms in the Canterbury region on the South Island. They were chosen for the quality of their soil and are visited regularly to ensure uncompromising quality. The spring water used to make the whiskies is drawn directly from the volcanic mountains surrounding the distillery. It is steeped in minerals that influence and reveal the full character of the Pokeno single malt. 

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A RIGOROUS PROCESS

The fermentation of Pokeno single malts is rather long (72 hours) to ensure maximum aromatic release. The whisky is then distilled slowly to promote contact with the copper. The pot still has a swan neck that is deliberately tilted upwards to produce a light, fruity and floral whisky. COMMUNITY FIRST Pokeno is dedicated to utilizing every component involved in the distillation of its whiskies. Therefore, any waste that cannot be reused in distilling operations is distributed for free to neighboring farms. The wet barley remaining after sugar extraction, also known as "draff", is used for animal feed. The residual distillation syrup will find a second life as fertilizer. 

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Matthew Johns

Founder of Pokeno Whisky Company

Driven by the desire to position New Zealand as a new destination for whiskey lovers, Matthew Johns founded the family-owned Pokeno Whisky Company in 2018. After 25 years in the whiskey industry, he is putting all his knowledge to work and inviting us to discover this remote region. 

Discover the distillery's other brands


Pokeno

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