Kiwi whisky maker eyes export growth at Fieldays
A New Zealand whisky maker is using Fieldays to showcase a new product that has already found success across the Tasman. Waikato Independent reporter Paul Michael, set off to sample the wares.
Thomson Whisky founder, Matt Thomson, said his new whisky, ginger and honey liqueur, Tommy, has recently secured strong sales in Australia ahead of his upcoming trip to Sydney.
Thomson was in The Pantry pavilion at Fieldays this week sharing samples and information to visitors stopping by and said his next stop was Australia, “I’ve got to go to the Sydney Food and Wine Show next week.”
The pantry which was bustling with visitors sampling food and beverages from around New Zealand and Thomson Whisky was among a range of distilleries on show which were attracting curious crowds keen for a dram.
Thomson Distillery, based in Riverhead, northwest of Auckland, began when Thomson started home distilling in 2005. By 2009 he was selecting and bottling aged New Zealand whisky for the market.
Today, the company’s products are stocked in around 350 stores nationwide and are also sold online and exported overseas.
“The whisky is pretty well represented in shops and we get online sales and we export a bit,” Thomson said.
The distillery’s latest product, Tommy, combines whisky with ginger and honey and is designed to be enjoyed in a variety of ways, including mixed with soda, fruit juice or coffee.
The Waikato Independent sampled a warm version, perfect for a cold morning.
Thomson said much of what he learned about whisky making came through experimentation.
“Trial and error. I started distilling at home. I had to sort of gamble on my taste, my palate and my design sense,” he said.
His travels have also helped shape his understanding of the industry. Thomson has spent time in both Ireland and Scotland and regularly attends international whisky events.
“We have a stand at the London Whisky Show each year, which is the biggest whisky show in the world,” he said.
“Last year we ran a tasting at the Single Malt Whisky Society in Edinburgh, which was great.”
Despite the company’s growth, Thomson said remaining independent was important.
“Whisky distilleries are quite dangerous if there’s a lot of investor money that goes in before they’ve sold a drop,” he said.
“How do you know that the whisky is any good?”
Visitors to the Thomson Whisky stand at Fieldays were able to sample a range of products, including the new Tommy liqueur, as the independent distillery looks to continue expanding its presence in New Zealand and overseas markets.
