Tucked into the rolling foothills of the Bombay Range on New Zealand’s North Island, the Pokeno distillery is surrounded by volcanic soil, lush farmland, and native bush. The warm, humid climate and pure spring water filtered through ancient basalt contribute to a distinctive setting for whisky making. Just south of Auckland, yet far enough to feel rural and rooted, the site offers a quiet clarity where the natural world lends its hand to the slow art of maturation.

Founded in 2017 by Matt Johns and his wife Céline, Pokeno was born from a desire to create a whisky that felt truly of its place. Matt brought decades of experience from the Scotch whisky world, having worked with names such as Tullibardine and Glenmorangie. Céline, equally invested, helped shape the vision of an independent, family-run distillery unbound by convention. They established not only the country’s largest single malt distillery but also New Zealand’s only cooperage, led by resident cooper Mike Tawse. From its first spirit run in 2019, the distillery has embraced both tradition and innovation with equal measure.

South Island barley is selected from family-owned farms, then mashed and fermented over extended periods to coax out soft, fruity esters. Distillation takes place in copper pot stills designed for slow, deliberate runs, encouraging purity and finesse. Maturation occurs in a variety of casks, including first-fill bourbon, oloroso and PX sherry, New Zealand red wine, and even native totara wood. The whisky reveals a range of flavours from bright citrus and toffee to dark berries and soft baking spice, depending on the expression. Always bottled without chill filtration or added colour, Pōkeno’s single malts are as expressive and unpretentious as the land that gives them life.