The story
Cardrona Distillery delivers a focused approach to modern New Zealand cuisine near Arrowtown within a stone building overlooking the Cardrona Valley. Chef Jack Foster guides a rotating menu that earned the venue a Cuisine Good Food Guide Hat for its consistent quality. Diners encounter sharing plates highlighting regional harvests, with hand speared fish and wild shot game appearing alongside hand shucked oysters.
The culinary program runs parallel to the production of award winning single malt whisky, vodka, gin, and liqueurs made on site. Master Distiller Sarah Elsom oversees the fermentation and maturation processes that shape these beverages, which were first distilled in late 2015. Guests can follow the multi course Trust the Chef progression to explore how local cuisine interacts with barrel aged spirits.
Founder Desiree Reid established the facility after dedicating over a decade to studying global production methods and securing construction permissions. The remote location sits within an Outstanding Natural Landscape defined by extreme seasonal temperature swings that directly influence the aging character of the barrels. Visitors arrive via scheduled shuttle routes from nearby lakeside towns before stepping into a tasting room and dining space carved from local materials.
Recognition
Ambience
Location
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