Tucked in the back blocks of Southland’s Scotts Gap, Rob and Toni Auld have been diligently working on their seed-to-sip on-farm distillery operations since they first determined to diversify their farm.
They were one of the few distillers in the world to offer a home-grown grain-to-glass single-malt dram, they said.
It had become more difficult to make a good living from farming and they recognised if they wanted their 100-year-old 200ha heritage farm to remain in their family for further generations, changes needed to be made.
"We were looking for a way that we could add value with three young boys coming on, to give them the opportunity to go farming or follow their dreams.
"We had to do something that was either double in size overnight with no more debt or add value to what we were already doing," Mr Auld said.
They grew good grain and used to supply the former Wilson’s Distillery in Dunedin.
But now high transport costs to northern-based mills meant most of their harvest went into the feed market, he said.
Mr Auld spotted some casks which still held product produced from their farm grain.
"It was the first time we’d ever seen something that had gone out the gate go full circle back around into a consumer product.
"We’re like, ‘why couldn’t we do that?"’
In a do-they-dare moment, steps were cautiously taken towards diversifying a portion of their grain harvest to produce whisky.
Production knowledge and skills as well as supply networks were fostered under the watchful eye of experts at a Tasmanian distillery school.
Single-malt whisky was made using only malted barley at a single distillery, while ageing in oak barrels was key to producing the special characteristics of the precious liquid, Mr Auld said.
"But the biggest driver of flavour is the [growing] season.
"It’s about making sure that what’s going in is really good so it can come out really good, rather than just putting something in and hope that it’s going to be OK."
There were only about five whisky distilleries when they first started - there were now 188 and Auld was already one of the oldest and largest, he said.
But high production levels were not their goal - producing the best whisky from their home-grown grain was.
Their on-site distillery was surrounded by fields of grain and "The Dramery", which was open to boutique tour bookings.
"Tours and tourism are a massive part of what we do. We embraced that by building The Dramery.
The couple had patiently waited to coincide the launch of a special brew with their farm’s 100th birthday last year - releasing a collector’s edition.
"Our first release picked up a gold in the UK spirit awards on release last year - which is great external validation ... To find that it was incredibly well received and technically really good in a blind tasting - that was awesome."
While Scottish distillers aged whisky for 10 years, the warmer climate matured New Zealand whisky faster.
Bottling would start once their unique bottles arrived in the country and they hoped to be completed in time to meet the Christmas market.
Boutique gin and new make (unaged whisky) had also made the production journey under the Auld brand, he said.
- By Toni McDonald
