THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Craft your own 500ml bottle at Matahui Gin Lab and learn how Bay of Plenty botanicals become award-winning spirits. This hands-on, two-hour workshop blends garden foraging, distillation basics and an on-site tasting.
Craft your own 500ml bottle at Matahui Gin Lab and learn how Bay of Plenty botanicals become award-winning spirits. This hands-on, two-hour workshop blends garden foraging, distillation basics and an on-site tasting.
You step through a low hedge into a sun-warmed permaculture plot, and the air answers with sharp citrus, crushed coriander and a green, almost pine-like note from native botanicals daring you to taste the landscape.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Matahui Distillery · Tauranga, Bay of Plenty
You step through a low hedge into a sun-warmed permaculture plot, and the air answers with sharp citrus, crushed coriander and a green, almost pine-like note from native botanicals daring you to taste the landscape.
At Matahui Gin Lab, the outdoor flavour garden leads into a compact, sustainably run micro-distillery where a master distiller guides a small group through building a bespoke 500ml gin. The experience traces a short local history: Bay of Plenty soils and mild maritime climate have supported spice gardens and orchards since Māori and early settlers cultivated the land, and Matahui translates that botanical richness into modern craft spirits.
Geology matters here — volcanic ash and alluvial loams in the region concentrate aromatics in the plants grown for distillation — while the distillery’s on-site permaculture beds and Flavour Library create a living catalogue of scents and textures to mix and evaluate.
Expect hands-on blending, a practical primer on maceration and spirit cuts, and a guided tasting of award-winning expressions. The session runs about 2–2.5 hours, suitable for all fitness levels, and concludes with a labelled 500ml bottle to take home.
Practical notes: book in advance (group sizes are small), arrive sober enough to taste critically, and allow time to tour the facility. Wear comfortable shoes for the garden section and bring a notebook if you plan to recreate the recipe later. The distillery asks pregnant guests to avoid tastings and enforces a 24-hour cancellation policy for refunds.
This is a sensory workshop first and a lesson in sustainable craft distilling second — a short, vivid way to learn how place shapes flavour.
easy.
2–2.5 hours.
Minimal physical exertion; suitable for most adults who can stand and walk short distances.
The session runs roughly 2 to 2.5 hours, including blending, a short distillery tour and a tasting.
Yes — each participant receives a labelled 500ml bottle of their bespoke gin to take away.
Non-drinkers can participate in the blending and tour, but tastings involve alcohol; pregnant visitors are advised not to sample spirits.
Full refunds are available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled session; no refund within 24 hours.
The Bay of Plenty’s fertile soils and coastal climate supported Māori horticulture and later European orchards; modern craft distilleries build on that botanical heritage.
Matahui emphasizes permaculture and sustainable sourcing; guests are encouraged to minimise waste and respect planted beds during visits.
Matahui Distillery operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
You step through a low hedge into a sun-warmed permaculture plot, and the air answers with sharp citrus, crushed coriander and a green, almost pine-like note from native botanicals daring you to taste the landscape.
You step through a low hedge into a sun-warmed permaculture plot, and the air answers with sharp citrus, crushed coriander and a green, almost pine-like note from native botanicals daring you to taste the landscape.
At Matahui Gin Lab, the outdoor flavour garden leads into a compact, sustainably run micro-distillery where a master distiller guides a small group through building a bespoke 500ml gin. The experience traces a short local history: Bay of Plenty soils and mild maritime climate have supported spice gardens and orchards since Māori and early settlers cultivated the land, and Matahui translates that botanical richness into modern craft spirits.
Geology matters here — volcanic ash and alluvial loams in the region concentrate aromatics in the plants grown for distillation — while the distillery’s on-site permaculture beds and Flavour Library create a living catalogue of scents and textures to mix and evaluate.
Expect hands-on blending, a practical primer on maceration and spirit cuts, and a guided tasting of award-winning expressions. The session runs about 2–2.5 hours, suitable for all fitness levels, and concludes with a labelled 500ml bottle to take home.
Practical notes: book in advance (group sizes are small), arrive sober enough to taste critically, and allow time to tour the facility. Wear comfortable shoes for the garden section and bring a notebook if you plan to recreate the recipe later. The distillery asks pregnant guests to avoid tastings and enforces a 24-hour cancellation policy for refunds.
This is a sensory workshop first and a lesson in sustainable craft distilling second — a short, vivid way to learn how place shapes flavour.