Create Your SIGNATURE GIN Together
Learn professional gin-making from award-winning distillers
+ Taste 20+ botanicals in our unique Flavour Library
+ Take home your custom creation
Saturdays, Sundays
And selected weekdays
Small Groups
Maximum ~12 people
Book Ahead
Sessions often fill up fast
Why Couples & Small Groups Love the Gin Lab
This isn't a party venue or passive tour. Our intimate 2.5-hour experience teaches you about gin-making in our award-winning Bay of Plenty distillery. Perfect for couples seeking meaningful connection through learning together, or locals showcasing the region's finest craft experiences to visitors.
Your 2.5 Hour Gin Lab Experience
Everything you need for an unforgettable learning journey, from botanical discovery to award-winning tastings.
Master Your Recipe
- Sample 20+ individual botanicals in our unique Flavour Library.
- Learn professional methods from our Master Distiller Paul.
- Create your perfect gin recipe.
- Discover botanicals grown right here in our Bay of Plenty garden.
Award-Winning Tasting
- Taste 4 premium gins (including medal winners).
- Sample 4 artisan liqueurs (including Best Botanical Spirit in NZ).
- Enjoy a signature cocktail to finish.
- Expert-guided tasting.
Take Home Your Creation
- Your custom gin bottle (200ml, 500ml, or 700ml).
- Digital recipe saved for easy re-ordering anytime.
- 10% discount on Cellar Door purchases today.
- Expert tips for serving and enjoying your gin.
Sustainable & Local
- Botanicals from our permaculture garden.
- True garden-to-glass experience.
- Small-batch craft methods.
- 100% natural ingredients, no shortcuts.
Your Gin Lab Journey
A hands-on, educational, and delicious 2.5-hour experience in our intimate setting (maximum 12 guests)
Learn the Craft
Meet Master Distiller Paul or one of our expert team and explore our Flavour Library. Taste over 20 individual botanicals - many grown right here in our Bay of Plenty permaculture garden. From citrus and florals to kawakawa and horopito, discover how each botanical contributes unique character to gin.
Design Your Perfect Blend
Now it's your turn to create! Design your ideal botanical combination using what you've learned. Mix citrus, floral, spicy, and unique New Zealand native botanicals. Our expert team guides you through the process, helping you understand how flavours work together. This is hands-on learning - you're creating a gin perfectly tailored to YOUR taste preferences. And this is the same method we use to create the recipes for our award-winning spirits!
Your Creation Comes to Life
Our distillers blend your unique gin fresh on-site while you relax in our garden or Cellar Door. Your recipe is saved digitally, making it easy to re-order your custom creation any time. Take home your gin in your chosen bottle size (200ml, 500ml, or 700ml) - ready to enjoy, share with friends and family, or gift to someone special.
The Grand Finale
Enjoy a guided tasting at our Cellar Door. Sample 4 of our award-winning gins (including our Gold Medal winner from the 2025 NZ Spirits Awards) and 4 artisan liqueurs (including our Trophy-winning Fennel Liqueur - Best Botanical Spirit in New Zealand). Finish with a signature cocktail featuring our spirits. Plus, enjoy 10% off anything you'd like to take home today.
What Guests Say About
Their Experience
"Matahui Distillery is paradise! The lush garden, brimming with fresh botanicals sets the stage for an amazing experience. I felt like a kid in a chemistry lab, experimenting and creating my own gin blend guided by the wonderful team. And of course, walking away with a bottle of your own gin is the ultimate win! An absolute must-visit in the Bay!"
Previous Guest
"My visit to Matahui Distillery's Gin Lab was thoroughly enjoyable and unique. Tasting the Adventurer's Gin cocktails and Matahui liqueurs was a highlight, with each offering exceptional flavors. The delicious limoncello was irresistible! Meeting the other lovely attendees made the experience even more special. Creating my own signature gin, guided by expert staff, was both educational and fun."
Previous Guest
"A welcoming host and hostess, who knew their business well, and were able to answer any questions comprehensively. Not too crowded, as the Distillery Experience has limited numbers. The session was well structured and unhurried. It was very interesting to taste the different extracts in order to design your own signature gin. What a nice touch to have the sample bottles available to take home for those who were driving."
Previous Guest
4.9/5 stars from 200+ Google review
Award-winning Spirits You'll Taste
All crafted right here in our Bay of Plenty micro-distillery
Trophy Winner
Best Botanical Spirit in
New Zealand
Fennel Liqueur
NZ Spirits Awards 2024
Gold Medal
Fennel Liqueur
NZ Spirits Awards 2024
Gold Medal
Summer Garden Gin
NZ Spirits Awards 2025
Double Gold Medal
Grapefruitcello
NZ Spirits Awards 2024
Silver Medal
Adventurers Gin
NZ Spirits Awards 2024
Silver Medal
Winter Garden Gin
NZ Spirits Awards 2025
Book Your Gin Lab Experience
Select your preferred date and bottle size. Our intimate sessions fill quickly!
Secure Payment
via Rezdy
Full Refund
up to 14 days before
Small Groups
(max 8~12 people)
Award-Winning
Distillery
Add a Seasonal Platter
Enhance your experience with our delicious seasonal platter featuring the finest New Zealand artisan ingredients and fresh produce from our gin garden. $29pp
Available as an add-on when booking your Gin Lab Experience
Perfect For...
Couples & Date Experiences
A unique, hands-on date that creates lasting memories. Learn together from Master Distillers while creating something that's uniquely yours in our intimate setting.
Showing Visitors the
Bay of Plenty
Locals: this is what Bay of Plenty residents know about. Share our award-winning craft experience with your out-of-town visitors and showcase the region's finest.
Friends Exploring Together
Gather 3-4 friends for an afternoon of botanical discovery and gin creation in our beautiful garden setting. Small groups ensure everyone gets personal attention.
Gift Experiences
Give the gift of gin-making with our experience vouchers - perfect for anniversaries, birthdays, or any special occasion.
Planning a celebration or hen party?
Large groups and special celebrations deserve their own dedicated experience.
Corporate team building or client gifting?
We offer tailored packages for business groups and corporate gifting programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Create Your Signature Gin?
Small group experiences mean intimate, hands-on learning.
Sessions fill fast - especially weekends.
All packages include: Gin-making workshop + Award-winning tasting + Take-home bottle + 10% Cellar Door discount
270 Matahui Road, Aongatete
30 minutes from Tauranga | 10 minutes from Katikati