Awildian was created by scientists Paul Schneider and Daniela Suess, who first developed a passion for harvesting mānuka honey. After experimenting with honey mead, they realised they’d found something special, and soon their guest cabin had been commandeered as a tiny coastal distillery.

Precision, experimentation, and refinement came next, things that, luckily, scientists tend to be pretty good at. Paul and Daniela kept crafting until their distillation held its own amongst ten of the world’s most praised gins under the most scientific conditions: a blind taste test among trusted peers.

With a lease in central Thames signed and a custom-made 150L Carl still from Germany ordered, Paul and Daniela began distilling in earnest. They harnessed the flavours of local ingredients (and exotic botanicals from further afield that grow in a less untamed climate). Their prototype gin ‘The Cuckoo’ was given a Gold Award at the 2020 New Zealand Spirit Awards.

The rest, as they say, is history. Awildian’s NZ-made gin has made a splash on the world stage with over a dozen national and international awards. The Distillery has become a cornerstone of the Coromandel community, with locals and visitors clamouring to taste its unique blend of flavours, and what was once just a vision had truly been brought to life.