Woodward Street Distilling Company

Woodward Street is a quaint pedestrianised lane linking busy Lambton Quay with The Terrace. As you walk past no.11, you could be forgiven for doing a double-take. A curvaceous copper still stands proudly in the window. The ground floor of a grand Edwardian building is home to the Woodward Distilling Company and tasting room — the only distillery in the central city. 

The copper still in question is called ‘Agnes’. According to Head Distiller Mikey Ball, “it’s customary in Scottish folklore to name a still after the wife of either the building owner or head distiller. For us, that was Agnes”. Agnes was the wife of Herbert Rawson, a prominent dentist who built the 1906 building for his home and surgery. Fronting the distillery is a small tasting room open to the public. With half a dozen seats around an intimate bespoke bar, it acts as a flag-bearer for the distillery’s output. 

“We wanted the tasting room to feel like a ‘speakeasy,’” says general manager James Pask. The intimate space is fitted out in dark tawny wood that references the original Edwardian building. Agnes’ 300L capacity is used to produce in-house drinks, Penguins Crossing Dry Gin, and ChiChi Vodka. They also produce Veranda Citrus Maxima Tonic. In the adjoining distillery, the walls are covered in indigo-blue tiles that contrast with the burnished copper still. “We don’t run official tours, but we’re happy to take people through and explain the process,“ explains Mikey. 

The Woodward Distilling Company's vodka production process is unusual. Most vodkas are made by fermenting a starch, such as potatoes, into a mash and then distilling the resulting liquid multiple times to purify it. Mikey explains his process. “We use a combination of macerated coconut flesh and spent whey from cheese making. We then add a koji culture instead of water — the result is textured and velvety”. The process creates a complex flavour that lingers through to the last sip. 

Sharing a wall with Woodward Distilling, and part of the umbrella company, is Bert’s Bar. Continuing the theme of referencing the building’s history, ‘Bert’ is a nod to Herbert Rawson. “History, authenticity, and storytelling are important to us,” says James. That connection is paying dividends. Since opening in 2025, the distillery has been supplying its gin and vodka to scores of bars and off-licenses around the country and has plans to export to Japan, the US, and the UK.