Bottle Stats

Produced by Thomson Whisky Distillery, exclusive to The Whisky Exchange
New Zealand single malt whisky
Full maturation in a French oak cask that previously held NZ Pinot Noir
Traditional saison yeast was used for the fermentation
No age statement
ABV is 53.4%
Single cask
1 of 277 bottles
The only whisky on the Pacific Rim Tasting that's currently still available to purchase at RRP

Distillery Key Facts

Thomson Whisky was founded in 2009 as an independent bottler of New Zealand whisky
The distillery was launched in 2014
Located in the town of Riverhead, which is approximately 18km (11mi) northwest of Auckland city centre on the North Island of New Zealand.
1,900 litre copper wash still
1,000 litre copper pot still
On-site cooperage
Primarily using ex-bourbon barrels and ex-NZ wine casks for maturation

Why Thomson?

Anyone who's literally crossed the world to visit New Zealand knows that it's a special place. I visited New Zealand three times before I ever set foot in Scotland. The two countries remind me of each other in terms of the good humor of their peoples, their jawdropping landscapes, and their collective wills to go their own way despite whatever their political and economic juggernaught neighbours are doing.

New Zealand has been producing whisky since the 1830's when Scottish settlers arrived in the country. Whisky production flourished in New Zealand for decades in the mid-19th century. However, banks in the United Kingdom were annoyed with New Zealand's rapid rise in the global whisky scene. The UK banks used their considerable financial leverage and refused to fund railway construction in New Zealand until local distilling was outlawed. The New Zealand government acquiesced, and the country's whisky industry completely halted in the 1870's. It took a nearly 100 years for distilling to become legal again in New Zealand. Willowbank Distillery started up in Dunedin in 1969 and, although it permanently closed in 1997, it effectively rebooted the New Zealand whisky industry.

New Zealand is one of only a handful of western societies where home distillation is legal for personal consumption (but not for private sale). In New Zealand, stills are sold openly, and there's an extremely active home distilling community. My absolute favourite example of this is a remarkably successful attempt to distil Irn-Bru.

That said, when I was most recently back in New Zealand in April 2023, I was surprised that there weren't many NZ single malts available that were squarely aimed at enthusiasts. Sure, the NZ whisky scene had grown considerably in the past decade with more producers coming online, but I had a very difficult time finding any NZ single malt whiskies for sale that were above 43% ABV.

This really surprised me. For a country with such deep ties to Scotland while lacking much of the UK's "red tape", why weren't there dozens of cask strength, naturally presented NZ single malt offerings available at quality bars, pubs, and shops throughout the country? Is New Zealand's rebooted whisky industry still too small to cater to enthusiasts at any meaningful scale? Is New Zealand's whisky drinking audience too small? Perhaps speculators and/or collectors are rabidly snapping up the miniscule quantities of "collectable" NZ single malts that enthusiasts would otherwise be keen to open? These are questions I can't answer yet.

So, how about Cardrona? They burst on to the scene in 2011, and they've done extremely well. I'm honestly pleased for them. I've visited their picturesque distillery twice, and I really respect their small, capable team and what they've built. Regrettably, though, I've never gotten along with their whisky. In my opinion, the massive hit of alcohol in every release of theirs I've tried has overpowered my senses, and the price point is extremely high.

Thankfully, some other interesting players have recently entered the game. Producers like Lammermoor Distillery and Waiheke Whisky are up to some good-looking mischief, and I'm excited to eventually try what they produce. Thomson Distillery is another fairly recent addition to the whisky scene, and they've been ramping up considerably. I managed to try a few of their core releases when I was last in New Zealand, such as their "Two Tone" 40% and "Mauka Smoke" 46% expressions, but I found them quite soft and lacking a distinctive personality. A few of their limited cask strength releases looked promising, but these were not obtainable for me during my two week holiday in New Zealand.

Despite my concerted efforts, I left New Zealand without acquiring a whisky for the Pacific Rim Tasting. Ironically, I had to come home to Scotland to find a New Zealand single malt that was targeted at enthusiasts! A few weeks after my holiday, this interesting Thomson "Saison Ale Yeast" single cask from The Whisky Exchange came to my attention. I think it's affordable for what it is, and it's objectively interesting on paper. I haven't tried this whisky yet, but I think it's a nerdy and worthy addition to the tasting lineup – a sensory monkey wrench thrown into the works.

Regardless of whether this particular whisky from New Zealand is a winner with the tasting crowd, it's a country and people that are punching way above their weight in all respects. I think we can expect really good things coming out of New Zealand going forward. Hopefully this Thomson whisky is one of them!