Pōkeno Winter Malt is part of the distillery’s Exploration Series. Acollection that celebrates the creativity, ingredients, and sense of place that make Aotearoa whisky unique.
This release is built on a mashbill of four New Zealand malts, each chosen for character: manuka‑smoked malt for its soft, sweet native smoke; chocolate roasted malt bringing coffee and dark‑cocoa richness; toffee malt adding honeyed, caramel warmth; and Laureate distillers malt for its bright, floral sweetness.
The whisky is matured exclusively in first‑fill bourbon barrels, allowing those malts to shine with clarity and depth.

Expect aromas of honied smoke, chocolate‑caramel slice, vanilla bean and warm toffee, followed by a palate of dark chocolate, cocoa nibs and creamy fudge, finishing long, sweet, and gently smoky. A rich, comforting winter dram that feels unmistakably New Zealand.

Pōkeno Distillery is one of New Zealand’s rising whisky powerhouses, built in the lush, rain‑fed foothills south of Auckland where pure water, local barley, and a slow, flavour‑first philosophy set the tone. Everything is crafted on site (from milling to maturation) with a focus on expressive cask work and a distinctly Kiwi sense of place. Their whiskies lean generous, textural, and fruit‑forward, shaped by New Zealand’s dramatic climate swings and an adventurous approach to wood selection. It’s a young distillery with serious ambition, turning out bottlings that feel both modern and unmistakably of Aotearoa.

700mL | 48%ABV