Latest news with #Kauri
Scoop
04-08-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Pōkeno Whisky Grows Global Reputation With Big Win At The World Whisky Masters; Continues To Push Boundaries At Home
Press Release – Pokeno Whisky Pioneering New Zealand distillery awarded trio of medals at global spirit competition for three of its craft single malts one month after releasing worlds first Kauri cask whisky. Pōkeno Whisky has added to its growing global reputation for innovation and excellence by securing a Master and two Gold medals at The World Whisky Masters 2025. The Master Medal, the highest honour in the competition, was awarded to the Winter Malt from Pōkeno's special edition Exploration Series. Two of Pōkeno's signature single malts, Origin and Discovery, received Gold Medals. Chaired by The Spirits Business, with a panel of leading spirits specialists, The World Whisky Masters are part of a highly regarded series of blind-tasting competitions. Pōkeno founder Matt Johns says the recognition supports the brand's global growth, placing the whiskies amongst some of the world's elite. 'We started Pōkeno with a goal to create great single malt whiskies that capture the essence of Aotearoa and to share them on the global stage. Recognition from The Spirits Business supports our credibility when entering new overseas markets. 'We're incredibly proud of our unique range of whiskies that we feel showcase the spirit of New Zealand and it's brilliant to see them holding their own against some of the best and biggest names in the business. 'It's also great recognition of the team's continued innovation and creativity when it comes to pushing boundaries to experiment with flavour and create world-class, but distinctively different, single malts.' It's this drive to push boundaries that has led Pōkeno to experiment with native New Zealand woods. Last month the distillery released a highly anticipated follow-up to its award-winning Totara Cask single malt, a kauri cask single malt, which sold out in record time. 'The Kauri Cask is the most original single malt we've ever made,' says Johns. 'Made from New Zealand barley, with New Zealand water and New Zealand wood, it's about a Kiwi as you can get.' The timber came from a Pokeno local who had been storing the slabs in his shed for more than 30 years. Despite the brittle nature of the softwood, master cooper Mike Tawse was able to build a 160-litre barrel that was filled in October 2023 with 3-year-old single malt which had been distilled in June 2020. 'We didn't quite know what to expect when we started this journey, and it certainly hasn't been easy. It's taken years of patience and determination to get the whisky from barrel to bottle, but the result is something special.' About Pōkeno Pōkeno is a New World whisky distillery driven by creating one of the world's finest single malts and committed to using the finest local ingredients and traditional methods to create exceptional whiskies that capture the unique essence of New Zealand. Pōkeno is currently distributed to 25 countries worldwide.
Scoop
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Together By Emma Hercus
With kind wide faces and a washy layering of colour, Together by Emma Hercus reminds us that we are social creatures, bound to one another through shared conversation and a day spent giggling side by side, Kuaka flying above. Each canvas rendered with folkloric care, a charming naïvity and distinctly Aotearoa quality that Hercus uses to hold the breath of an intimate scene and nail it to the wall. A yearning to document our affections, to be wrapped up and absorbed by in years to come. Together centres on the scenes we share amongst friends. Amongst family. The warmth from your lover next to you in bed, the dance of after dinner dishes, and the hum of a communal flat in the evening. The moments where eyes meet over laughter that force our hand to a camera and are talked about fondly in reminiscence. Leading ponies around a paddock, lighting a secret shared cigarette. Eye-contact, joy, tears, touch, presence and shared silence. Hercus reminds us that we are part of something larger than ourselves, larger than tall Kauri trees and our long coastlines, something beating and belonging - community, family, and togetherness. Join us for the opening celebration on Friday evening, 11th July, from 6pm. Kindly sponsored by Almighty, Rock Ferry Wines, Newday Coffee, and Arobake. ARTIST BIOGRAPHY – EMMA HERCUS Emma offers glimpses into a whimsical world shaped by her rural upbringing and coastal surroundings. Her playful yet complex narratives are filled with relatable figures, native plants and animals, with a sense of care for Aotearoa's whenua and its creatures. Known for her distinctive figurative and naïve paintings, the Plimmerton-based artist builds up colour and texture through layers of pigment, often scratching back the surface to reveal a sense of history beneath. Emma's love of people—their stories, energy and shared moments—deeply informs her practice, as the characters she paints often echo aspects of herself. Vague memories, folklore, and everyday scenes emerge and intertwine in her richly embellished works. EXHIBITION DETAILS Together Emma Hercus 12 July – 2 August 2025 Opening Night Friday, 11 July 2025, 6pm Twentysix Gallery 26 Constable Street Omārōrō Newtown Pōneke Wellington Opening Hours Thurs/Fri 12 – 6 Sat 10 – 4 And by appointment
NZ Herald
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
$1 million Ferrari hits man's prized Honda Civic
Kea Kids News: Lone Kauri kids beat the sun to ring in Matariki Who needs sleep when it's Matariki? Reporter Jules and his mates are celebrating together with a pre-dawn bonfire, plus stories and songs with Matua Pita.
NZ Herald
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Smokefreerockquest Waikato Regional Final
Kea Kids News: Lone Kauri kids beat the sun to ring in Matariki Who needs sleep when it's Matariki? Reporter Jules and his mates are celebrating together with a pre-dawn bonfire, plus stories and songs with Matua Pita.
NZ Herald
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Herald
A first look at the North Island's long-awaited new highway
The road will open in June, on a date not yet set. Tour guide and NZ Transport Agency project spokesman Grant Kauri said the views on the road were amazing, including the peak through the gorge when starting out. 'You can see the old Manawatū Gorge road, with Ruahine and Tararua maunga and the Manawatū River in the background. It's absolutely stunning.' Clearly visible is the slip that closed the road through the gorge for a year in 2011-12, five years before more slips closed it for good. In 2021 construction began on the new $825 million highway. It's expected the 11.5km route will take less than 15 minutes to drive, a big improvement on the windy and slow alternative routes in use for the past eight years. 'We're going up a 9.5% grade over a stretch of about 3km. In terms of context and what the fuel will be like it's similar to Transmission Gully,' Kauri said as we climbed towards the road's summit. It's actually slightly steeper than that highway, north of Wellington. As we head towards Woodville, through the wind turbines, the road here looks pretty well ready to use. 'Along the main alignment itself [we're] finishing off the final surface of the asphalt, followed by the line marking and the median barrier installation,' Kauri said. 'We still have a number of works open off the main alignment itself.' Some of that is on the new walking and cycling track that snakes along near the road. At the summit, as the road carves through the hills, Kauri said ground conditions were challenging because of how wet it was. So, the road builders got rid of the unstable material, replaced it with something better and compacted it. There are about 300 workers still onsite and some would remain after the road opened, completing tasks such as drainage and planting. As the road drops towards Woodville, at the Tararua end, the slope isn't quite as steep. Unlike the old gorge road, on the unstable northern Tararua Range, ground conditions here mean slips are unlikely. Kauri said working on the project was a career highlight – something he never envisaged when he began in the industry and used to work on the old road. 'In my former life I was responsible for clearing some of the slips in the Manawatū Gorge. I remember some of the late callouts in the middle of the night – raining, windy.' Covid, Cyclone Gabrielle and challenging ground conditions were the toughest parts of this road build, he said.
