Conrad Morley has been making gin since the first Covid-19 lockdown, a project that began as a bit of fun.
"I started to make something that was pretty good and thought, why not take it a step further?" he told 1News.
For the past five months, he's been selling it under the label 'Kākāpō Distillery' and he's signed up for this year's New Zealand Spirits Awards.
There are a record number of entries in this year's New Zealand Spirits Awards. (Source: 1News)
"We wanted to get it into the professionals' hands as soon as possible, just to make sure what we're making is good."
He's not alone - there has been a huge increase in the number of Kiwi distilleries entering their products.
"There are 468 entries, that's well over 100 plus more than last year," says Robert Brewer, Chief Executive of Spirits New Zealand.
"We were expecting that Covid would not so much reduce the number of entries, but we were expecting something around about the same as last year."
He says the growing industry here follows a worldwide resurgence.
"One spirit in particular, and that's gin, is going through a global renaissance and it has been for the last four or five years."
He expects the local spirits industry will continue to grow.
"Just 10 years ago, you could count the number of truly commercial distilleries on two hands. Now, there are well over 100."
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