What began as a humble experiment in a laundry has transformed into a stylish gin distillery. 

The Cambridge Distillery Co on Alpha Street is a showcase of how innovation and craftmanship blend to create exceptional spirits. 

Co-owners James Coote, a Rowing NZ coach, and Will Rendell, a Westpac banker, met in 2018 during afternoon pickups at daycare. Both had recently moved to Cambridge from Auckland for a change of lifestyle.

A foodie and wine lover, James came up with the idea to distill gin. With Will getting over his sourdough-making phase (like many of us during the pandemic), when James mentioned that he was going to buy a still, Will jumped at the chance to retire his rolling pin. Neither pictured it becoming more than a favoured pastime. 

The laundry setup didn’t last long, and they soon upgraded to Will’s garage. 

In 2022, they started to supply their Knocknaveagh Cambridge Dry Gin to Cambridge Fine Wine, and soon after, the search for more space began. 

They landed upon the current Alpha Street location and opened the doors of their tasting room in February 2024. 

Amid busy schedules with young families, and still juggling full-time jobs, the pair’s passion shines through as they are doing this because they enjoy distilling and enjoy representing the Cambridge area. 

Local botanicals are preferred in their gins with grapefruit sourced from the streets of Cambridge and Douglas Fir collected from Lake Te Koo Utu.

Their range of gins is now in over thirty retail stores and restaurants across New Zealand and recently they have won several awards at the World and Australian Gin Awards as well as the New Zealand Spirit Awards. 

Continuing to champion local, the bold branding is designed by New Zealand rower Jackie Kiddle, who attended the Paris Olympics last year with James as her coach. The vibrant illustrations capture the essence of the distillery, highlighting its prominent botanicals and the distinct attitude of its gin.