Ahuriri Sunrise Meeting 20 October 2021
Phil in the Chair,
Apologies from Ben, Maurice, Shona, Lyndal, Richard, Mark Nel and Tony.
No Guests-
Notices –
Wedding Singer - all seats available at level 2 sold – If you haven’t paid please pay $35 pp- Trust Account - - put your name and Wedding singer against the deposit. ASB Trust account: 12-3144-0287016-00
Graeme reported that Linda Paterson has accepted role as President elect for 2022/23 year.
Quiz – team organised at request of Taradale club for Thurs 28 October at Taradale RSA- anyone else interested – contact Andy or just turn up with a team of 6.
Notice of interesting speaker on the Tampa wreck _ Napier club 1 November .
Christmas Puddings – place order on list circulated – or contact Lynne.
No sergeant but members managed to dobb themselves in quite successfully with Phil’s encouragement.
Phil in the Chair,
Apologies from Ben, Maurice, Shona, Lyndal, Richard, Mark Nel and Tony.
No Guests-
Notices –
Wedding Singer - all seats available at level 2 sold – If you haven’t paid please pay $35 pp- Trust Account - - put your name and Wedding singer against the deposit. ASB Trust account: 12-3144-0287016-00
Graeme reported that Linda Paterson has accepted role as President elect for 2022/23 year.
Quiz – team organised at request of Taradale club for Thurs 28 October at Taradale RSA- anyone else interested – contact Andy or just turn up with a team of 6.
Notice of interesting speaker on the Tampa wreck _ Napier club 1 November .
Christmas Puddings – place order on list circulated – or contact Lynne.
No sergeant but members managed to dobb themselves in quite successfully with Phil’s encouragement.
Era in her three minute speech exploded general stereotypes of Russians - -It is not always winter in Russia- , Russians don’t drink vodka more than anyone else drinks other spirits,- and they can smile especially at social events and family gatherings ( where vodka may also be present), - So don’t believe half you hear – the proof is in the pudding. Paul Handley introduced our guest speaker, Blair Nichol from National Distillery based in the National Tobacco company building in Ahuriri. Hie told the story of the distillery and its establishment in Napier with passion and enthusiasm.
Blair hails from the Kapiti coast where he and his partner own several restaurants and moved up here seven months ago. He has a background in hospitality and got into distilling after being given a ticket to gin making lessons for Christmas. He says he thought that it was a bit naff but when he went along he fell in love with the botanical smells and flavours and went straight out and bought a still and started experimenting.
The business has expanded after he was asked to distil a beauty gin for a beauticians conference in Wanaka an which turned out to be a great success , due partly to the fun and casual atmosphere he and his partner created in their stand. As a result of that he was encourages by the people running Cardrona distillery who were also at the conference to get serious about distilling.
Tony Bish from the Urban Winery encouraged them to take it further and suggested they establish their distillery in the National tobacco Company building in Napier.
Blair explained that he is a believer in vision boards and already had this iconic building on his vision board and needed no more encouragement. He did a deal with the Mckimms as landlords 2 years ago and has built a distillery with the capacity to produce 2 million litres annually on the site.
The business has been from the start aimed at exports and has from the start won national and international awards. It is clear from his presentation that the success they have had is not just the product they produce but the story he presents with it.
Blair spoke quite casually of covid breaking out just as he and his partner returned from a marketing event in New York and how despite that they have carried on and sent their first container to New York 2 months ago. He sees America as a major market for spirits but is also planning a launch in Australia. He spoke of his vision of creating a NZ craft spirit brand encompassing recognised world wide for quality bourbon, vodka, and rum as well as gin based on quality products with a story. working closely with other NZ distributors. He wants to explain the distillery to everyone and aims. to have a restaurant opening in 2023 with a glass window to the distillery as part of the businesses philosophy of honesty and transparency. As part of the story, he also draws on the history of the building which he says is the most photographed industrial building in the southern hemisphere and wants to give people the opportunity to see the inside as part of the experience associated with the distillery.
His story of what he describes as a 7 day a week hobby kept us entertained right to the end of the meeting.
Ricky gave the parting thought- “-Your success is not measured by what you have done but by the others you have inspired.”
