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Matakana moonshine

Peter Bonkovich has once again come up trumps with some new NZ bottles for us. He found
the bottles on the cover in a bottle store in Tirau and subsequently contacted the company.

Apparently, Matakana are having no trouble getting their larger bottles into stores but few
want to stock miniatures. You may not find these very easily but Peter has it covered for you
– and at a discount. Contact him at peter_bonkovich@actrix.co.nz

The presentation box is only normally sold
directly by the company if you visit them
personally. However, Peter can get these for
you also. Note that all are plastic at present
but the company wants to use glass
sometime in the future.

A bit of history from Matakana (a.k.a. The
Bush Limited) in their own words…..

Matakana Moonshine. was born of two blokes,
one named Chris, who during the last century
has variously flipped burgers, bagged sugar,
hired out VHS Videos (hmm), broken air speed
records (seriously), and made curtains. Falling
on hard times Chris who could no longer afford
his nightly dose of Bourbon, went bush and
distilled Moonshine...as ya do. Chris, the inventor, is today our Chief Distillation Officer (CDO)
busying himself with all matters production, whilst impressing the ladies with his dancing...

The other half of “the bush” is Mark (nick-name Hobie). Cutting his teeth sweeping factory floors and
blowing up fishbowls (those things explode big-time man!), Hobie then proceeded to flog stuff.
Amongst a vast array of other stuff, he’s sold baths, security doors, tea cups, tiles, motor scooters,
picnic hampers, dunnies, and machines that can stimulate...say no more! Hobie also found time to
bum around the world picking up some foreign language skills along the way. Mark, our Hawker in
Chief (hic) is such an avid fan of this pristine, pure, natural New Zealand range of spirits, that he’s
determined to share the love world-wide!

Apparently the vodka recently picked up a silver medal (tell everyone it’s platinum guys, the
colour is roughly the same) for the vodka and a bronze for the gin (you’re admitting to being
third? A failure in NZ surely!) at the recent San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Seriously, two medals out of two entries in a completion with 1400 entries ain’t too bad.
(Anything is better than the gin I tasted in Florida – see the account of our trip to the Midwest
Show and the Deep South).

The guys obviously do not think much of their other two offerings, Matakana Moonshine
Amber Lightning Premium Southern Style Whiskey & Matakana Moonshine Southern Style
Whiskey with Honey as they were not entered in any category in San Francisco (said with
foot firmly in my mouth and tongue in cheek, honest guys). Having just been in Kentucky
sampling Bourbons I will be interested to try these.

We wish them well.
David Smith

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