NZ summer getaways: Elemental Distillers is a bespoke craft distillery in the heart of Marlborough

The Elemental Gin Shack garden with draught Roots G&T and negroni.

Meet the man behind Elemental Distillers in Marlborough, home to the region’s newest Gin Shack and Tasting Room.

Kia ora! My name is Ben Leggett and I’m the founder and head distiller at Elemental Distillers: a bespoke craft distillery constructed out of upcycled shipping containers, located in the heart of Marlborough vineyards and home to the award-winning Roots Gin. We were very lucky to be able to construct our bespoke distillery among the vines in Marlborough, in an area known as the Golden Mile due to the high concentration of wineries in one area. Unfortunately, when we started, we didn’t have a dedicated tasting room and could offer only limited tours due to the availability of distilling staff.

That’s now all changed.

The new Gin Shack and Tasting Room is the fortuitous realisation of our only neighbouring building coming up for lease at just the right time. Better yet, it came with an epic view.

Next door, there was a small but lovely bungalow accommodation, which we also picked up to complete the package. It means our guests can now enjoy a complete Roots experience by adding a stay at our Distillers Cottage (complete with outside bathtub and complimentary gin flight).

Ben Leggett is the founder and head distiller at Elemental Distillers in Marlborough.

The brand-new Gin Shack and Tasting Room opened this month. It’s a classic Kiwi farmhouse that has been lovingly converted into a modern tasting room and venue, complete with gin flights, tastings and bottle sales. Alongside we’ve built a bar that serves Roots G&T and negroni on tap.

An open-plan kitchen serves food from a bespoke hibachi grill, best enjoyed on our large, wrap-around deck with private garden, vine views and Distillers Cottage accommodation. All of this is a mere 20 steps from the distillery’s front door at the Vines Village — a 15-minute drive from central Blenheim.

The Gin Shack is the culmination of everything we love about Marlborough, hospitality and cuisine. My wife, Lou, is the venue manager and brings decades of international hospitality experience and passion to the fold. The kitchen is the domain of our favourite local chef, Sam Webb, who’s responsible for the amazing flavours and ensuring that we champion local suppliers.

Tasty offerings from the Gin Shack open kitchen.

While we are world-renowned for our beautiful wines, there is so much more Marlborough has to offer. My own childhood experience pulls me back to the vast Marlborough Sounds, the largest of which is Pelorus Sound: a vast area of hidden beaches, native flora and fauna and outstanding natural beauty. And for those who find the time to walk our famous trails (Queen Charlotte Track, Nydia Bay Track) or stay at one of our hidden lodges (Bay of Many Coves, Lochmara), you will often be gifted with a dawn chorus like you’ve never heard before … and maybe even an incredible display of bioluminescence.

For more information, visit elementaldistillers.com