About Us:

Richard Wilson – Owner/Distiller, Sandymount Distillery

Richard is currently distiller and owner of Sandymount Distillery in Dunedin. Over the last 15 years Richard has been director of a commercial property company, an operations manager in the arts and culture sector and has been working in governance in the facilities management industry. Richards experience is specialising in building plant and equipment. with a masters degree in professional practice, and board member of the Facilities Managers Association NZ, Richard is also a member of the Institute of Directors. Since 2018, Richard spends his time on his farm on the Otago Peninsula where he runs his distillery. Richards ambition is to work with the DSA to drive advocacy and collaboration within the industry in New Zealand.

Soren Crabb – Head Distiller and Owner, 1919 Distilling

Soren Crabb has lived in Auckland for the last 10 years. He is currently Head Distiller & owner of 1919 Distilling, and before this worked in the tourism sector overseas for 9 years. Soren has enjoyed watching the collaborative style in which the DSA Working Group has been formed, and wanted to join in and contribute towards his industry by further supporting this organisation. Outside of work Soren enjoys and makes the most of life through (Sailing, kitesurfing and good food).

Henry Caulton – CFO, Cardrona Distillery

Henry is a Chartered Accountant with over 12 years of experience working in the accounting and finance industry including 10 years of Corporate Finance, M&A, FP&A and investment analysis experience. He started his career at PwC (Audit) and then KPMG (Corporate Finance) in Auckland. After moving to London in 2016, he started working for a large UK based Private Office (>£1bn), and then worked for a SaaS tech startup and helped them raise growth capital via IPO and listing on the UK AIM. After technology he moved to coffee – working with Black Sheep Coffee (the fastest growing specialty coffee company in the UK) as CFO and a Non-Executive Director on the Board. He returned to NZ and is now based in Arrowtown, where he has been working as the CFO for Cardrona Distillery since 2022.

Antony Michalik – Managing Director, The Spirits Workshop Limited

After 24 years in the NZ Dairy Industry, working in management roles in Manufacturing, Business Development, Strategy and Innovation, both in NZ and overseas, Antony founded The Spirits Workshop in 2016 with three former colleagues. They have since December 2016 developed and released four gins under the Curiosity Gin brand and with help from Kenny Beverages distillery built up an aging stock of single malt whisky barrels. They are also the founders of New Zealand’s first gin festival, Gindulgence in an effort to establish a platform of events that help the NZ gin industry develop greater public recognition for our great products and brands. Antony firmly believes that cooperation and working together will help build a distilled spirits industry that can sit alongside New Zealand’s wine and beer industries in domestic and international reach and recognition.

Matt Bridge – Owner and Distiller at Lunatic & Lover

Welshman Matt Bridge is a professional Sailor by trade and somewhat inevitably developed a love of Rum after spending a great deal of time floating around the Caribbean. He still retains a presence in the leisure marine industry but 4 years ago, along with his wife and partner Angie, he decided to take the plunge and start up his own distillery here in New Zealand. Thus Lunatic & Lover was born and it opened its doors in 2020 with a view to specializing specifically in Rum and Rum related products. Matt is passionate about distilling quality spirits and in particular, the opportunity the industry presents within New Zealand.

David Hawk – Owner, Parched Garnishes

David Hawk is a 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry. In his former on-premise life he managed many of Aotearoa’s most popular venues, winning New Zealand Bar Operator of the Year twice, and multiple Lewisham Awards, including Outstanding Hospitality Personality. David is also a commercial lawyer with broad commercial acumen, as well as Health & Safety and compliance experience related to distilling. To many, David is best known as the owner of Suite and Crow Bar, as well as for his work pioneering the premiumisation of spirits in New Zealand and galvanising the bartending community, something which remains important to him. His recent work with local distilleries brought him back to the spirits industry, and he currently owns Parched Garnishes, a premium garnish manufacturing business supporting the New Zealand spirits industry. David is passionate about taste and flavour and perfectly balanced drinks. He has been both a competitor and judge on many national cocktail competitions over the years, and was recently one of the Head Judges at the DSA New Zealand Spirits Awards. He is committed to the continued strategic growth and standardisation of the spirits industry in New Zealand, placing it amongst the best internationally.

Angela Davis – Co-founder, Glorious Lands

Angela is the co-founder of Distill New Zealand with her husband Tim. They create authentic soju following historical and modern Korean processes under the brand Glorious Lands. They have been inspired by traditional brewing and distilling in South Korea after living there for three years.

Angela’s background includes working for central government improving gender equity for women and also time spent in parliament working for a Minister. Most recently she has been the Director of Strategy for the Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence based at the University of Otago. The role of the Centre is to to help New Zealand make the most of trade and other commercial opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region – there are many opportunities in key Asia markets for our beautiful New Zealand spirits.

Angela sees a lot of value in building connections and supporting each other, so recently started the DSA Women’s Network with Nikki from Papaiti Gin to bring together all the diverse and amazing women in the industry who can learn from and support each other to grow and scale our businesses. She is looking forward to contributing to the DSA Board and supporting the industry to grow and thrive.

Current Committee Members
Richard Wilson (Sandymount Distillery):- Committee member: May 2021 – June 2022; Chair: June 2022 –
Soren Crabb (1919 Distilling):- Secretary: May 2020 –
Henry Caulton (Cardrona Distillery):- Committee member: June 2023 – October 2023; Treasurer: October 2023 –
Antony Michalik (The Spirits Workshop):- Committee member: Sept 2018 –
Matt Bridge (Lunatic & Lover):- Committee member: May 2021 –
David Hawk (Parched Garnishes):- Committee member: June 2023 –
Angela Davis (Glorious Lands):- Committee member: November 2023 –

Past Committee Members
Sue James (Juno Gin):- Chair: Sept 2018 – June 2022; Treasurer: Dec 2018 – Oct 2023
Wayne Chowles (Kaimai Brewing and Distilling):- Committee member: June 2022 – June 2023
Jamel Barber (Cardrona Distillery):- Committee member: March 2022 – April 2023
Ben Bonoma (Dancing Sands Distillery):- Treasurer: Sept 2018 – Dec 2018
Maria Grau (Rough Hands Ltd):- Committee member: Sept 2018 – June 2019
Chris Barlow (Barlovska Batch Liqueurs):- Committee member: Feb 2019 – May 2020.
Theo Arndt (Cardrona Distillery):- Committee member: May 2020 – July 2020
Grant Finn (The NZ Whisky Company):- Secretary: Sept 2018 – May 2020. Committee member: April 2020 – August 2020, Independent Committee member: August 2020 – April 2021
Brent Robinson (batch 10):- Committee member: Sept 2018 – April 2021
Isla Sherrington (Cardrona Distillery):- Committee member: May 2021 – March 2022
Rob Auld (Auld Distillery):- Committee member: Sept 2018 – May 2021