We welcome registrations for the upcoming DSA Symposia at Panacea Bar and Distillery Tour at Waiheke Whisky, both on Friday 14th August 2026.

This is a great opportunity to connect face‑to‑face with fellow distillers, catch up, share experiences, and strengthen relationships across our community.

You may choose to attend either or both events

DSA Symposia (10.00am - 12.30pm)

Venue: Panacea Bar, O'connell Street, Auckland
Date: 14 August 2026
Cost: Member - $45.00+GST per person; Non Member - $90.00+GST per person

10.00am - Registration and Brunch

11.00am - Excise Taxes On Spirits Around The World - Past, Present And Future, Wilhelm Link, Spirit Spring

Join us on our exploration of different spirits excise tax regimes around the world: which approaches are being used across different nations, what motivations drive them and what effects they have had, which new approaches are being tried, and how New Zealand compares against all of this

11.30am - Packaging That Protects the Bottle, the Brand and the Planet: A Practical Framework for NZ Distillers, Lisa Campbell, Woodhill Distribution 

A practical framework for reviewing secondary and D2C packaging when you are shipping fragile spirits. We will look at what distillers are balancing – protection, labour, storage, customer experience, plastic use and emerging product stewardship expectations – and how to trial improvements without disrupting operations. Rather than promoting a specific product, the focus is on simple ways to measure your current setup, run low risk tests, and make packaging decisions that protect bottles, margins and sustainability goals at the same time.

12.00pm - The Human In The Loop: Large Language Models And the Craft Spirits Business, Marcel Thomson, The Distillers Institute

Large language models are generating more noise than signal for most small producers. This session cuts through the hype to ask a more useful question: where can AI genuinely help a craft spirits business, and where must human judgement remain the final word? Drawing on hands-on experience applying these tools across production records, content, customer communication, and business operations, this presentation offers a practical, no-jargon framework for distillers who want better outcomes without weakening their craft, their brand, or their quality systems.

12.30pm - Wrap up & Final Comments

Waiheke Whisky Distillery Tour and Tasting

Date: 14 August 2026
Cost: Member - $110.00+GST per person; Non Member - $150.00+GST per person

1.00pm - Ferry to Waiheke Island, then transfer to Waiheke Whisky

Distillery Tour, tasting and afternoon tea

4.15pm -  transfer to Waiheke Ferry Terminal and Ferry to Auckland City (5.00pm Sailing)