Tour and Taste

The Heke is the home of Waiheke Whisky distillery & brewery on Waiheke Island and we offer delicious and educational beer, whisky, gin & other Tasting Flights all day. Tasting Flights are available 7 days a week until 30 minutes before closing. Guided Flights are in the gorgeous Tasting Room, or we can serve Flights to your table while you dine. It is easy to get here, we are right on the bus route.

The Grain to Glass Distillery & Brewery Tour is offered most days at 11.15 am, and Special Tastings, such as those with Chocolate or Food Pairings must be booked in advance so we can prepare.

Want to know more? Click each option to read more. For common questions read our FAQ’s Want to book and can’t do it here? Email is best. Call us on +64 9 372 0020.

Grain to Glass Tour

Five people stand in a brewery holding glasses of beer, listening to a man in a blue t-shirt explain something, with large brewery tanks in the foreground.

The Heke’s ‘Grain to Glass’ tour $30 pp

Unique, entertaining and informative. Starting with a sample of fresh Heke lager, and finishing with a wee dram. In between, your host will take you on a journey through the heart of our distillery & brewery. This comprehensive experience comprises of a guided tour of history, milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling and aging or packaging, and will take around 40 minutes. Explore the similarities and differences in how beer & whisky are made. You’re welcome to extend your appreciation after the tour, with a range of Waiheke Whisky & Waiheke Brewing Co Tasting Flights available at additional cost. Our shop is open too.

Tours are offered most days at 11.15 am, please book online or via email. Please arrive 10 minutes before the tour time.

Please note: For health and safety reasons, children under 10 are not permitted on this tour. Due to being a working brewery & distillery, there may be periods that tours are unable to access the production area due to cleaning or maintenance work.  Cancellation Policy: We offer a full refund for cancellations made up to 48 hours before the tour start time, refunded to the original payment method. Please email bookings@theheke.co.nz  In the unlikely event that we need to cancel a tour a full refund will be given.

Distillery & Brewery Tours and Guided Tastings

Tasting Flights are available 7 days a week until 30 minutes before closing. Guided Flights are in the Tasting Room, or we can serve Flights to your table while you dine here.

The Classic Grain to Glass Tours are offered most days at 11.15 am, please book online or via email. We also offer bespoke, large group & Founders Tours on request.

Some days tours don’t run due to operational requirements. Other time options may be available by appointment.

While you’re here at The HEKE:

Explore: Wander our beautiful grounds.

Māori Art & Local History: Encounter Māori art in the gardens, and learn about the significance of Waiheke’s history as you taste.

Play: Your friends and family will love our indoor & outdoor games, Golf Simulators & kids play equipment.

Fresh food and fresh brews: Our restaurant and bar serve unforgettable food and drinks; the beer and spirts are made right here.

When you visit, you’ll be captivated by the beauty of our buildings and the dedication to craft that fills each space. Sit back, relax, and let us guide you through a memorable experience here on Waiheke Island.

enquire now

A modern black house with a metal roof, featuring a glass section with two large copper pipes or cylinders in front, set amidst green bushes and trees with a forest backdrop.

Modern black building with a sloped metal roof and large windows, surrounded by green shrubbery and trees in the background.

GUIDED TASTING FLIGHTS

You don’t need to book in advance for a guided tasting in the Boilermaker Bar, but reservations are welcomed. If you walk in, we’ll do our best to find you a fantastic seat so you can fully enjoy the experience. Choose from beer, gin, vodka, or Waiheke Whisky flights. For whisky nerds we also offer advanced & rare Whisky Flights. We can also serve the tasting flights at the restaurant table, where you can browse tasting notes to deepen your experience. Check our current opening hours at the top of the website, book your Tasting Experience online or email bookings@theheke.co.nz

A wooden flight of four glasses of amber beer with foam head, labeled 'The HEKE,' on a dark wooden table, with a blue box of Waiheke Brewing Company beer in the background.

This cold tap beer flight is the ideal way to try something new.

Waiheke Brewing Co's fresh beers brewed here. We change it up, but you might try a Lager, Pilsner, Hazy, IPA, APA or Porter…
… We will pick the best of the week or pick your own.

160 ml x 4. (4.5% ABV - 7.3% ABV ).

THE TAP BEER FLIGHT

A wooden table with two bottles of Fever-Tree tonic water, six empty glasses, a yellow lemon, and a wooden box with the words "The Heke" on it. A sign with the words "The Spirit of the Heke" stands behind the glasses.

Pure grain spirits distilled by our master distiller on Waiheke Island.

Our award-winning Garden Gin, pure Grain Vodka, Waiheke Whisky Honey + Rye aged 'bourbon', and spicy cinnamon spiced ‘Fire in the Hole’ - all made
here on site at our Waiheke distillery.

40% ABV / 4.5% ABV.
Add East Imperial mixers if you wish - Soda, Tonic, Cola .

THE SPIRITS OF The Heke FLIGHT

Two bottles of whisky, a box of Heke beer, two glasses of beer, and two empty whisky glasses on a wooden bar counter.

The best of both worlds. Try two craft beers and two whisky drams, made right here.

Waiheke Whisky Fairlight, Waiheke Whisky Oak + Rye American style, Waiheke Waiheke Brewing Co's Heke lager premium lager & The Drei APA.

15 ml x 2 160 ml x 2.

THE BOILERMAKER FLIGHT

A man presenting a bottle of whiskey to a group of four people seated at a bar counter inside a dimly lit room.

Whiskey tasting flight with five glasses of whiskey, chocolate samples, and whiskey boxes on a wooden table in a bar setting.

Whisky lovers will appreciate tasting premium drams from our distillery

We pour three drams of award winning Waiheke Whisky, served with a pipette and water to allow you to open up the aromas and flavours of each expression. All are at least 5 years old, and aged in premium casks here on the island. We serve trophy award-winning peated and unpeated aged whisky for you to sample.

15 ml x 3.

THE WAIHEKE WHISKY SINGLE MALT WHISKY FLIGHT

Artisanal Chocolate & Waiheke Whisky Pairings

Whisky lovers will appreciate tasting premium drams from our distillery

Indulge in the perfect post-lunch luxury with our carefully curated selection of single-origin chocolates paired with Waiheke's finest New Zealand whiskies. Each pairing has been thoughtfully crafted to complement and enhance the unique flavour profiles of both elements.

15 ml x 4
(By prior booking only bookings@theheke.co.nz )

Person holding a bottle of whiskey with a label that reads 'Sweet Water & Waheek' in a dimly lit setting.

Take a slice of Waiheke home with you

Our spirits, whisky’s and merchandise are available from our on-site gift shop in the Tasting Room.

We also have range of 200 ml bottles of our distilled gin, vodka, single malts and bourbon-style allow you to easily take a gift or souvenir of your visit here at our Waiheke Island distillery and brewery