Best Spirits in Australia
Amazingly bold and exciting drink. It's a great standalone product that completely transcends the category. Is it even a brandy ?
01. Sullivans Cove XO Tasmanian Brandy - Double Cask Batch DCB01
State: Tasmania Category: BrandyGrown-up butterscotch candies. Though it begins a little austere and tightly wound, this whisky opens up beautifully. Classic. Aussie. Whisky. Excellent.
02. Hobart Whisky - 19-002 - Ex-Bourbon Matured / French Oak Pinot Noir Finish
State: Tasmania Category: WhiskyBright nose of hops and peat (is this mezcal?!) on a super-clean base, remarkable distillate and elevated botanicals of celery seed and cucumber. Beautiful smoky phenolic grip balanced by a persistent, but restrained sweet spice.
03. Pinche - Agave Tequilana
State: New South Wales Category: Alternate / ExperimentalThis gin is mature, thoughtful and incredibly well executed. It's accessible, nothing about this gin is trying too hard, and why should it? It's already arrived. The all-rounder.
04. Never Never - Triple Juniper Gin
State: South Australia Category: GinClassic grappa profile. No-nonsense and super direct, it's crunchy and punchy and fiery without being harsh. Lots of personality, as you would expect. World-class.
05. Needle & Pin Spirits - Grappa Tradizionale
State: South Australia Category: BrandyAt once both sweet and savoury, serious and gregarious. Willy Wonka's factory has been firebombed, and all the kids are dancing in the embers. Fun!
06. Archie Rose - Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky
State: New South Wales Category: WhiskyAmazing citrus, floral and ginger spice aroma - immediately hinting at sweetness, resolved on the palate with a pristine clarity and pleasantly-lifted acidiity and lingering bitterness. Great summertime aperitivo.
07. Reed & Co - Spirit Lab Gin & Juice (Mistelle)
State: Victoria Category: Alternate / ExperimentalCreme caramel and hard toffees, warm and creamy on the palate. It unfolds calmy and elegantly along the palate and remains consistent throughout the drinking experience. DELICIOUS.
08. Sullivans Cove XO Tasmanian Brandy - Single Cask TDB0018
State: Tasmania Category: BrandyRich and elegant delivery of the delicious, sweet berry flavours. There's balance here too with bold savoury notes. A stunning colour, a stunning drink.
09. Marionette - Dry Cassis
State: Victoria Category: LiqueurWild thyme with a smoky, dank intensity and pleasant, bright finger lime, juniper and cassia aromats. The density of the oils is beautiful, smooth and lingering all the way to the finish. Great execution of a difficult style with an amazing level of intrigue. Yummy.
10. The Farmer's Wife Distillery - The Farmer's Wife Autumn Dry Gin
State: New South Wales Category: Gin
Category Winners
Gin
- 01.
Never Never Distilling Co. - Triple Juniper Gin
State: South AustraliaTASTING NOTES:
Fresh pine and great clarity of juniper on the nose. What a juniper bomb. Nice viscosity in the mouth. Spice and heat are restrained. Powerful, yet focussed. A blockbuster gin. - 02.
The Farmer's Wife Distillery - The Farmer's Wife Autumn Dry Gin
State: New South WalesTASTING NOTES:
Wild thyme with a smoky, dank intensity and pleasant, bright finger lime, juniper and cassia aromats. The density of the oils is beautiful, smooth and lingering all the way to the finish. Great execution of a difficult style with an amazing level of intrigue. Yummy. - 03.
Craft & Co - Navy Strength
State: VictoriaTASTING NOTES:
A fascinating drink. A beautiful fermented rice aromat on the nose. Cardamom and Keen's curry powder on the palate. A truly original gin, incredibly interesting to sip. - 04.
36 Short - Barrel Aged Gin
State: South AustraliaTASTING NOTES:
Butterscotch, vanilla and creme caramel, this is a well-balanced and pleasant spirit. It would be much too easy to drink a bunch, but it doesn't behave like a gin. Drink it dumped over ice! - 05.
Ounce Gin - Bold
State: South AustraliaTASTING NOTES:
Umami-driven salinity plays with the juniper - a brilliant spicy, savoury expression! Brilliant citrus and cassia sweetness flows across the palate. Unassuming, but very well executed! What a beautiful example of what gin can be. - 06.
Karu Distillery - Affinity Gin
State: New South WalesTASTING NOTES:
A strong, bold, confident and dashing drop. This is a gin that is proud to be gin. It's smooth and deeply enjoyable and has drinkability for days. Use it for everything. - 07.
Happenstance Distillery - Fireside Gin
State: South AustraliaTASTING NOTES:
So well-defined - there's a clarity of juniper and coriander seed here. The bold, heavy-handed use of juniper bleeds a resinous quality across the palate - an amazing example of a super classical style, incredibly well executed! - 08.
Archie Rose - Archie Rose Distiller's Strength Gin
State: New South WalesTASTING NOTES:
Pine fresh! A good, solid, well-made and -executed gin in a classic style. A strong all-rounder. - 09.
5Nines Distilling - Sticks & Stones
State: South AustraliaTASTING NOTES:
Crisp, crunchy celery, loads of beautiful bright green vegetables. Super smooth and steady, this is the right kind of gin for a really nice martini. - 10.
Needle & Pin Spirits - "Sevilli" Bathtub Style
State: South AustraliaTASTING NOTES:
Super intense aromatics of elderflower, jasmine, incense and wild fennel. Old Tom Gin-style palate driven taught and lean with a well-defined texture brought about through a crazy bitter almond kernal back palate. Thrilling drinking - feels like a modern quinquina!
Vodka
- 01.
Heres Looking At You KId - Triple Distilled Vodka
State: VictoriaTASTING NOTES:
Verdant, fresh, mountain air. Very clean, lightly-toasted grain and herbal nose. A good neutral palate; a high quality spirit. A success. - 02.
Otter Craft Distilling - COCOA VODKA
State: New South WalesTASTING NOTES:
Beautifully strong aromas of unsweetened baking chocolate and raw cacao. Intense but balanced by a little vanilla. Spirit and flavour are very well integrated. This cacao vodka has absolutely nailed the brief. - 03.
Archie Rose - Archie Rose Original Vodka
State: New South WalesTASTING NOTES:
A bit of lemon rind, bright, fresh and clean. Clean palate, not a huge amount of texture. A good example of a perfect, everyday vodka with no faults. - 04.
Old Young's - Pavlova Vodka
State: Western AustraliaTASTING NOTES:
Fruity, super sweet, strawberries and cream. Despite the sweetness, the flavours are fresh and natural. All in all makes for a fun, fruity and slightly frivolous drinking experience. This is a vodka in a pink party dress. Well done! - 05.
Manly Spirits - Marine Botanical Vodka
State: New South WalesTASTING NOTES:
Oystery, oceany, briney. Not too crisp; the texture is interesting. A little bit of maritme fun.
Whisky
- 01.
Hobart Whisky - 19-002 - Ex-Bourbon Matured / French Oak Pinot Noir Finish
State: TasmaniaTASTING NOTES:
Grown-up butterscotch candies. Though it begins a little austere and tightly wound, this whisky opens up beautifully. Classic. Aussie. Whisky. Excellent. - 02.
Archie Rose - Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky
State: New South WalesTASTING NOTES:
At once both sweet and savoury, serious and gregarious. Willy Wonka's factory has been firebombed, and all the kids are dancing in the embers. Fun! - 03.
Timboon Railway Shed Distillery - Christie's Cut Single Malt
State: VictoriaTASTING NOTES:
Big and boozy, packs a punch. It's so intriguing, strong all the way to the finish, with flavours of chestnuts, toffee apple, candied fruit, creamed butter and creaming soda. Balanced with a silky mouthfeel. Nice one! - 04.
Belgrove Distillery - Rye Whisky
State: TasmaniaTASTING NOTES:
Smooth as. Strong, ripe, verdant rye characteristics. Plenty to like. - 05.
Riverbourne Enigma - Edition 1 - Whisky Peated - Matured in a 60L Port Cask
State: New South WalesTASTING NOTES:
There's a delicious umami here, soy and fish sauce. Damp embers from a distant campfire, burnt toffee, but balanced by a maritime salinity. Opens up in the glass rapidly - this whisky is complex and off beat. A real contender. - 06.
Craft Works Distillery - NMS New Make Spirit Cellar Door Release No1
State: New South WalesTASTING NOTES:
Powerful! That Milo chocolate and malt delicious feel. This is a great product, ready for the barrel. - 07.
Timboon Railway Shed Distillery - Port Expression Single Malt
State: VictoriaTASTING NOTES:
Delicate and spritely, with a nice light, easy character. This is a good session whisky. Delicious flavours of custard, creme brulee, and fresh apple blossom dusted with lashings of vanilla and Hubba Bubba gum. Super well-balanced. Party starter right here! - 08.
Belgrove Distillery - Rye Whisky Cask Strength
State: TasmaniaTASTING NOTES:
The heat on the palate is exciting, a lick of something dangerous and delicious. This is good, strong drinking. - 09.
Backwoods Distilling Co - Wild Rye
State: VictoriaTASTING NOTES:
What an exemplary new-make malt. Whiffs of Vegemite and a pervasive mustiness that smells comforting and deeply intriguing - it makes this whisky very satisfying to sip. - 10.
'Fortune' - White Malt
State: QueenslandTASTING NOTES:
Mineral characteristics give way to ample fruitiness. Could almost be a unaged stone fruit brandy, super enjoyable and has so much breadth of flavour.
Rum
- 01.
JimmyRum - Oaked
State: VictoriaTASTING NOTES:
So much going on here, it's hard to identify specific flavours but this isn't a bad thing! This is big, loud and boozy in the best way. - 02.
JimmyRum - Silver
State: VictoriaTASTING NOTES:
Salty hard-liquorice nose. Sexy! This is pirate rum - the rum you swig from the bottle on deck. Big on the molasses. Big on the good times. - 03.
Hoochery Distillery - Premium Ord River Rum
State: Western AustraliaTASTING NOTES:
The warmth of the spirit here is the take away. It's bold and firm. - 04.
New Norfolk Distillery - Misty Valley Silver Spirit
State: TasmaniaTASTING NOTES:
Green, fresh, melon; great for a daiquiri. Drink this on a deserted island, in a linen suit. A wonderful expression here.
Brandy
- 01.
Sullivans Cove XO Tasmanian Brandy - Double Cask Batch DCB01
State: TasmaniaTASTING NOTES:
Amazingly bold and exciting drink. It's a great standalone product that completely transcends the category. Is it even a brandy ? - 02.
Needle & Pin Spirits - Grappa Tradizionale
State: South AustraliaTASTING NOTES:
Classic grappa profile. No-nonsense and super direct, it's crunchy and punchy and fiery without being harsh. Lots of personality, as you would expect. World-class. - 03.
Sullivans Cove XO Tasmanian Brandy - Single Cask TDB0018
State: TasmaniaTASTING NOTES:
Creme caramel and hard toffees, warm and creamy on the palate. It unfolds calmy and elegantly along the palate and remains consistent throughout the drinking experience. DELICIOUS. - 04.
Charles Oates Distilling - Fine Apple Brandy - Tokay
State: TasmaniaTASTING NOTES:
Crisp fresh Fuji apples, the herbal flavours of tobacco and dry hay in the sunshine. A vibrant, sunny afternoon delight. This has all the makings of a real crowd pleaser. - 05.
Apple Brandy - Brandy
State: South AustraliaTASTING NOTES:
The perfect balance of light and heavy, this is lovely and restrained. A contender! - 06.
Bass & Flinders Distillery - Ochre Fine Aged Brandy
State: VictoriaTASTING NOTES:
Light and delicate. A really strong product that has a lot of promise. Delicious drinkability. - 07.
Pietro Gallo Estate - Grappa di Prosecco
State: VictoriaTASTING NOTES:
Mellow, sweet, inviting. Highly drinkable. This is a breakfast grappa if there ever was one - fresh, grape sweetness balanced out by the soft intensity of the heat from the booze.
Liqueur
- 01.
Marionette - Dry Cassis
State: VictoriaTASTING NOTES:
Rich and elegant delivery of the delicious, sweet berry flavours. There's balance here too with bold savoury notes. A stunning colour, a stunning drink. - 02.
White Possum - Naked Amaretto
State: VictoriaTASTING NOTES:
If this was my bonbonniere I'd be delighted. Great marzipan taste and a textural weight on the tongue that's stunning. - 03.
Økar - Økar Amaro
State: South AustraliaTASTING NOTES:
Strawberry gum, used to perfection, there's a strong punchy menthol flavour here, this is a taste that's not shy. Nouveau Australian stylings here, take note. - 04.
Charles Oates Distilling - Pommeau
State: TasmaniaTASTING NOTES:
Easy drinking, approchable apple brandy. There's nothing to add and nothing to take away, delicious, slurpable. Mmmmhmmm.