Our Fave Delicious New Alcoholic Drinks to Sip This Weekend
The alcoholic drinks industry is as innovative as they come. We count down our favourite new drinks to hit the market.
The beverage industry is one of the most innovative in the market, constantly conjuring up new flavours to make our drinking experiences more enjoyable. Whether its fruity cocktails packaged in a nostalgic juice box or easy-to-sip seltzers or pretty pink gins, these new drink releases are the perfect fit for your next social gathering or knock-off tipple.
Next time you're hosting your mates for a swish dinner party, be sure to consult this edit of the best new alcoholic drinks.
New Alcoholic Drinks: Wine
2023 Port Arlington Chardonnay - Mulline Wines
At $60, this 100% Chardonnay drop has quickly become a Sitchu favourite. Fermented naturally with full solids and aged for 8 months in 20% new French oak, it exudes rich, creamy textures and complex layers. Expect vibrant citrus notes mingling with subtle toasted oak and a hint of minerality, reflecting the unique terroir.
One seriously memorable sip, that celebrates the essence of Victoria's pristine Bellarine Peninsula.
$60 per bottle
Brown Brothers - 'Origins' Fiano
The dry, light-bodied style of a Fiano is perfect for outdoor dinner party gatherings - and Brown Brothers 'Origins' Fiano is one of the best versions of it - with a cracking price point to match!
The colour is light and golden, while the nose is perfumed by tropical fruits and freshly cut apples. The palate is full of citrus and lemon cordial flavours that are balanced by Fiano's incredible natural acidity.
Drinking well now, this Fiano will also benefit with short term aging in the three-year range.
$18.00 per bottle
Chandon Garden Spritz
Ready to serve, ready to share. Chandon's Garden Spritz is a blend of exceptional sparkling wine and a unique bitters recipe - and it's a must-try new alcoholic drink to sip on this month. It's been specially crafted with navel and blood oranges and macerated with dried orange peels, herbs and spices. all carefully selected from the finest terroirs in the world.
$33.00 per bottle
BAROSSAN X
Fans of the Barossa, gather around. Peter Lehmann has just dropped a range of Shiraz that are spicing up the game with a little twist. Choose your player from Twisted, Daring and Radical which have been jazzed up with a little bit of Tempranillo, Montepulciano and Touriga respectively. You can view each of the unique tasting notes here. Happy sipping!
$23 per bottle
Buy here
Fat Cat Barossa Grenache & Eden Valley Riesling - Cat Amongst the Pigeons
Cat Amongst the Pigeons newest wines from its premium ‘Fat Cat’ collection are here and ready for your next dinner party. This premium range from one of Australia's most popular wine labels includes the new vintage Fat Cat Barossa Valley Grenache 2021 and the Fat Cat Eden Valley Riesling 2022, and they're demonstrating sophisticated realness and the world-class winemaking found in South Australia. The Grenache is a true all-rounder that's already received numerous accolades across the country, while the Riesling has bright aromatics of lemon and lime. In short, they're a discerning palates' delight!
Side note: Cunning wine fans can also get their hands on a limited edition Cat Amongst The Pigeons card game, which tests players' skills in social deception. The special edition game is the perfect accompaniment to a wine-filled evening with friends and encourages players to follow their gut to find out who is the imposturous ‘Cat’ hiding amongst the ‘Pigeons’.
Available at select BWS and Dan Murphy’s retailers
New Alcoholic Drinks: Cocktails, Pre-Mixed Drinks & Seltzers
ALBA
Stop. The. Search. Never again go without a weekend margy. ALBA have made things so deliciously easy with their canned sparkling margaritas which we can assure you are the real deal. We have a sneaky suspicion that if someone did a blind taste test between ALBA and your favourite bartender's iteration, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Quality Mexican tequila meets real lime juice and agave in the perfect proportions.
$65 for a pack of ten
Gravity Vodka + Lemoncello Hard Soda
After something you can sip on that's low in sugar, gives quality Italian Riviera vibes and is low cal to boot? We've got just the drop. One of our all-time favourite seltzer providers, Gravity, has just dropped this refreshing bev just in time for you to pretend you're enjoying summer in Europe. Tried, tested and loved!
Doozy Half & Half
This fresh vodka pre-mix is changing the game. Doozy Drinks has created what they're calling the 'Half & Half' a drink that's half vodka iced tea, half lemonade. Available in two flavours, raspberry and peach, this drink is sweet, refreshing, and perfect on a summer's day and sharing with friends.
Available via Doozy Drinks and Dan Murphy's
Bower
Australia's first alcoholic kombucha has hit town and it's everything we wanted and more. Offering an alternative to seltzer, beer and pre-mixed drinks, Bower's v. aesthetically pleasing cans are packed with gut-loving probiotics. Available in two delish flavours - watermelon & mint and passionfruit & raspberry - we think this might just be our new go-to.
$28 per four pack
Suntory Minus 196 Double Peach
We know and love their Double Lemon and Double Grape flavours but now we can officially add Double Peach to our rotation. Bursting with fruity allure, Suntory Minus 196 Double Peach promises a refreshing twist with its tantalising blend inspired by the extreme flavours, sights and lights of Japan. Using the same unique Freeze Crush Infusion Technology, whole peaches are frozen in liquid nitrogen at minus 196 degrees, then pulverised and infused with shochu and vodka - and added to soda.
$26 per four pack
Fuzzy Bare: Piquette by Fourth Wave Wines
Move over Rosé, we’re drinking Piquette this summer! The new kid on the easy-drinking, natural wine block, Fuzzy Bare by Fourth Wave Wines is fizzy, fun, and ready to drink. Organically grown, with no additives, it’s vegan and moderate in alcohol – and made from using leftover grape skins from Fourth Wave’s wines. Beautifully refreshing, the range includes two Pinot Gris Piquette’s and a Pinot Noir Piquette.
Bottles $16.99 each and 4-pack cans $26.00
Find out more here
Paradox Wines Wine Seltzers
Paradox Wines has unveiled a new way to sip and swirl this summer by adding some wine seltzers in the mix. With two deliciously fruity varieties to try (Pinot Gris, with natural pear and finger lime, and Rosé with natural strawberry and hibiscus) and at just 4.5% alc/vol, these fun new sips are adding both so-fizz-tication and moderation to the fast-growing seltzer category.
$21.00 per four pack
Feels Botanical 'Eau de Vie'
A new and exciting category within the Australian alcoholic beverage landscape, Feels Botanical is breaking new ground with their recently released Botanical Eau de Vie range. You’ll find layered beneath the botanicals of Rouse (rose, horny goat weed & Davidson plum), Vivify (turmeric, coconut & ginger), Bask (hemp, quandong & Kakadu plum) and Revel (ginseng, coffee & Illawarra plum), there’s a touch of grape that comes out to meet you; it almost whispers wine. Harvested from the rolling vineyards of Australia, as autumn settles in each year and grape-picking winds down, vineyards often find they’re left with too much fruit to process for the year’s vintage – it’s an approach that’s as sustainable as it gets.
$82.00 each, 500ml
Cantails
Australia’s passionate love for cocktails has been celebrated with the brand-new launch of premium cocktail company, Cantails. Available in three delicious flavours: Spicy Margarita, Appletini and Espresso Martini, Cantails allow you to bring the high-end cocktail bar into your home conveniently. Australian-made and owned, these fashionable cans are packaged in shimmery metallic coloured shades of pinks, yellows, purples and greens, suitable for a snazzy picnic with friends.
$45.00 per four pack
iZZ!
Fresh from the Saintly Seltzer Co. comes iZZ!, a new canned cocktail that's as delicious as it is easy drinking. These bevvies come with many benefits over their alternatives: a lower alcohol volume of 4%, premium ingredients, lower calories, carbs and sugars, and fancy flavours – think Watermelon Margarita and Passionfruit Mojito.
$25.00 per four-pack
New Alcoholic Drinks: Spirits
Roku Gin Sakura Bloom Edition
The first release in Roku Gin’s Seasonal Festival Collection, the Roku Gin Sakura Bloom Edition has been crafted to capture the fleeting, yet beautiful, essence of cherry blossoms in bloom, a phenomenon that transforms Japan into a sea of colour and delicate fragrance for just two weeks every year.
Bringing the essence of Japanese springtime to your glass, the limited edition Roku Gin harnesses the brightness and freshness of Sakura to be enjoyed year-round. Expect an elegant floral taste, layered with hints of saltiness, all underpinned by a delicately complex blend of six unique Japanese botanicals.
RRP $74.99 for 700mL
Available here
Ezra Brooks Kentucky Straight Bourbon
A bottle of Ezra Brooks Kentucky Straight Bourbon is a bit of a staple if you're looking to curate an enviable bar cart. Caramel and vanilla notes provide the sweetness whilst spice and chocolate peek through. Aged for seven years in charred white oak barrels, you can expect a depth of flavour perfect for an after-dinner tipple.
RRP $63.99 per bottle
Yellowstone Select Bourbon Whiskey
In honour of America's first national park, Yellowstone Bourbon was established in 1872 as a whiskey for the people. Yellowstone's signature serve, Yellowstone Select Bourbon Whiskey, is now officially available on Australian shelves, so saddle up for a top-notch sip.
Our favourite way to drink it? Mixed in to a delicious and zesty Citrus Sidebar.
Simply combine 60mL Yellowstone, 30mL orange liqueur, 30 mL fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of agave nectar in a shaker, with a handful of ice. Shake until cold, then strain into a cocktail glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon slice and savour the sips!
RRP $107.99 per bottle
Photography: @kateholmesphotographer
Pluto Spirits - Spiced Rum
Pluto Spirits have wowed with their latest creation - a Spiced Rum that's perfect for the cooler weather months - or during the silly seasons of Easter and Christmas.
Proudly South Australian, it is fermented with organic Australian molasses and column distilled for an exceptionally smooth and effortlessly drinkable experience.
This luscious rum is aged on fire-toasted new American oak, resulting in delightful notes of vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch. Savour the rich flavours in a crafted cocktail, or simply enjoy it neat
$75.00
Buy here
Pacific Drifter
The rum scene in Australia is growing and if you're not yet on board, let this refined cane spirit be your introduction. Perfect for mixing into everything from a mojito to a daiquiri, Pacific Drifter combines fresh Queensland molasses, cinnamon pods, Madagascan vanilla, orange and lemon peel for an utterly smooth and perfectly tropical taste. Best of all, this socially conscious brand minimises its impact by using recycled labels, locally sourced molasses and recycled glass. Wins on every level.
$60 per bottle
Dragon Release Rum by Beenleigh
Gin, you better watch out because rum is having a moment and we're pleased to see it. If you're not sure where to start, score yourself a bottle of Dragon Release Rum from Beenleigh which will bag you rich, buttery and spice wood notes that lend a smooth taste. The limited-edition blend also comes in an exquisite Individually numbered bottle so it will look extra swish on the bar cart.
$160.00 per bottle
Available online here
PATRÓN El Cielo
The first four-times distilled prestige tequila in the world, PATRÓN's latest release is a unique innovation in silver tequila that has arrived just in time for summer. The brand's Master Distiller has pushed the boundaries with a unique distillation process and more than 150 tasting sessions to ensure this bold innovation maintains an impressively rare, naturally-sweet taste. With a bright, radiantly-smooth finish, it's perfect to sip over ice with a slice of orange.
RRP $300.00
Available online here
818 Tequila
Yep! It's here. Kendall Jenner's incredible tequila brand 818 Tequila has hit Australian shores and it's just as good as the hype promises it is! Prepared traditionally using modern equipment, 818 has scored 43 international tasting awards since its debut. The 818 Tequila Blanco is perfect for those who love an ultra-smooth tequila with a crisp citrus finish whilst the Tequila Reposado boasts notes of caramel and pecan pie. Like your tequila deep and rich? Opt for the Añejo. For those looking to up the ante, the Eight Reserve is aged for up to eight years in French and American barrels before being bottled in a handcrafted ceramic decanter - perfect for a gift.
From $100.00 per bottle
Available online here
Ocean Grown Gin
Ahh. We love a drink that does good and Grown Spirits is back at it again with their latest release, Ocean Grown Gin. This time they've teamed up with the Reef Restoration Foundation to craft an ocean-inspired gin with bright and delicate saline notes, alongside hints of dry citrus and spice. Perfect for the upcoming summer! As always, part of the sale of each bottle will be donated to reef restoration in North Queensland.
$96.00 per bottle
Buy here
Yarra Strength Navy Gin - Little Lon
Little Lon Distilling Co's new release Yarra Strength Navy Gin is a tribute to the beauty of Melbourne's vital, enduring waterway, the people, and the city itself. Precisely crafted with a harvest of native botanicals that once graced the banks of the Yarra, the gin is then proofed with river water that's been rigorously filtered and direct from the source - where the `Yarra meets the sea, in Port Phillip `Bay. This is the only spirit in Australia to have done this, and it will never be repeated. A true taste of history, that weaves a beautiful story of flavour from first sip - with notes of mint, bursts of fresh citrus and punchy juniper, finishing with a lingering saline simplicity.
$175.00 per bottle
Four Pillar's Bloody Shiraz
Love a glass of shiraz and a gin? The fabulous team at Four Pillars have brought these delicious drinks together to produce one very moreish and striking new drink, the Bloody Shiraz. Luke Shadbolt's creative talent is on show on the label, with the designs featuring a swirly, sculptural print to capture the essence of the flavours.
$84.00 per bottle
Loved our edit of new alcoholic drinks and looking for more ways to perfect your entertaining game? Check out our guide to hosting a long lunch at home, and these tips for styling a beautiful table.
