Cocktails Distilled

While they may be considered a relatively young brand, Australia's Never Never Distillery have very much taken the world by storm with their innovative juniper-first distillations. And their efforts have not gone unnoticed, as their recent win at the World Gin Awards for world's best classic gin, will attest. Yet it is their new distillery in the South Australian wine region of McLaren Vale, that has influenced their latest expression, a wine-based gin. We talked to Never Never's brand director, Sean Baxter, about Ginache, working with grapes. And of course, what cocktails this new liquid will work best in. 

You may have heard the term moonshine before to describe illegal liquor or the practice of prohibition era style, backyard distilling. But the term and the spirit have come a long way. Over the past few years, the production of moonshine or white whiskey has not only become more accepted, but there are also a host of distillers who are reinventing the genre. One such distiller is Ben Bowles of Melbourne Moonshine, who spent the last few years showing locals exactly what white lightning can be. To find out more we talk to Ben about producing a spirit without age, reinventing the category and exactly how this liquor should be used.

If you hadn't already noticed, there's a wave of premixed cocktails on the market these days. And they're not just put together by booze brands, like in the old days, these new offerings are coming from bartenders, spirits producers and people with a history of caring about the craft of drink making. One such brand is Curatif, an Australian company that creates portable casual cocktails that are as good as you'll find in any bar. We talked to one of the founders, Matt Sanger about flavor, balance and why Curatif is not your grandma's RTD. 

The RTD drinks catagory has come a long way since the days of jack & Coke in a can. And one of the innovative companies that is making huge head-way in the space is DRNXMYTH. Based out of Califormia, the company is shaking up the RTD sector (quite literally). We talk to Lawrence Cisneros, the CEO of DRNXMYTH, about balance, bartenders and the future of RTD. 

You could easily say that every whisky has an interesting story to tell - stories that are formed through the grain, the cask but primarily where the liquid originates. Most of us are familair with the stories that begin in the UK, the US or Japan but brands like Starward are endeavouring to show that Australian whisky has a story all of its own. Picking up awards like the “World’s Best Craft Distilled Whisky” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Starward is beginning redefine the nuances of what a whisky can be. To discuss this further, we talk to Starward’s David Vitale about casks, grains and of course cocktails. 

There is nothing as quintessentially American as bourbon, and its manufacture is a practice that goes back to the late 1700s. It is steeped in tradition. It has rules for production, and it also has, to purists at least, its very own home state, Kentucky. But back in 1997, a new brand, Jefferson's Bourbon, started up and became a disruptor in the space. We talked to Jefferson Bourbon's founder, Trey Zoeller, about innovation, ageing, and what it means to seek balance in the blend.

If you've ever been to Dublin, you've probably heard of Slane Castle. If you've ever followed the tour plans of any large rock bands you've probably heard of Slane Castle. If you've had a taste of Irish whiskey, then you probably also heard of Slane Castle. In an attempt to keep this historic house and 1,500 acre estate in the black. The Cunningham family have spent more than a decade putting down roots in the now fast growing world of Irish Whiskey. To explain the grain, the blend, and the casks. we talked to Alex Conyngham who puts a rather titled spin on Irish whiskey distilling. 

Pink Gin may be everywhere you look but New Zealand’s Scapegrace Gin are bucking the trend in the belief that there are some drinkers who are after a more sophisticated tipple. Released at the end of last year, the Black Gin is selling out as fast as the distillery can make it.  To discuss the gin and how you can use it, we talk to Co-Founder, Marketing Director Mark Neal and bar consultant Mikey Ball.

As the interest in low and no alcohol trend increase, the level of sophistication of the brands in the space has also increased. One such brand is Fluere, a non-alcoholic spirit made with the same distilling techniques used by perfume houses to create their high-end scents. We talk to CEO of Fluere, Léon Meijers, about the importance of mindful drinking, the medicinal properties of botanicals and, of course, the cocktails you can make with a non-alcoholic spirit. 

Coffee Liqueur and coffee based cocktails have come a long way in the last few years and many attribute that to Australian liqueur company Mr Black. But as anyone who appreciates fine coffee will know, it is not a one note ingredient. There is a huge diversity in flavour depending on the region or origin of the beans, not matter whether you are drinking it in the day or the night. The company have just released a new Single Origin liqueur, so we talk to Mr Black Co-Founder Tom Baker about their new expression, coffee terroir and the cocktails you really should be experiencing it in.