Overview
Australia's drinks shelf has rarely looked more interesting. The country's independent distillers, brewers and small-batch beverage makers are leaning into native botanicals, regional terroir and properly considered takes on the ready-to-drink format — and the run of releases coming out of Roma, Broome, Darwin, Beechworth, the Bellarine and the Bass Strait make a strong case for skipping the imported aisle altogether.
This edit rounds up fourteen recent standouts from producers across the country, spanning native-driven gins, locally led rum and whisky, agave from the Bellarine Peninsula, a barrel-aged Brisbane Oude Bruin and a smarter wave of cans built for autumn afternoons, long lunches and everything in between.
Planning where to drink rather than what to pour? Explore our guide to the best new venues to visit in Melbourne and Sydney right now.
Paloma Cans, Papa Salt
Co-founded by Margot Robbie and built around native botanicals like wattleseed, hibiscus and a hint of salt, Papa Salt's new Palomas pair the gin with Capi grapefruit soda. Dry, bitter and properly Mediterranean — a 5 percent ABV can that lifts well above the usual RTD shelf. Shop now.
Mango Vodka Iced Tea, Subtle Tea
Brewed in Victoria using real loose-leaf tea, real fruit and locally distilled vodka, Subtle Tea's Mango pour leans on real mango nectar and a light sparkle for balance. Juicy without being sweet, smooth without being heavy — and the most fruit-forward in the small-batch range.
Half & Half Raspberry, Doozy
Co-created with Sydney Swans players Will and Harry Hayward, Ollie Florent and Isaac Heeney, Doozy's Half & Half is exactly that — half vodka iced tea, half lemonade. The raspberry version delivers nostalgic raspberry-lemonade lift at a sessionable 4.5 percent ABV.
Vodka Pash Pine Crush, Matso's
Born from Australia's most remote brewery in Broome, Matso's Pash Pine Crush is a tropical riff on their original Vodka Lemon Lime — premium vodka shaken through real passionfruit and pineapple at 4.5 percent. Sweet, bold and built for a humid afternoon, gluten-free and vegan-friendly.
Creamy Raspberry Vodka Cans, Billson's
Beechworth's Billson's has been making cordials, brews and tonics since 1865, and Creamy Raspberry is the most unapologetically retro of their vodka range. Think raspberry cream soda — milk-bar version — at a low-key 3.5 percent ABV.
Vodka + Electrolytes, Neu
Australian-made and independently owned, Neu blends premium vodka with electrolytes and natural ingredients in a no-bubbles 330ml can. At 99 calories with low sugar, it's pitched at the crowd that runs at sunrise and parties at sunset — and lands properly different in a samey RTD category.
Amber Plum Cola, Felons Brewing Co
Brisbane brewery Felons is behind some of Queensland's most experimental barrel work, and Amber Plum Cola is their take on the Belgian Oude Bruin style. Aged 22 months across ex-red wine, ex-Starward whiskey and ex-lager American oak, with stewed plum, raisin and vanilla over a clean, lip-puckering tartness.
Pure Mid-Strength Vodka, Enough
Built on a specific premise — full-flavoured spirits at half the alcohol content — Noosa-based Enough makes its Pure Mid-Strength Vodka entirely from Australian wheat. Clean on the nose with a soft white-sugar sweetness, it's a useful bottle for moderating without dropping to alcohol-free.
Vodka, Speargrass Distillery
Distilled in a copper column and filtered through what the maker calls a magnetic mineral vortex, Speargrass is Darwin's craft vodka outfit, and the bottle tastes like its Top End provenance — clean, slightly sweet on the finish, with a subtle citrus lift. Picked up gold at the 2025 Tasting Australia Spirit Awards.
Signature Agave Spirit, Bellarine Spirits
South Geelong distillery Bellarine Spirits was founded by former professional tennis player Glenn McColl, and their Signature Agave Spirit took home gold and the title of World's Best Tequila/Agave Liqueur at the 2025 World Distillery Awards. A reason to rethink which part of the world makes the most interesting agave.
Native Dry Gin, The Outback Distilling Co
Launched out of Roma — 480 kilometres west of Brisbane — Outback Distilling Co builds its Native Dry Gin around prickly pear, roasted wattleseed, native lemongrass, desert lime and lilly pilly. Semi-sweet through the mid-palate with a nutty, chocolate-edged finish.
Gidley Pinot Noir Gin, King Island Distillery
From the Bass Strait outfit behind some of Tasmania's most considered gin work, Gidley Pinot Noir Gin steeps the classic Gidley Dry Gin with 2025-vintage Pinot Noir grapes from Beautiful Isle Wines. Jewelled ruby in the glass, with raspberry, rosemary, blackcurrant and green cardamom — 97 points at the Halliday Spirit Awards.
Native Spiced Rum, Great Australian Rum Co
Great Australian Rum Co's Native Spiced takes a properly local angle on the spiced rum category, infusing Australian rum with native botanicals for a 40 percent pour with depth. Vanilla and caramel on top, native spice tones underneath — easy to mix, considered enough to sip neat.
Tamarind Whisky, Seven Seasons
Founded by Larrakia man and former AFL player Daniel Motlop, Seven Seasons works with native botanicals wild-harvested or sustainably sourced from Indigenous communities. Their Tamarind Whisky has been matured for four years and built around tamarind picked by Aboriginal harvesters — tangy, sweet, and like nothing else on the whisky shelf.
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