The award-winning spirits you need to try and their delicious cocktail counterparts.
Make some room on your bar cart and bust out the cocktail shaker because the Dan Murphy’s Decoded Spirit Awards have arrived. Following in the footsteps of its smash hit older sister, Decoded Wine, these inaugural awards are all about demystifying the year’s best spirits and bringing you the bottles that have the experts talking.
Picking the winners was no easy task. Our panel of hardworking judges tirelessly sipped and assessed over 500 unique spirits, each vying for a shot at gold. For each of the 19 key categories, there could only be one winner-winner-chicken-dinner – one standout star representing everything good about Scotch whisky, spiced rum, mezcal or otherwise. And after much debate, they’ve bloody done it. Rest assured, these winning drinks are the absolute best in class.
But don’t think this a place for bank-breaking bottles only. There’s something for all budgets. You’ll find the latest trendsetting spirits – think local gins made from native ingredients and delicious non-alcoholic alternatives – alongside tried and true classics that continue to hold their own.
And to help you make the most of them, we’ve matched each Decoded Spirits winner to their perfect cocktail partner. Read on to get the lowdown on some key winners and get your drinkspo juices flowing.
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Category: Gin (Australia)
And the winner is… Archie Rose Distilling Co. Bone Dry Gin
Best enjoyed… in an Aviation Cocktail
Local gins are all the rage right now, but Archie Rose Distilling Co.’s Bone Dry Gin stands out from the crowd. Made using their one-of-a-kind hybrid vacuum still, this drop is distilled three different ways to produce a complex and powerful gin. How you choose to enjoy it is entirely up to you, but if you want our advice, mix it into an Aviation. The marriage of maraschino liqueur and lemon juice to the incredible native herb and botanical flavours of this Sydney gin is truly next level. The cherry on top is, well… the cherry on top?
Category: Non Alcoholic Spirit
And the winner is… Gordons 0%
Best enjoyed… in a Gin & tonic
Made using the same premium botanicals, Gordon’s 0% London Dry Gin has all that bold juniper flavour of the original, making it the perfect foil to a weeknight Gin & Tonic. Inclusivity is the name of the game here. Gone are the days when the abstinent were relegated to supermarket soft drinks. It’s 2022! Handcrafted mixed drinks can be enjoyed by everyone. This one is truly a game-changer.
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Category: Whisk(e)y (World)
And the winner is… Mars Iwai Tradition Blended Japanese Whisky
Best enjoyed… in a Vegan Whisky Sour
Japan well and truly belongs on the Mount Rushmore of whisky-producing nations, so it’s no surprise to see it take out this category. Sure, there’s no shortage of ultra-premium Japanese single malts, but the Mars Iwai is an impressive masterclass in blending, quality and value. It is soft but full-bodied, sweet yet complex, peaty and mellow all at once: truly in a class of its own. Throw it into a Whisky Sour and let it do its thing. Our recipe skips the egg whites in favour of aquafaba (posh for chickpea liquid) for a velvety and vegan-friendly drink.
Category: Agave (Mezcal)
And the winner is… Burrito Fiestero Cenizo Mezcal
Best enjoyed… in a Paloma Cocktail instead of tequila
Forging a path to carbon neutral, this sustainably grown mezcal is a spirit with a conscience. Produced in the Mexican state of Durango, Burrito Fiestero’s Cenizo Mezcal is best recognised for its signature smoky scent. It’s sweet, floral and fruity, with complex flavours of charred pineapple and eucalyptus elevating this drop to elite status. Use it in place of tequila in a classic Paloma cocktail for a smoky, toasty twist.
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Category: Rum (Spiced)
And the winner is… Captain Webb's Two Swallows Orange & Ginger Spiced Rum
Best enjoyed… in a Cable Car Cocktail
Who is Captain Webb? Just the first person to swim the English Channel! That was way back in 1875, but Webb’s sense of adventure tragically cost him his life just a few years later. Today, his legacy lives on in this ridiculously good rum created by his descendants. Dialling up the ginger, with notes of orange and molasses to boot, we reckon Webb would have loved it – especially when used as the base in our delicious Cable Car cocktail recipe.
Category: Gin (Australia)
And the winner is… Archie Rose Distilling Co. Bone Dry Gin
Try it… in an Aviation
Category: Gin (International)
And the winner is… Jawbox Small Batch Dry Gin
Try it… in a Ladies’ Lunch Punch
Category: Gin (Coloured & Sloe)
And the winner is… 23rd Street Distillery Violet Gin
Try it… in an Eastside
Category: Non Alcoholic Spirit
And the winner is… Gordons 0%
Try it… in a Gin & tonic
Category: Vodka (Australian)
And the winner is… Old Young's Pavlova Vodka
Try it… in a Cosmopolitan
Category: Asian Spirits
And the winner is… Luzhou Laojiao Zisha Daqu Baijiu
Try it… in place of the gin in a Classic Martini
Category: Whisk(e)y (Scotch)
And the winner is… The Macallan 12 Year Old Double Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Try it… straight. It would be sacrilege to mix this into a cocktail.
Category: Whisk(e)y (Australian)
And the winner is… Corowa Characters Australian Single Malt Whisky
Try it… in a Hot Toddy
Category: Whisk(e)y (North American)
And the winner is… Maker's Mark 46 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
Try it… in an Old Fashioned
Category: Whisk(e)y (World)
And the winner is… Mars Iwai Tradition Blended Japanese Whisky
Try it… in a Vegan Whisky Sour
Category: Apéritifs & Digestifs
And the winner is… Campari Bitter Aperitif
Try it… in a Negroni
Category: Brandy, inc. Cognac & Armagnac
And the winner is… St Agnes XO 15 Year Old Brandy
Try it… in a Brandy Alexander
Category: Agave (Tequila)
And the winner is… Patrón Silver Tequila
Try it… in a Chilli Coconut Margarita
Category: Agave (Mezcal)
And the winner is… Burrito Fiestero Cenizo Mezcal
Try it… in a Paloma instead of tequila
Category: Pre-batched Cocktails
And the winner is… Curatif Tequila Tromba Tommy's Margarita Cans
Try it… cold, right out of the can.
Category: Liqueurs
And the winner is… Cazcabel Tequila Coffee Liqueur
Try it… in a Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
Category: Rum (Australian)
And the winner is… Illegal Tender Rum Co Distillers Cut Rum
Try it… in a Mai Tai
Category: Rum (International)
And the winner is… Ron Millonario Solera 15 Reserva Especial 700mL
Try it… in Eggnog
Category: Rum (Spiced)
And the winner is… Captain Webb's Two Swallows Orange & Ginger Spiced Rum
Try it… in a Cable Car
