It’s a great time to be stocking up. New brands are landing on our shores all the time, and in the last many months alone, a number of truly unique ones have arrived. From a gin inspired by hash to aged blended beer fermented with wild yeast, we recommend some of the most interesting bottles now available.
Bacardi Premium Portfolio
The most recognizable rum brand in the world is offering us something beyond the usual with their new range of premium bottlings that feature age statements (yes, just like whisky). We already have the Bacardi Reserva Ocho 8-Years here, but joining it are the new Bacardi Anejo Cuatro 4-Years and the Bacardi Gran Riserva Diez 10-Years. Expect more pronounced notes of toasted oak, honey and banana in these longer-aged spirits, with the 10-Years good sipped just on its own. Legend has it that DFS is carrying a travel exclusive 16-Years one. Get one while DFS is still around. Available at bars and retail, including Habitat by Honestbee for $78 (4-Years), $110 (8-Years) and $127 (10-Years).
Dassai Beyond
Probably the hottest sake label right now, Dassai—best known for their Dassai 50 that is now discontinued and replaced by the Dassai 45 (the numbers refer to the rice polishing ratio)—has released an unprecedented bottling they’re calling the Dassai Beyond. More premium than their Dassai 23, the Beyond is the Yamaguchi-based brewery’s pinnacle expression. Clean, layered, elegant and extremely rare, even getting your hands on one is a treasure hunt. We notice newly opened Koma carrying it for dine-in, while Orihara at Robertson Walk will be a good place to start poking around for retail buys. Available at select establishments, including Koma and Orihara. Prices vary.
Giniversity Smoked Hemp Gin
After some minor importing roadblocks, as can be expected, the Giniversity Smoked Hemp Gin, developed in collaboration with the Margaret River Hemp Co, has finally arrived on our shores. Full disclosure: there’s no actual psychoactive parts of cannabis in this gin. The earthy, grassy aromas come from Aussie peat and hemp hearts, the latter of which is actually an edible, nutritious nut. Have it over tonic for a G&T that’ll get you there fast, and legally. Available at bars and retail, including Temple Cellars for $103.70.
Komasa Sakurajima Komikan Gin
Japanese craft gin distiller Komasa has launched a new product, this time focusing on a fruit—the Sakurajima komikan—native to Kagoshima, where the distillery is also based. This mikan is the smallest type of orange in the world, and each bite-sized morsel is packed with more fragrance and citrus notes than their more common cousins. This translates into the gin, which is fresh, botanical, and unmistakably citrusy, but in a mellow way. It’s aromatic without being sharp, perhaps thanks to the base spirit being rice shochu instead of the rougher neutral grain ones. Available on Lazada and at select establishments, including Koma, Maison Ikkouku and Mythz & Myths. Prices vary.
Kopi-O and Teh-O Liqueurs
Hot on the heels of their two gin launches comes local distillery Compendium’s new Kopi-O and Teh-O liqueurs. As is expected of Compendium products, this isn’t just a simple blend or infusion, where you just mix kopi and teh with a neutral spirit. Instead, they’ve gone the extra mile by first creating their own spirit, in this case a rum, by fermenting and distilling molasses. With the Kopi-O you get really intense, caramelised notes, just as you would from your morning kopi. And with the Teh-O, you’ll find earthiness and acidity, with plenty of black tea aromas on the finish. Available at bars and retail, including Temple Cellars for $50.
Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur
Showing us what a good coffee liqueur should taste like is Australian cult brand Mr Black. It comes in tall, dark and handsome bottles that looks good on any bar shelf, although it’s best served chilled so leaving it in the fridge might be best. Big and bold, the best thing about it is that it doesn’t have that cloying, saccharine sweetness the more common coffee liqueurs have, plus it’s just delicious as a drink on its own. Have a shot of this instead of your normal espresso or cold brew for a perk-me-up in more ways than one. Available at bars and retail, including www.redmart.com for $81.
Tippling Sake
First they released their own spirit, the Sons of Tippling gin, and now, Tippling Club has launched their own sake label exclusively available at their restaurant and bar. Produced by Fukui Brewery, the Tippling Sake is a Hakugakusen Wine Cell, a rather special junmai ginjo made using wine yeast. The result is a clean tasting, slightly funky sake with notes of sweet melon on the nose. It’s a sake that’s great for pairing with food. With a new intimate Japanese concept Mahoroba coming soon at Tippling Club (in a small space upstairs), having their own sake label makes a lot of sense. Available at Tippling Club for $75.
Wildflower Brewing & Blending
Some call this label from New South Wales one for the beer geeks, while others say this is easily the most accessible brew out there. But at the end of the day, it’s just fucking beer (the head brewer’s words, not ours), and one we thoroughly love. Wildflower sure has a lot going for it, what with their beers being aged in French oak barrels, going through wild fermentation, then blended or batched into 750ml bottles. It’s treated like wine, and meant to be appreciated as such—elegantly, with food, and without too much fanfare. Whether you’re going for their bright and juicy Gold range, or their toasty and rich Ambers, expect delicate sour notes and some natural funk to layer each sip of your drink. Not one for your hoppy IPA-crazy beer dudes. Available at Temple Cellars from $27.20 a bottle.
