16 Best Gins in Australia to Drink Right Now
The best gins in Australia have cemented their place as some of the country’s favourite spirits. You’ll find them in our favourite pre-mixed drinks and cocktails, but they’re just as well sampled with a bit of tonic water on a weekend. We produce some of the best gins in the world, so there’s no reason to look overseas to find a great bottle. These home-grown brands have unique styles and flavours, and many feature unique locally sourced ingredients that can’t be found elsewhere. From Archie Rose to Four Pillars, the once-fledgling brands have become stars worldwide, and now it’s your turn to indulge in the best gins Australia has to offer.
Best Gins in Australia at a Glance
Highlights from our list include the following options:
- Best overall: Never Never Distilling Co. Triple Juniper Gin
- For flavoured gin: Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz
- For craft gin: Forty Spotted Australian Gin
- For value-for-money: Manly Spirits Australian Dry Gin
Now that you’ve reviewed our favourites, let’s check out the complete list.
Table of contents
- Best Gins in Australia at a Glance
- 1. Never Never Distilling Co. Triple Juniper Gin
- 2. Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin
- 3. Archie Rose Distilling Co. Signature Dry Gin
- 4. Manly Spirits Co. Australian Dry Gin
- 5. Forty Spotted Australian Gin
- 6. Poor Toms Sydney Dry Gin
- 7. Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz
- 8. Applewood Australian Gin
- 9. Brookie’s Byron Dry Australian Gin
- 10. Patient Wolf Melbourne Dry Gin
- 11. 78 Degrees Distillery Classic Gin
- 12. Young Henry’s Noble Cut
- 13. Hickson House Australian Dry Gin
- 14. Ocean Grown Gin
- 15. The Melbourne Gin Company Dry Gin
- 16. Brunswick Aces Spades Blend Gin
- How Man of Many Chose This List
- What is Gin?
- Rise of Gin in Australia
- Types of Gin
- Your FAQs Answered
- Alternatives to Australian Gin
RELATED: Here’s how to make the perfect martini.
1. Never Never Distilling Co. Triple Juniper Gin
Price: from AUD$62
This outstanding gin from Never Never Distilling gets its name from the three different distillation processes it goes through. First, juniper berries are steeped in an Australian wheat-based spirit for twenty-four hours. Next, fresh juniper berries are added to the still. Lastly, more juniper is added to the vapour basket. The result is a sublimely floral, piney, juniper-filled gin you won’t want to be without. But it’s more than just pine and juniper. This gin is bursting with herbs, lemon peel, and gentle spices.
We’ve been a fan of Never Never’s gin for a long time, courtesy of the rich botanicals that headline the flavour profile, and it seems we’re not alone. The distillery’s chief, Tim Boast, was named Master Distiller of The Year at the World Gin Awards, with the flagship Triple Juniper Gin nabbing Gold Medals at the San Francisco World Spirit Competition and Australian Gin Awards. When we spoke to Never Never Distilling’s co-founder and hospitality veteran Sean Baxter a few years ago, he revealed that the secret to the brand’s success is doing things differently.
“We added more juniper to our gin than any other gin on the market, using three separate extraction methods and made something that flies in the face of most ‘New World’ gin styles,” he told us. “This is a throwback to the old school with a few contemporary flourishes.”
Brand: Never Never Distilling Co.
Release: Triple Juniper Gin
ABV: 43%
Region: South Australia
2. Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin
Price: from AUD$78
Four Pillars is a big name in the gin world, not just in Australia. The Victorian brand’s Rare Dry Gin is known for utilising uniquely Australian ingredients, including lemon myrtle and Tasmanian Pepperberry. The leading grain spirit is even proofed down using Yarra Valley water. The ingredients include classic gin flavours like juniper berries, Angelica root, aniseed, and cardamom. It has an excellent citrus and spiced flavour profile that makes it a tremendous base for your favourite cocktails.
At the 2023 International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC), Four Pillars claimed the title International Gin Producer of the Year, an honour the Healesville-based distillery also won in 2019 and 2020.
Brand: Four Pillars
Release: Rare Dry Gin
ABV: 41.8%
Region: Victoria
3. Archie Rose Distilling Co. Signature Dry Gin
Price: from AUD$79
This is Archie Rose’s “Australian take” on the classic London dry gin. It recently underwent an overhaul with a new recipe six years after its first release. This highly flavourful gin features eight selected herbs and botanicals, including the expected juniper and sunrise lime, Geraldton waxflower, Dorrigo Pepperleaf, and eucalyptus. It carries flavours of cracked black pepper, piney juniper, eucalyptus, and bright citrus.
As one of Australia’s foremost gin producers, Archie Rose has no shortage of releases that could have made the list. For example, the label’s Harvest 2019 Poorman’s Orange Gin was one of the favourite drops of the past few years, while the Sydney Cricket Gin had us champing at the bit for a taste. Despite this, we couldn’t go past the classic Signature Dry Gin. Rich, fruity and full of flavour, you can’t go wrong with this release.
Brand: Archie Rose Distilling Co.
Release: Signature Dry Gin
ABV: 42%
Region: New South Wales
4. Manly Spirits Co. Australian Dry Gin
Price: from AUD$78
This dry gin is flavoured with ten herbs and botanicals, including juniper berries, finger lime, sea lettuce, anise, Myrtle Mountain pepper leaf, and orange peel. All of the ingredients are sustainably foraged to be used to add depth to this Australian wheat spirit. The result is a juniper-forward dry gin with notes of orange peel, cracked black pepper, and floral flavours.
Brand: Manly Spirits
Release: Australian Dry Gin
ABV: 43%
Region: New South Wales
5. Forty Spotted Australian Gin
Price: from AUD$75.99
This Tasmanian-made, carbon-neutral gin is like a mix of old-school and new-school gins. Made by the legends behind whisky favourite Lark Distilling Co., it gets its flavour from ingredients like Tasmanian pepper berry, makrut lime leaves, dry lemon peel, and various botanicals and herbs. The result is a piney, spicy, citrus-filled gin that seems to have one foot in the traditional world and one in the contemporary world.
Brand: Forty Spotted
Release: Australian Gin
ABV: 40%
Region: Tasmania
6. Poor Toms Sydney Dry Gin
Price: from AUD$69
You’ve heard about dry gin in London, but how about dry gin in Sydney? Well, this award-winning gin has a unique flavour profile featuring juniper berries, chamomile, lemon myrtle, strawberry gum leaf, pressed granny smith apples, coriander, angelica root, cubeb pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon. The result is a piney, surprisingly fruity, lightly floral gin well-suited for sipping neat, on the rocks, or mixed into a classic gin & tonic.
Brand: Poor Toms
Release: Sydney Dry Gin
ABV: 41%
Region: New South Wales
7. Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz
Price: from AUD$76
This gin is as uniquely named as it is in appearance. This purple-hued gin is something different. Its Four Pillars famous Rare Dry Gin is steeped in locally sourced cool climate Shiraz grapes. It has the classic juniper, herbal, botanical, and spices gin fans crave, but it also has a fruity element that propels this gin into something special. Significant on its own, it shines as a base for fruity gin cocktails.
Brand: Four Pillars
Release: Bloody Shiraz
ABV: 37.8%
Region: Victoria
8. Applewood Australian Gin
Price: from AUD$75
This gin is like Australia in alcohol form. It was crafted to taste like everything you love about the country. Ingredients like juniper berries, peppermint gum leaf, blood limes, myrtle, wild thyme, quandong, pepperberry, and lavender give this grape-based gin minty, fruity, herbal, and lightly spicy flavours well-suited for a gimlet or as the centrepiece of various other gin cocktails.
Brand: Applewood Distillery
Release: Australian Gin
ABV: 43%
Region: South Australia
9. Brookie’s Byron Dry Australian Gin
Price: from AUD$73
This award-winning gin is truly a spirit of its time and place. It is infused with twenty-five different herbs and botanicals foraged from the rainforest. Seventeen of them came directly from the region of Northern Rivers, where Cape Byron Distillery is located. These include cinnamon myrtle, aniseed myrtle, macadamia, native river mint, native raspberry, and Byron Sunrise finger limes. This creates a complex, flavourful gin with hints of candied orange peel, raspberries, ginger, pepper, and piney juniper.
Brand: Brookie’s
Release: Byron Dry Australian Gin
ABV: 46%
Region: New South Wales
10. Patient Wolf Melbourne Dry Gin
Price: from AUD$77
Named for the city where the distillery is located, Patient Wolf Melbourne Dry Gin is flavoured with juniper berries, coriander, aniseed myrtle, orris root, angelica root, cardamon, cubeb pepper, tonka beans, and other herbs and botanicals. Perfect for a Negroni or a fresh, fruity cocktail, its highlighted flavours include ripe grapefruit, piney juniper, light spices, and wildflowers.
Brand: Patient Wolf
Release: Melbourne Dry Gin
ABV: 41.5%
Region: Victoria
11. 78 Degrees Distillery Classic Gin
Price: from AUD$79.95
This small batch grape-based gin gets its flavour from being vapour distilled using a column and basket distillation method. The twelve vapour-infused herbs and botanicals include juniper, clove, cinnamon, coriander, orange, nutmeg, black pepper, star anise, orris root, and angelica root. These are some of the most well-known gin flavours. The result is a classic, traditional gin with a ton of pine, citrus peel, floral aromas and flavours, and gentle spice.
Brand: 78 Degrees Distillery
Release: Classic Gin
ABV: 42%
Region: South Australia
12. Young Henry’s Noble Cut
Price: from AUD$77.00
The distillers at Young Henrys refer to this as a “brewer’s gin.” That’s because it gets its flavour profile from gin and beer. It starts with a neutral grain spirit infused with juniper berries, melon myrtle, pepperberry, and other herbs and botanicals. They add Enigma hops from Tasmania to add floral, piney aroma and flavour. The result is a unique spin on the classic London dry gin.
Brand: Young Henrys
Release: Noble Cut Gin
ABV: 40%
Region: New South Wales
13. Hickson House Australian Dry Gin
Price: from AUD$75
Hickson House Australian Dry Gin begins as a classic London dry gin. The addition of Old Man Saltbush gives it an extra, memorable salty flavour. Other herbs and botanicals include juniper berries, orris root, angelica root, and coriander. It’s known for its complex flavour profile featuring notes of bright pine, coriander, and other spices, and just a hint of salinity throughout. It feels like this gin was crafted to be used as the base for a salty martini.
Brand: Hickson House Distilling Co.
Release: Australian Dry Gin
ABV: 42%
Region: New South Wales
14. Ocean Grown Gin
Price: from AUD$96.00
Named Australia’s best-flavoured gin in 2022, Never Never Distilling Co. Ginache looks more like a fine wine than a gin. This is because Never Never starts with its popular Triple Juniper Gin and then adds crushed grenache grapes. It’s left for a full month before it’s pressed, filtered, and finally bottled. The result is a vibrant purple-hued gin with flavours of ripe berries, fruit esters, juniper, and spicy cinnamon.
Release: Ocean Grown Gin
ABV: 42%
Region: Fitzroy Island Reef, Queensland
15. The Melbourne Gin Company Dry Gin
Price: from AUD$74
The folks at The Melbourne Gin Company refer to their dry gin as a classic gin with “a twist of Melbourne”. It gets its flavour from eleven unique herbs and botanicals, including juniper, coriander, grapefruit peel, rosemary, macadamia, sandalwood, honey lemon myrtle, organic naval orange, angelica root, orris root, and cassia bark. The most unique element is pure rainwater from Gembrook in the Yarra Ranges. It’s known for its smooth, well-balanced, dry flavour profile.
Brand: The Melbourne Gin Company
Release: Dry Gin
ABV: 42%
Region: Victoria
16. Brunswick Aces Spades Blend Gin
Price: from AUD$69.95
Brunswick Aces’ first alcoholic expression, Brunswick Aces Spades Blend Gin features flavours of juniper berries, green cardamom, lemon myrtle, Tasmanian pepperberry, and various other herbs and botanicals. This creates a complex, flavourful gin with hints of citrus peels, baking spices, and gentle floral notes. It’s a great gin to enjoy neat, on the rocks, or as the base for a classic gin & tonic or Spanish-style gin tonic.
Brand: Brunswick Aces
Release: Spades Blend Gin
ABV: 42%
Region: Victoria
How Man of Many Chose This List
With more than 10 years of experience reviewing beer, wine and spirits, Man of Many’s editors have selected a list of the best gin. Additionally, author Christopher Osburn has more than 15 years of experience writing about alcohol and lifestyle topics across the globe. Our resident drinks expert is the perfect person to unpack this mixture of flavours.
What is Gin?
To say that gin is an interesting, unique spirit is an understatement. While most spirits (except intentionally flavourless vodka) are distilled and then aged to add flavour (rum, tequila, and various whisk(e)ys among other spirits), gin gets its flavour from being infused with various herbs and botanicals. This is where some drinkers turn away from gin. If they do, they’re really missing out. While vodka offers a base for cocktails without intentionally very little flavour, gin is crafted purely for the herbal, floral, and fruity flavours it will bring to your favourite cocktails.
Generally, gin is a neutral grain distilled spirit infused with juniper berries and various other herbs and botanicals based on the individual recipe. While flavour profiles vary, you can bet it will be floral and piney.
How is Gin Made?
Like vodka, gin is made by distilling neutral grain alcohol from grapes, wheat, barley, or some other fruit or grain. Here’s where it deviates from vodka, though. It’s then infused with herbs, botanicals, and fruits like juniper berries, orange peels, coriander, and angelica root.
Like vodka, gin begins as a clear distilled spirit made from grain (usually barley or wheat). It’s fermented and then distilled. This is where gin and vodka (besides some other potential grains or starches used as the base) deviate. Unless it requires more distillation, vodka is ostensibly ready to be bottled, while one more step is required to create that “gin” flavour you either love or simply can’t stomach because of a few bad choices at university.
Gin is then infused with juniper berries (the main flavor mostly associated with the spirit) and other ingredients like orris root, Angelica root, licorice, coriander, lavender, orange peel, and countless other potential fruits, herbs, and botanicals.
Where is Gin Made?
While gin has a long history in places like The Netherlands and the United Kingdom, it’s made in all corners of the globe. While not often thought of historically as a gin destination, Australia has become a great country to be a gin drinker in the last decade or so, with many craft and artisanal distilleries cranking out unique, noteworthy gins. Additionally, Australia is becoming known as a gin destination worldwide after capturing some of the most significant awards at the 2022 World Gin Awards.
Rise of Gin in Australia
With almost every distillery and their cat (it’s a thing) making at least one expression, with many offering seasonal, limited releases and barrel-aged examples, if you’re not already drinking the stuff, then now’s the time to start. And ‘I got really drunk on it once when I was a teenager, and now I can’t touch the stuff’ is not a valid excuse.
“As with any other spirit, Australian Gin punches well above its weight on the global stage. All you need to do is keep an eye on any of the global spirits competitions, and you are bound to see Aussie Gins, Vodka and countless other spirits taking home medals,” Malcolm Gandar, masterclass host and brand ambassador for Cocktail Porter & The Whiskey Mill tells Man of Many. “Australian spirits are always making sure to refine their process, and we produce some of the best quality spirits with some of the best ingredients and techniques. It’s exciting to see our success over the last few years.”
Separating Australian gin from the rest of the world, the spirits expert confirmed that a few common traits are unique to the domestic market.
“When it comes to Gin, Australian botanicals are commonly used. To create gin, you need to infuse juniper into your base spirit. However, many other botanicals are usually used. Australia has such amazing natural flora, and incorporating these in our gins has created a unique flavour,” Gandar said. “Some include Aniseed Myrtle, Bush Tomato, Lemon Myrtle, Finger limes, Pepperberry and Finger Lime. These are all unique flavours, but overall, they allow our gins to stand out compared to the international competition with a uniquely Australian flavour.”
Types of Gin
While London Dry is by far the most commonly seen gin, there are five types of gin. Each presents its challenges, subtle differences and stylistic choices, so if you want to make the most of your gin-drinking experience, you must know what to look for. Here are the four types of gin to put on your radar:
- London Dry: There’s no more well-known gin style than the classic London Dry. It gets its name because of where it originated and the flavour profile. There are also specific rules about what exactly a London dry gin is. To be included in this category, it must start with an agriculturally created base spirit, it must be distilled to at least 96% ABV, no herbs, botanicals, fruits, or flavours can be artificial or synthetic, and all of the ingredients must be added during the distillation process.
- Plymouth: Plymouth-style gin gets its name because it’s geographically specific. Like Cognac can only be produced in and around Cognac, France, Plymouth-style gin can only be distilled in Plymouth, England. It’s known for its similar flavour profile to London dry gin. The difference is that the base ingredients are different, and it’s known to be even drier.
- Old Tom: Popular in the 1800s, Old Tom-style gin largely disappeared until contemporary craft distillers brought it back. Often (but not always), it’s aged to add depth of flavour. Regardless of aging, it’s known for its much sweeter flavour profile than its London dry gin counterpart. It’s less juniper-driven and has a flavour profile similar to the famous Dutch spirit genever.
- Genever: Also spelled jenever, genever is a Dutch-born spirit that gets its primary flavour from the liberal use of juniper berries. Even though it tastes like gin, technically, it isn’t a gin. Genever can only be produced in The Netherlands or Belgium. It’s a blend of two different spirits. The first is a whisky-like spirit made with wheat, corn, and rye. The second spirit is a neutral grain spirit flavoured with juniper. Other herbs and botanicals can be added, depending on the recipe. All you need to know is that Genever is like someone who added white whisky to their favourite gin.
Your FAQs Answered
Four Pillars is the most-awarded gin brand in Australia and one of the most awarded in the world. It was named Distiller of the Year at the 2022 World Gin Awards. But Never Never Distilling Company’s Triple Juniper Gin Export Strength was named the World’s Best London Dry Gin.
With its founding in 2006 by Jon and Sarah Lark, Kangaroo Island Spirits was Australia’s first dedicated gin distillery. Located in Cygnet River, Kangaroo Island. This award-winning distillery produces gin, vodka, and a variety of liqueurs. Its success paved the way for the influx of award-winning, high-quality gins of today.
Alternatives to Australian Gin
If you’re not quite aboard the Australian gin train, or you’re just looking to find out which international spirit tickles your fancy, why not check out some of our other drinks articles:
