Top Shelf – the best new-release spirits to add to your cocktail cabinet
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, which means time is running out to collect all of your stocking stuffers. We know gifting can be a pain, but if there’s one sure-fire way to brighten someone’s Christmas Day, it’s with a bottle of something nice. We’ve gone to the trouble of picking some nicely naughty spirits, perfect for the cocktail lover in your life!
Never Never Panettone Negroni
Never Never is ushering in silly season with the return of its cult-favourite Panettone Negroni, a ready-to-pour cocktail inspired by the cosy, candied-fruit flavours of the classic Italian Christmas cake. Back for 2025 in a new 700-ml format and housed in a limited-edition gift box, the ruby-red drop blends the distillery’s award-winning Triple Juniper Gin with bitter citrus aperitif, sweet vermouth, aged muscat, orange liqueur, rye distillate and whole vanilla bean for a rich, festive finish that tastes like Christmas in a glass. Best served straight from the freezer over a single block of ice, it’s present-ready, crowd-pleasing and available at Dan Murphy’s and via the Never Never online store.
Granddad Jack’s Pavlova Gin
If Aussie Christmas was distilled and bottled into a spirit, this Pavlova Gin from Granddad Jack’s would be it. Crafted annually in what the team describes as a “dessert-fuelled frenzy”, the gin sees strawberries, kiwi fruit, vanilla, brown sugar, liquorice root, cream and passionfruit macerated and vapour-infused with juniper, meringue kisses and dehydrated strawberries. The result is a nostalgic, summer-sweet pour that tastes like fruit, cream and tradition, making it a cult festive release that’s bottled properly, poured proudly and snapped up faster than the last slice of Christmas dessert. Last we heard there were very few bottles remaining. Don’t miss out – head to the Granddad Jack’s website to get your hands on one now.
Archie Rose x Saint Peter Gin
It’s not often that you see a distillery team up with a restaurant – especially one of Saint Peter’s calibre. Archie Rose has collaborated with chef Josh Niland and Samuel Cocks of Saint Peter to create a standout festive gift with a sustainable twist – the John Dory Gin. Ethically caught John Dory is dry-handled and dried to ensure nothing goes to waste, with the bones distilled alongside native Australian botanicals to produce a complex, umami-rich gin. The result is a spirit that celebrates flavour, provenance and the full potential of every ingredient – perfect for cocktail lovers who appreciate craft, creativity and conscious sourcing. Get it from the Archie Rose website now.
CINCA Blanco
For a tequila gift that brings sunshine and soul to the festive table, CINCA Blanco delivers a fresh, modern take on tradition. Founded by five women united by a love of travel, surf and celebration, CINCA Blanco is crafted from 100% Blue Weber Agave grown to full maturity by fourth-generation farmers at the Camarena Estate in the highlands of Jalisco. Bottled exclusively in Mexico with no artificial additives, the spirit delivers rich, natural flavour with the clean, vibrant freshness of agave. Made for easy sipping and effortless celebration, it shines over ice with lime or lengthened with tonic or grapefruit soda for a laid-back festive pour. CINCA is stocked at Dan Murphy’s.
Beudi’s agave spirit
Crafted by a dream team of booze-industry veterans from Stone & Wood, Rosella’s and Travla, Beudi (pronounced “beauty”) is a bold new Aussie spirits label putting home-grown agave and native ingredients front and centre. The brand officially launched in August, kicking things off with two core products – a zippy Beudi Blanco agave spirit and Margi Spirit, Australia’s first bottled marg base – plus a pair of RTDs, including the sparkling Bushwater with desert lime and soda. Serious about flavour but never uptight, Beudi blends premium craft with Aussie charm, a focus on sustainability and a commitment to giving back. With native ingredients sourced via Indigenous-owned Bush to Bowl and plans to go 100-percent Aussie agave, Beudi isn’t just slinging great drinks, it’s looking to shape the future of Australian spirits. Get a bottle here.
Subscribe for updates
Elijah Craig’s Small Batch Bourbon
Heaven Hill Distillery has made history with the release of the new Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon – the first lower-proof expression from the iconic ‘Father of Bourbon’. Crafted exclusively for the Australian market, Heaven Hill’s master distillers have fashioned this golden amber whisky and aged it in charred oak barrels, infusing the bourbon with notes of vanilla, caramel, toasted oak and a touch of spice and smoke. Designed to suit modern drinkers, this accessible and versatile bourbon can be enjoyed neat, in a highball or in a classic cocktail. You can find Elijah Craig’s Small Batch Bourbon at Dan Murphy’s now.
Never Never’s Signature Vodka
When it comes to the world of gin, South Australian distillery Never Never is one of the biggest names in the game. Soon enough, however, the booze makers might also be regarded as a top-tier maker of vodka as well. Never Never has just released its own signature vodka – its first permanent product beyond gin. Looking to capitalise on the ongoing martini revival, Never Never’s vodka is a silky sip distilled from Australian wheat spirit and infused with olive, coconut and avocado oils, which is then filtered through activated carbon for 16 hours before being blended with McLaren Vale water to adjust and enhance pH levels. What results is a spirit boasting notes of white chocolate, honeyed macadamia and coconut cream – the perfect addition to your at-home martini cart. Head to Never Never’s website to purchase.
We’ll be updating this list with new releases as they debut – be sure to check back regularly for more booze news!