From a G&T on a hot day to an artisan rum in a candle-lit saloon, the world of spirits truly offers a sip for every occasion—and Sydney's distilleries are no exception. There are hyper-local botanicals brewed into gins, breweries exploring mega-sustainable distilling techniques, and bottomless brunches where the vodka in your VLS is made metres away.
These are the best distilleries in Sydney.
Ester Spirits Distillery & Tasting Room
Marrickville
Ester Spirits' fiery red gin bottles have popped up at the likes of Quay, Sean’s Panorama, and Continental Deli. Led by husband and wife duo Corinna Kovner and Felix Clark, Ester began life in 2020 as part of a mission to uncover the perfect Negroni—a noble quest, to be sure. Since then, their juniper-forward spirits have won notable gin gongs like "Best in Show" at the Australian Gin Awards and "World's Best Navy Gin" at the World Gin Awards.
At their Marrickville distillery and tasting room, you can go deep on the Sydney-born gin with tasting flights, mandarin gimlets, and gin-ready snacks like fresh tomatoes, A.P. bread, pickled onions, and canned goods.
Brix Distillers
Surry Hills
Often when you think "distillery", you think "gin"—but at Brix, it’s another three-letter spirit that’s in everybody's glass: rum. This Surry Hills manufacturer offers a cornucopia of rum-themed activities like cocktail classes, rum spicing lessons, distillery tours, and watercolour painting evenings that come replete with rum-based beverages (known as Brix & Brushes). Visit the bar and kitchen (which serves such delights as pulled jackfruit tacos with Brix BBQ sauce and spiced rum beef short ribs) to sample the goods, or pop down on a Sunday for bottomless rum, ribs and reggae.
Moonshiner
Marrickville
Launched in 2021 following a night of cocktails between five juniper-loving friends, aims to keep its carbon footprint as small as possible by encouraging nearby residents to donate any excess fruit, herbs or botanicals to the cause in exchange for discounts on the finished products. Now, the range includes native Aussie gin, cherry gin, and a classic dry gin. Their tasting room on Enmore Road may only hold 20 people, but they’ve also collaborated with restaurants such as Russo & Russo to deliver a tasting menu that pairs the highlights from their range with the best in Italian cuisine.
Archie Rose Distilling Co.
Rosebery
A sojourn to Archie Rose can quickly turn into a fully indulgent day out with Three Blue Ducks, Da Mario, and Black Star Pastry all located on the same block. From simple beginnings to a range that now includes vodka, whisky and rum to go alongside the gin varietals, Archie Rose offers cocktail masterclasses and distillery tours alongside their cosy yet bustling bar. What really sets Archie Rose apart, however, is their range of “tailored” spirits, giving you the chance to design a bespoke spirit for your palette.
Four Pillars
Surry Hills
While the Four Pillars distillery itself is in the Yarra Valley, the laboratory is very much in Sydney—and you can visit for workshops, tasting sessions, experimental gin and food pairing events, or just to enjoy a bev and snack at the bar. Sure, their standard, dry gin offering is among the best in the business, but when there are variants like yuzu, shiraz, kumquat, bergamot, olive leaf, spiced Negroni, sherry cask and Christmas gins all on offer, the only difficult choice is deciding which one to try next. For those of a sober persuasion who want to join in on the fun, Four Pillars is one of the few leading distillers to incorporate a non-alcoholic range.
Manly Spirits Co.
Brookvale
Over the past few years, the Northern Beaches has been quietly making a name for itself among ale aficionados thanks to its range of breweries, but there's also a great distillery to be found among all that beery goodness. Given its proximity to the ocean, has a focus on both marine and native botanicals, with ingredients sustainably foraged from the nearby coast. Their bar and cellar door offer distillery tours, cocktail-making classes and even a gin school alongside the chance to try some more experimental seasonal blends. In the past, Manly Spirits has released mango and coconut, cascara cherry and vanilla, cinnamon, and spiced chai gins—and that’s not even mentioning their limoncello or cold brew liqueur.
Kings Cross Distillery
Potts Point
In a spot that formerly housed an illegal casino and club, Kings Cross Distillery now proudly spills out into the laneway, pouring up house-made, vapour-infused spirits inspired by Australian settings. The signature Australian Classic Dry gin is based on a recipe from 1937, and there’s a happy hour with gin flights, plus a full menu of snacks and share plates. The distillery offers masterclasses for six–10 guests or, for something different for date night, check out The Aphrodisiac Experience, with two navy-strength gin and tonics made with mood-boosting botanicals and half a dozen oysters for $38.
Poor Toms
Marrickville
Poor Toms opened its doors in 2015, and is now so successful you'll find four-packs of pre-mix in your local bottle-o. Two childhood friends poured their life savings into purchasing a still at a time when Sydney had no craft distilleries and now, their dog-friendly gin hall serves up an ever-changing menu of favourites, such as their strawberry and pina colada variants, alongside one-off experimental blends four nights a week. Take a trip and see why they’ve won so many awards, including a gold at the San Francisco World Liquor Awards for their Sydney Dry Cut offering.
Hickson House Distilling Co.
The Rocks
Using ingredients sourced from all over Australia, the Hickson House range includes the Australian Dry Gin, a juniper-heavy Harbour Strength, a classic London Dry Gin, and the Wild Rosé Summer Cup: a modern Aussie take on old-school aperitif. You can tour the distillery to check out the custom-made, 800-litre copper stills for $45p, which includes a G&T on arrival, tasting of three gins with tonic and new make whisky, and $5 to redeem from the distillery door and, once you've sampled the in-house goods, visit the bar where there are over 600 bottles of the best spirits from around the world.
Young Henrys
Newtown
Practically a Sydney institution, you'll find Young Henrys' beer creations like the Newtowner being hoovered up by the case at barbecues. But recently they’ve spread their wings and are also producing gin and whisky out of their Newtown HQ, which is open for tastings seven days a week. Come for the Noble Cut gin, but stay for their stories of sustainability; the brewery and distillery are both 100% powered by renewable energy, and they’ve also partnered with UTS to research how micro-algae can reduce methane production in both beverage production and farming.
Bondi Liquor Co.
Bondi
bills itself as the first distillery in Bondi and, in true Eastern Suburbs fashion, its kitchen does a bottomless brunch to go alongside the cocktails and other spirit-based treats on offer at the bar, so you can get unlimited G&Ts or vodka sodas to accompany your truffle arancini. As well as brunch, there are gin distilling and tasting masterclasses on offer, and the selection includes coffee vodka, rhubarb gin, and an intriguing-sounding saltwater gin.
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Image credit: Four Pillars, Brix Distillers, Archie Rose Distilling Co, Manly Spirits Co, Kings Cross Distillery, Hickson House Distilling Co, Bondi Liquor Co