Get into the spirit of Sydney’s emerging spirits scene by paying a visit to your local distillery.
Archie Rose
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The first distillery of its kind in Sydney’s CBD, Archie Rose distilling sure has made a name for itself. This gin, whisky and vodka distillery is nestled in Rosebery and at present is the only one in the city that you can both visit for tastings and tours. The distillery sure is a sight to see, housing what the Archie Rose gang call ‘three of the most unique copper pot stills in the world.’ Everything from the distilling to the bottling and labelling happens on site. Go ahead and pull up a seat at the bar to enjoy all that the Archie Rose range has to offer, including a few special, unreleased products that you won’t find anywhere else.
Getting there
Being a little further out from town, you can either catch a train to Central Station and switch over to a bus, or jump into a cab to save time.
Archie Rose Distilling Co, 85 Dunning Avenue, Rosebery NSW 2018
Sydney’s New Rum Distillery?
Rumour has it there will soon be a new kid on Sydney’s distillery block, with whispers around town that there’s a rum distillery in the works. Earlier this year there were reports of a $25 million capital raising affair with the ambitious end goal of opening a rum distillery more advanced than any other in the world. For now, we’ll just have to hang tight and wait for further news on this one though.
Wet your lips with local wines
You don’t have to head to the Hunter Valley to enjoy a good quality drop. Here are three of our favourite local Sydney venues to sit back and relax with a vino in hand.
Cake Wines
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The Cake Wines cellar door in Redfern offers so much more than your average cellar door experience. Wine tastings yes, but also a huge range of live bands and cultural events are held here each and every week. Cake Wines are a truly unique brand and experience in the wine world. Take a look at the Cellar Door Calendar to find out what’s on this month over at Cake Wines.
Getting there
Redfern station is nearby, as are several bus stops.
Cake Wines Cellar Door, 16 Eveleigh Street, Redfern NSW 2016
121BC
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Next up on our tasting adventure is 121BC. Top notch wine – check. Mouth-watering Italian eats –check. Is there anything else your stomach could possibly want? 121BC boasts incredible Italian cuisine and some of the best wines by the glass. The wine list features artisan producers and a number of local Italian varieties broken up by regions. You can either grab a bottle from the wine shop to take home or drink at the bar, or alternatively grab a glass off the regularly refreshed wine list.
Getting there
121BC is super easy to get to, perched right near Central Station.
121BC, 4/50 Holt Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Nomad
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This city cellar door showcases local wine and dishes using fresh and tasty regional produce. Nomad is the perfect spot if you want to enjoy something a little fancier during your stay in Sydney, and while prices here are more expensive than some others on our shortlist, it’s certainly worth it for the quality of dishes on offer. The wine list is worth a shout-out here, jam-packed with top Aussie drops that are bound to impress.
Getting there
Nomad is just a short walk from Central station.
Nomad, 16 Foster Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Like the look of this list? There are countless venues to visit in the city to get a top tipple or your morning energy hit, we’ve really only scraped the surface. Allow a few extra days when fleshing out your Sydney itinerary so you can tick a bunch of these hotspots off your list. If you’re looking for a great budget hotel in Sydney, our ibis hotels are conveniently located in several central spots throughout the city, so find your base and get ready to explore tastings galore!