At GT we’re big believers in the power of a strong drink to warm chilly cockles. With winter in full swing, we present for your health and well-being a bevy of beverages that’ll keep your home fires burning through the colder months.
Burnt Butter Old Fashioned, Enrique’s School for to Bullfighting, Perth
This mix of salted caramel syrup, mole bitters and Johnnie Walker Black fat-washed with beurre noisette ticks all our colder weather boxes with its rich, salty-sweet qualities. GT‘s Western Australia editor Max Veenhuyzen approves: “I’m not normally a fan of tricked-up cocktails and fat-washing,” he says, “but bar manager James Connolly is something of a genius when it comes to drinks.” Enrique’s School for to Bullfighting, 484 Beaufort St, Highgate, Perth, WA, 0438 248 414
Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder, The Bowery, Brisbane
This quietly potent combo of absinthe, orgeat, apple juice and bitters comes warm in a teacup with rose petals. Hot stuff. The Bowery, 676 Ann St, Fortitude Valley, Qld, (07) 3252 0202
The Conquestador, Upstairs at Ethos, Hobart
Smoky mescal, Campari, rosso vermouth and flamed orange zest for extra zing: this nod to the Negroni has all the makings of a top winter tipple. GT‘s Tasmania editors Sue Dyson and Roger McShane vouch for it: “There’s some heat and spiciness that make it quite delicious.” Upstairs at Ethos, 100 Elizabeth St, Hobart, Tas, (03) 6231 1165
Hot Buttered Wine, Whisky & Alement, Melbourne
Pedro Ximénez, Glendronach 12-year-old whisky, butter and maple syrup, served in a teacup with a sprinkling of nutmeg – this (literally) hot little number from Whisky & Alement is the cocktail equivalent of a warm, fuzzy blanket. Whisky & Alement, 270 Russell St, Melbourne, Vic, (03) 9654 1284
2014 Winter Cobbler, Loft Bar, Adelaide
This mix of whisky, Pedro Ximénez, cloudy apple juice and elderflower liqueur finished off with citrus peel and mint will warm you from the inside out without being too harsh on the palate. Loft Bar, 1/128 Gouger St, Adelaide, SA, (08) 8211 8887
Oak and Ember, Lychee Lounge, Brisbane
There’s nothing like a good slug of 23-year-old Ron Zacapa with Pedro Ximénez, kirsch, nut bitters and smoke to fire up the system. Especially when it comes accompanied by salted smoked almonds and aerated chocolate. Lychee Lounge, 2/94 Boundary St, West End, Brisbane, Qld, (07) 3846 0544
Smog Rocket, Eau de Vie, Sydney
This ultra-comforting combination of chocolate porter reduction, Sipsmith gin, Campari and caramel syrup has all the spicy, chocolatey, booze-fuelled components of a winning winter chill-buster. Eau de Vie, 229 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW, (02) 9357 2470
Spelt ale,Two Metre Tall Farm Bar, Hayes
This naturally soured ale made from organic Derwent Valley spelt, barley and hops is just the ticket for those who prefer beer as their go-to beverage in the cooler months. Two Metre Tall Farm Bar, 2868 Lyell Highway, Hayes, Tas, 0400 969 677
Toffee Apple Sipper, Bulletin Place, Sydney
The combination of tawny Port, organic apple cider vinegar, Hine VSOP Cognac and glazed-apple reduction (“essentially a sweetened version of the clear liquor that comes out of apples when they’re baked” says Bulletin Place’s Adi Ruiz) sounds just like warm apple pie. Bulletin Place, level 1, 10-14 Bulletin Pl, Sydney, NSW
The Goods, Prix Fixe, Melbourne*
- You’ll have to buy a ticket to dine at Prix Fixe for a chance to try this citrusy combination of savory (the herb), sparkling wine, elderflower, orange and grapefruit jazzed up with Lillet Blanc, Aperol and Suze, but, paired with Philippa Sibley’s outstanding eats, it’s well worth the trouble. *Prix Fixe, Alfred Pl, Melbourne, Vic
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For another great winter drink, check out Papa Jack’s Tom & Jerry (pictured)*.
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