Our expert judges blind-tasted over 450 spirits to deliver the verdict on the essential bottles to add to your collection this year.
Just like Slim Shady, we’re back, back again. After four years of the Decoded Wine Awards and a successful foray into the world of spirits last year, the Dan Murphy’s Decoded Spirit Awards have returned to highlight the very best in the ever-crowded world of fine liquor. Our expert panel of 14 judges tasted a record number of more than 450 entrants to crown the year’s most outstanding bottles across whisky, gin, vodka, rum, bottled cocktails, non-alcoholic options and more.
In the, ahem, spirit of the Decoded Awards, the aim isn’t just to showcase ultra-premium bottles that are unattainable to most. In fact, some of our overall winners may surprise you with their value for money (plus we have a swag of Value Picks, too). Extensive blind tastings ensured no judge was swayed by brand, label or price point, and the panel then determined the absolute cream of the crop.
The end goal? To help you see past the fancy bottles and the marketing spiels, and build a bar cart full of spirits you can rely on, whether to sip neat or craft killer cocktails. So, with all that in mind, here are the winners of the 2023 Dan Murphy’s Decoded Spirit Awards, with some cheeky cocktail recommendations for an extra dash of inspiration.
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Category: Australian gin
And the winner is: Seven Seasons Green Ant Gin
Best enjoyed: in a Gimlet, made all the more citrusy by those zesty green ants that go into every bottle.
Green by name, green by nature, our judges chose Green Ant gin as their favourite Australian gin this year for the distinctly herbal and citrusy qualities, imparted by way of local Northern Territory botanicals like Kakadu yams, bush apples, native juniper and actual green ants, which all set it apart from so many other new-world gins. Founded by Indigenous food entrepreneur Daniel Motlop, the ingredients in the unique gin are harvested by hand by the Larrakia people of the Darwin region, making it one of the few distilleries around that actively maintains and gives back to Country.
Category: Coloured & sloe gin
And the winner is: Ginato Pompelmo Gin
Best enjoyed: in a bright, citrusy Pink Grapefruit Spritz.
Ginato immediately evokes thoughts of those bright, fruity cocktails that demand to be sipped on the Riviera, and the brand’s Pompelmo Gin is tailor-made for just that. With big and bold flavours of blood orange and pink grapefruit, this leaps out of the glass and makes it perfect for spritzing.
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Category: International gin
And the winner is: Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin
Best enjoyed: in an Aviation, where maraschino and lemon will let all those botanicals really pop.
Germany isn’t the first place you’d think of as a gin producer, but Monkey 47 is doing things from its Black Forest distillery that are quickly earning it an enviable reputation among bartenders. Their flagship is this special take on the classic Dry gin, distilled with 47 local unique botanicals that lend it a wonderfully fruity and balanced nose.
And the honourable mention goes to: Mars Iwai Wa Bi Gin
While Monkey 47 took out the top spot, the Mars Iwai Wa Bi Gin was right behind it, according to the judges. Japan’s diverse array of botanicals makes this nation’s gin an essential addition to any true enthusiast’s spirits collection, and Mars Iwai’s Wa Bi Gin is a fantastic example to include. All nine of the botanicals featured in the gin are grown locally around the distillery, affording it a true sense of place as well as an elegant freshness.
And the winner is: 78 Degrees Australian Vodka
Best enjoyed: alongside coffee liqueur in a distinctly Aussie Black Russian.
After taking home an honourable mention in our local whiskey category, South Australia’s 78 Degrees distillery also impressed judges with their vodka, which they make with grape marc – the skins, seeds and other leftovers after making wine – sourced from wineries that surround their Adelaide Hills distillery. The result is all those hallmark characters you find in grape-based vodkas, including a silky-smooth mouthfeel and subtle notes of pepper and citrus.
Category: International vodka
And the winner is: Cîroc Vodka
Best enjoyed: in a silky-smooth Vesper.
P-Diddy links aside, France’s Cîroc Vodka, which is one of the few mass-market vodkas to be distilled from grapes, has earned a cult following at the premium end of the market over the past 15 years. The reason is that it’s simply one of the world’s best, with a clean silkiness and unbeatable smoothness – thanks in no small part to being distilled five times.
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Category: Australian Whisk(e)y
And the winner is: Lark Classic Cask Single Malt Australian Whisky
Best enjoyed: as is, with a drop or two of water.
Lark is perhaps the quintessential Australian whisky, with distiller and founder Bill Lark having first brought the artform to Australia in the ’90s, kicking off a wave of new-world whiskies that hasn’t stopped since. Lark’s Classic Cask is the purest expression of Tasmanian whisky’s signature flavour and it’s been ceaselessly perfected over decades. Made with local barley and spring water aged in selected sherry and port casks, this is a whisky that’s approachable, but rich in malt, dry cacao, light toasted oak and light stewed pear flavours.
Category: North American whiskey
And the winner is: High West Distillery American Prairie Bourbon Whiskey
Best enjoyed: in the strikingly beautiful New York Sour.
Utah isn’t the first US state we’d think of when it comes to making winning bourbon, but there’s no doubt that High West, which interestingly also boasts the world’s only ski-in cellar door, has made a whiskey to rival any made in the Deep South. Our judges loved how High West has balanced the signature bourbon sweetness with layers of spice and dried fruit.
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Category: Scotch whisky
And the winner is: Aberlour 12 Year Old Double Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Best enjoyed: combined with another whisky winner (see below) in a Cameron’s Kick.
The general rule of thumb in whisky is that the more cask treatments it gets, the more expensive it becomes. Aberlour 12 Year Old, however, bucks this trend and delivers on the classic, rich Speyside flavour by way of dual maturation in American oak and Spanish sherry casks. For less than $80, single malts don’t come much better than this.
Category: Agave - Tequila
And the winner is: Patron Reposado Tequila
Best enjoyed: in a Paloma.
Patron is about as well-regarded as tequila brands come, but while many instinctively reach for the brand’s signature Silver Blanco tequila, there’s an incredible depth to be found in its Reposado, so it’s worth trading up. It’s lightly aged in a variety of barrels to impart subtle layers of spice, fruit and honey, leading to a sweeter and more warming finish.
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And the winner is: Del Maguey Vida Mezcal
Best enjoyed: swapped in for tequila in a smoky-sweet take on Louis Hanson’s Honeyrita
If you love tequila, mezcal – the spirit’s roastier, smokier cousin – is a must-have for those winter nights that call for something more complex and sippable. This year, our judges loved Del Maguey Vida Mezcal for the balance it strikes between warm smokiness and minerality.
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Category: Pre-batched cocktails
And the winner is: Curatif Amaretto Sour
Best enjoyed: in a tumbler, garnished with a maraschino cherry.
Perfect for transeasonal picnicking, the Amaretto Sour from canned cocktail kings Curatif was developed in tandem with Melbourne’s Bar Bambi and comes with all the flavours you know and love, just like your favourite bartender makes it. A huge hit of creamy marzipan hits the palate first, chased down by tart lemon before things get too sweet. It’s a classic, perfected.
And the winner is: Hoochery Distillery Ord River Rum
Best enjoyed: in a Rum Old Fashioned.
Australian rum is all grown up – and booming – with serious quality continuing to roll out, as small-scale producers like WA’s Hoochery repeatedly prove. Their premium small-batch rum, made with monsoonal rain water, delivers the signature sweet spice of a dark rum with a smooth, mellow finish.
And the winner is: Appleton Estate Signature Blend Jamaica Rum
Best enjoyed: in a classic Old Cuban.
Appleton Estate is an icon for a reason – it consistently turns out Caribbean rums that are huge in flavour, smooth in finish and wonderfully affordable. The blend of rums in each bottle are aged for an average of four years, giving it incredible smoothness and a rich, fruit-forward sweetness that’s perfect for tropical-inspired cocktails.
Category: Spiced rum
And the winner is: Rockstar Spirits Banana Bomb Navy Strength Spiced Rum
Best enjoyed: in a Banana Daiquiri or, if you dare, a tropical take on a Cable Car.
English distilleries are producing some of the most interesting, exciting twists on rum we’ve seen in some time, and Banana Bomb from Rockstar delivers, as the name suggests, a megaton of flavour. Bold and uncompromising in both strength and flavour, it brings a huge hit of caramelised banana flavour to any cocktail or mixer, and at 57% ABV, we do advise you use one.
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Category: Non-alcoholic
And the winner is: Gordon’s 0.0 Alcohol Free
Best enjoyed: in a non-alcoholic Southside.
They already made one of the most quintessential London Dry Gins of our time, so it makes sense that Gordon’s has also delivered on a wonderfully sippable non-alcoholic version. Their 0% alcohol gin is rich with flavours of pine, citrus and lime that marry wonderfully with your choice of mixer.
And the honourable mention goes to: Brunswick Aces Spades Sapiir
Landing in a near tie, we had to mention this gem. Coming from the clever team at Melbourne non-alcoholic distillery Brunswick Aces – who have since opened a pioneering bar serving only non-alcoholic drinks – the Spades Sapiir is a deliciously complex replacement for a new-world Dry gin. This balances classic spices like cardamom with sweet citrus, Australian lemon myrtle and Tasmanian pepperberry.
And the winner is: St Agnes Xo 15 Year Old Brandy
Best enjoyed: sipped neat, or in a Sidecar.
There aren’t many classier-looking bottles than a St Agnes, and the Australian brandy producer has the taste credentials to back up the aesthetics. The 15-year-old Xo is a match for any of its kind around the world, with a silky smooth texture and notes of cedar oil, oak, fig, raisins and orange.
And the winner is: Baileys Espresso Creme
Best enjoyed: shaken up with vodka and a hint of simple syrup for a quick Espresso Martini.
Two delicious worlds collide here, with the long-time classic Baileys Original Irish Cream mingling with coffee flavours in this recent addition to the range. Our judges loved the way Baileys Espresso subtly balanced out the classic Irish cream with a hint of bitterness, allowing the natural sweetness of both the drink and the coffee to shine through.
And the winner is: SOFI Aperitivo Blood Orange & Bitters
Best enjoyed: swapped out for Aperol in a uniquely Australian Spritz.
The world of crafty aperitifs is booming at the moment, and Australian company SOFI is at the very tip of the arrow, delivering concoctions that are ready to be spritzed, fizzed, or cocktailed with gleeful abandon. Their flagship Blood Orange and Bitters Aperitivo is a distinct take on the Italian classic, perfectly poised between bitter, sweet and floral.
Here's a hot tip – for a limited time, My Dan’s members can also score awesome deals on all our Decoded Spirits winners:
- Spend over $70, get $5 off
- Spend over $120, get $10 off
- Spend over $200, get $20 off
