5 versatile and delicious spirits for your back bar in spring and summer 2023

Stir your senses and shake up your drinks list this season with our top 5 spirits and liqueurs for the silly season.

 

Whether it’s a base for your next cocktail list or an aromatic aperitivo tipple, we’ve delved deeper into these key products to offer some ultimate serving suggestions and food pairings.

Base spirits

Head back to basics or let your creativity flow. Base spirits are there to lay the groundwork for great classic serves or incredible flavour mixes, and with over 300 distilleries dotted throughout Australia there’s always something unique to discover.

Gin

Ambra Watermelon & Mint Gin

AUSTRALIA.

One of our favourite finds in the spirits category is, of course, a great Australian gin. Gin is the fastest growing spirits category in Australia, and with that comes a sea of creativity in flavour infusions and alternative options. Ambra Watermelon & Mint Gin (206604) has a classic London dry base (juniper, citrus, coriander, cardamom) with a refreshing hit of mint and luscious watermelon. These delicate flavours are beautifully fresh in a gin goblet or a spritz cocktail at a social lunch seating in the sun. Create your own weekly special by pairing it well with food – both watermelon and mint work wonderfully with feta cheese, which is a desirable and versatile ingredient for any spring and summer menu, from a salad or pasta topping to an indulgent pastry filling.
OLC SS23 blog packshots Ambra Watermelon Mint Gin 600x600 1
OLC SS23 blog packshot Lyres Agave Bianco 600x600 1

Non-alcoholic spirit

Lyre's Non-alcoholic Agave Bianco

AUSTRALIA.

Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Agave Bianco (207669) is another top pick that doubles up as a favourite from our non-alcoholic offering, as well as our classic base spirits selection. Inspired by the flavours of tequila, this spirit has its own distinct take on an agave cocktail base, just minus the alcohol for broader appeal. Full of character, there’s a strong expression of citrus, pepper and roasted agave whilst the aroma is citrus-forward with hints of chamomile and pine. A great tipple for any back bar, it’s great served with many bar snacks or street 
food-inspired dishes, like hot wings, jambalaya, sushi or curry. Serve in a non-alcoholic margarita or paloma cocktail throughout the long hot summer and bring no to low ABV options to your menu.

Aperitivos & digestivos

The bookends to any meal, an aperitivo and digestivo are designed to stimulate the appetite and settle the stomach respectively. It’s a must-do ritual in many European cultures for good reason – an aperitivo will relax diners into their booking and set the tone prior to meals arriving. Whilst a digestivo will close the meal, which is just as important if diners have had a particularly indulgent or rich meal. With these beverages it’s less about the pairing and more about knowing when and how to serve.

Aperitivo

Bottega Bianco Vermouth

ITALY.

A great aperitivo for spring or summer is Bottega Bianco Vermouth (183771) due to its relatively dry flavour and lower alcohol content. Dry vermouth is typically served in classic cocktails like martinis or with a tonic and ice with a twist. It’s a sleek opener to meals, particularly compared to higher ABV table wines, and will successfully prepare the palate for more abundant flavours. From this vermouth you can expect a complex yet elegant bouquet with hints of spice, citrus and bitter orange. The palate is made up of pinot grigio grapes and over 30 herbs, flowers and spices including absinthe, nutmeg and galangal for a rich and definitive taste. If serving with food, keep it to small and simple bites like charcuterie or rillettes with a side of crispy sourdough.
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OLC SS23 blog packshots Ambra Limoncello 600x600 1

Liqueur

Ambra Limoncello

AUSTRALIA.

For something bright and luminescent in flavour, Ambra Limoncello Liqueur (178607) is beautiful to sip on its own, with dessert or after a meal. Crafted from an authentic Italian recipe, it was written and perfected by an Adelaide-based Italian restauranteur exploring ‘la dolce vita’ back on his home soil during a holiday on the Amalfi Coast 25 years ago. The highly awarded concoction is made from locally picked lemons and a grape spirit base that has been distilled in nearby Barossa Valley – a true Aussie creation with authentic Italian soul. Serve chilled, mix into cocktails and spritzes, or pair with a complementing dessert. A sweet match can be found in a Sicilian ricotta pie with fresh whipped cream.

Digestivo

Giori Grappa Stravecchia

ITALY.

Alternatively, if a cheese board or dark chocolate at the end of an evening meal is more your venue’s style, then a digestivo like Giori Grappa Stravecchia Tall (170392) will settle the end of your diners’ meal. Aged for 18 months in oak bain-marie kegs, it has a considered and complex flavour profile of delicate tobacco aromatics, eastern spices and leather. It’s designed to sip slowly, taking in each layer of the aromatics and its advanced palate.
OLC SS23 blog packshots Giori Stravecchia Grappa 600x600 1

Our range of spirits and liqueurs are suited to a variety of venues so, whether it’s more about the food pairings or developing your seasonal drinks list, ask your local sales rep about how to take your liquor offering to the next level.

As seen in spring/summer 2023

Our liquor collection.

OLC SS23 catalogue thumbnail

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